Karnagi Naguran, 49, has been bed-ridden since March last year after falling off her wheelchair and injuring herself. Since then, she has been unable to operate the modest flower business she started, her primary source of income.

Instead, her only child Vikneshwaran Rengaiya, 13, has had to assume the role of sole breadwinner and has taken over the flower stall so he and his mother can continue to earn an income, no matter how meagre.

Speaking with Karnagi via phone, FMT learned about her health issues since she was a young woman, and how she has been struggling to bring up Vikneshwaran single-handedly for the past few years.

She related how when she was 18 years old, she sustained serious burns in a home accident when a pot of boiling water scalded her legs. Despite the pain, she did not seek medical attention. At that time, she was an orphan, living with her relatives.

She said things were never the same again as without her realising it, the scalding had caused severe nerve damage and by 25 years old, she was unable to walk. By 31, she was in a wheelchair.

Still, she got married four years later and had her son soon after. Her husband meanwhile, also disabled, suffered from heart and kidney issues.

So, it was always up to Karnagi to work to support her family. The two separated in 2019.

She told FMT that she worked for six years with the Perak Disabled Rehabilitation Association (PPOC) folding envelopes but had to give up her job when the NGO relocated.

So, she decided to do the next best thing and start a business of her own.

“When Vikneshwaran was three years old, I started a flower business because there was no flower stall where I lived. If I could walk, I would have worked in a company as an operator.”

She ran the flower stall during the day, and at night, peeled ambarella fruits for a pickle-making business.

“I would earn approximately RM50 from peeling the ambarella but I had to give up that job too when I developed wounds on my hands,” she explained.

She recalled how her son would tag along when she sold flowers and would clean tables at nearby stalls in exchange for food, which they shared at the end of the day.

These jobs however didn’t bring in enough money and in 2016, they were evicted from their Gopeng home when they couldn’t settle the rent and ended up living in their car.

“When the [Perak] government learned about our plight, they gave us a flat. However, the unit was on the 24th floor and we couldn’t live there,” she explained, adding that the family eventually moved to Menglembu in Ipoh.

She said that since her son will be starting Form 1 in April, he will only be able to sell flowers over the weekends and on holidays, which means he cannot earn the roughly RM500 a month that he brings home now by selling flowers every day.

“He walks about 30 minutes from our home to the spot where he sells the flowers, and he usually pushes a trolley all the way.”

Besides the RM500 from the flower business, Karnagi receives RM450 monthly from the welfare department, money that is ploughed back into the business so her son has stock to sell.

This leaves the duo struggling most months as their monthly expenses are in the region of RM900. This includes rent, utilities, groceries, and her medication.

Despite her daily struggles, Karnagi is clearly very proud of her son. “My son does well in school and is usually the top three in his class.”

The two are extremely close-knit, as evidenced in an incident she related to FMT.

“During Pongal last year, he wanted to sell sugarcane. Because we didn’t have enough money to buy the sugarcane, he pawned a ring he owned for RM60.

“I told him not to pawn the ring and that selling the sugarcane would be difficult, but he wanted to make some money and told me that he could do it.”

And make money he did! She said her son’s sugarcane venture was a good call because he ended up making over RM100. She said what was even more heartwarming was that he used his earnings to buy back his ring and gave his mother the rest.

If circumstances allow, the mother and son hope to operate their flower business from home where they can take customers’ orders and prepare the flowers for collection once ready.

To that end, Karnagi is hoping for some form of regular financial support so she may buy more supplies of fresh flowers for her business.

Those who wish to help Karnagi and Vikneshwaran can send a WhatsApp message to FMT’s Helpline at 019-3899839. Please do not call.