The Struggle

Imagine taking care of not just one by five children single handedly. Mdm Aidah, is a 48 year old single mum caring for her 5 children. Unlike other families who have a healthy environment to grow up in and who do not have to worry about finances, her kids are deprived of a happy childhood that is often taken for granted. Mdm Aidah’s eldest son (19) is currently serviving national service, while her two older daughters (17 & 16) have dropped out of school after graduating from primary school.

Help Needed – Give Hope

The household of 6 is constrained in a two room rental flat with minimal furnishing. It was heartwrenching to hear that Mdm Aidah and her children all sleep on the thin mattresses spotted at a corner of the house because they could not afford to have anything more, especially when a meal a day sounds like a luxury to them. With her children growing day by day, the space in the house becomes extremely limited.

Mdm Aidah confided that this is the best she could provide. After her divorce with her now ex-husband, the family had been staying in their relatives’ houses from time to time, until they finally got their own rental flat in 2016. Unfortunately, their co-tenant was extremely hostile towards Mdm Aidah’s children and even stole their belongings. Prioritizing her children’s safety, Mdm Aidah decided to give up on the rental flat and appealed for another, and they finally got the current two-room flat that they are renting. The resilient mum recalled the days when the family has no food to eat and her children will ask her why can’t they be like other kids.

Mdm Aidah used to work as a porter at the airport until she was diagnosed with leukaemia and also underwent a gastric bypass surgery. Besides leukaemia, Mdm Aidah also suffers from high blood pressure and high cholesterol. With her extremely low white blood count, she often feels dizzy, making it dangerous for her to travel alone. There were also occasions when she almost fainted after her medical appointments. With no family members to turn to for support after her adoptive parents passed away more than 30 years ago, the 48-year-old feels helpless about her current situation.

Even with the physical pain and emotional stress that she has to do through, the resilient mum still wants to provide the best to her children whom she loves dearly.

Quoting Mdm Aidah, “Their biological father can don’t bother about them, but I can’t. Even if I am sick, I will still find a way out for my children.”

Financial Breakdown

ROHI would like to raise $1,517 to help Mdm Aidah with the following while she renews her SSO assistance which ended in November.

– Food & Sundry: $1,250 ($250 x 5 months)

– Transport: $100 ($20 x 5 months)

–  Rent: $138 (will be paid directly to HDB)

–  Town Council: $29 (will be paid directly to Town Council)

Your contributions will go a long way in helping the family out.

*Mdm Aidah is receiving assistance of $300 from MUIS from OCt’18 to Mar’19. Her SSO assistance of $1,000 has ended in Nov’18 and is pending renewal.