Our parents have gone to great lengths to give us an ideal childhood. From meeting our smallest needs to fulfilling all our desires, mums and dads work hard to give the best to their children.
But it's only when you start becoming an adult yourself or a parent that you realise the number of sacrifices they made to make our childhood worth it.
But sometimes, even the hardest working parents could use some help. Life doesn't deal the same cards to everyone and financial support for parents becomes a necessity.
Sadly, for Nur, this has turned out to be her dreaded reality today.
The mum of four children between the ages of five and one year lives in a two-room rental flat with her husband. Nur braved several storms over the years to get a peaceful life. While her childhood was a mess, things started to look up post her marriage.
But financial constraints have made things difficult. Moreover, the mum stopped receiving social assistance in May 2021, making things even worse.
Singapore Mum At The Receiving End Of Hardships
Nur is the eldest of her four siblings that include three younger brothers. She was also at the receiving end of most hardships while growing up.
A mistreating family made Nur's childhood a quest for survival. In a post on Ray of Hope, the young mum shared how she had to take care of all the household chores as a child including cooking and cleaning. All of this to earn herself a meal at her own home.
Even then, the family would allegedly give her leftover food that had turned bad.
To make things worse, the mum shared that she fell victim to her stepfather's sexual mistreatment between the age of 9 and 15 years. Far from the childhood that any kid deserves, the lack of support from her mother only made things worse.
It's no surprise then that Nur has an estranged relationship with her parents today.
Not the one to be bogged down by hardships, this mum was resilient and decided to make something better of her life. But her finances continue to harden her living conditions.
Financial Constraints Have Taken A Toll On Nur
Nur's husband is supportive and presently the sold breadwinner in the family. The dad was previously a data-entry operator and also has experience in stock-taking at a warehouse.
Having been terminated a few months ago, he now works at the delivery services company - Lalamove. However, his earnings aren't enough to run the house.
The income is irregular and he earns just about $20 per day. But he is trying his best to make the most out of the situation. The challenge though is not being able to draw his earnings, since he does not hit the minimum earnings cap of $25 per day.
Moreover, each withdrawal takes over a week, making it even difficult for this young family to sustain itself financially.
Nur Wishes For A Brighter Future For Her Children
The financial support for parents like these is only a stepping stone to help them make something out of themselves. And that's exactly what Nur plans to do in order to change her and her family's fortunes.
The mum wants to upgrade herself and learn a skill that will help her earn and contribute to the household financially. She wants to enrol in an Advanced Certificate in Early Years.
The course will help her apply for teaching jobs in childcare and increase the family income substantially. By the time her youngest daughter is 18-months-old and ready to go to infant care next year, the course will be completed as well, freeing up time for the mum.
However, given her current financial constraints, the mum can't afford the course at present, especially that one-time registration fee of $214. But this determined mum wants to bring about a change for herself and the kids.
How Can You Contribute
And you can make this happen Nur is trying to raise $3,514 that will help her with finances at home and also towards upskilling and preparing for employment.
The course fees can be paid via her PSEA account. Here's a breakup of Nur's needs at the moment:
- Course registration fee (one-time) - $214
- Groceries, milk & diapers – $550 x 6 months - $3,300
The course begins in August this year and will end in April 2022. She can then apply for teaching jobs and contribute to transforming her family's life. Through Ray of Hope she has so far raised $1,060 for her family. They need little contributions from you to bring about a change in their lives.
Be a part of something that's transformative for a family in every way. You will not only change Nur's life but that of her four children as well. You are finally giving this mum the opportunity to live her life with dignity.
Head on to the link here - www.rayofhope.sg/campaign/nur - to make a contribution.
Do remember every dollar counts towards financial support for these parents.
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