Donations to blind woman reach B1.47m, fund closed

Sunisa Moongruayklang, a 26-year-old blind woman, is brought to tears as she expresses her gratitude to all donors who gave her money and basic necessities to help her family. (Photo by Surachai Piragsa)

BURI RAM: A poor blind woman left to take care of her 15-month son said on Friday she would no longer accept donations after her family was inundated with nearly 1.5 million baht in aid from donors across the country.

Sunisa Moongruayklang, 26, of Ban Klanta in tambon Krasang of Muang district, expressed her sincere appreciation for the kind donations, which totalled about 1.47 million baht on Friday.

The woman said the fund was now closed. There was sufficient money to take care of her family for now.

Ms Sunisa said she would use the money to make improvements to her house, which is now a rusty shack with galvanized iron walls, set up an education fund for her son, and for general living expenses. She would also give 50,000 baht to Buri Ram Hospital for the purchase of medical equipment and medicines.

In addition to the money, basic necessities were also provided by both the public and private sector. A paraplegic man even offered ro give her one of his eyes.

Ms Sunisa’s family was overwhelmed with the donations after a neighbour posted her story on Facebook.

Ms Sunisa lost vision in both her eyes after working at an iron smelter for seven years. Her husband left her to enter the monkhood and she had been struggling ever since to take care of their child. She had been relying on her 800-baht monthly allowance for the disabled and a 300 baht state welfare card for the poor.