A Malaysian kindergarten teacher adopts and raises a girl abandoned at 2 months old due to her parents’ circumstances.
An inspiring story has emerged from Malaysia, where 83-year-old Chee Hoi Lan, a kindergarten teacher, has been raising a girl, Rohana Abdullah, whom she adopted 22 years ago. Rohana was abandoned at just two months old when her biological mother, a cleaner at the kindergarten, was forced to return to Indonesia. Her father had disappeared when she was little, leaving Rohana with no relatives to care for her.
Despite racial and religious differences, Chee, who had been working at the kindergarten, decided to take the baby in and raise her as her own. Chee, who has never married, has cared for Rohana in Kuala Lumpur since then, forming a close and loving bond.
“I know there are things that she (Rohana) cannot eat. I know there are times that she has to pray and it’s not a problem,” Chee explained. Despite being a Buddhist, Chee ensured that Rohana, a Muslim, could practice her religion, including paying for her religious classes and making sure she ate halal food.
Rohana, now an adult, expresses immense gratitude to Chee, addressing her as “laoshi” (Mandarin for teacher). However, Rohana is currently facing a challenge with her citizenship status, as her application for Malaysian citizenship, submitted in 2016, has yet to receive a response.
