“Like you, I am a Singaporean. But nobody wants to employ a blind man. But like everyone else, I have dreams too. “ – Mr Manivannan, 38.

The Struggle

Mr Manivannan has been visually impaired since the age of 3. In spite of his disabilities, the 38-year-old has great ambitions and aspires to be a music composer. But the truth is, Mr Manivannan’s disabilities have been placed him in a disadvantaged pit against many others, and he has been unable to engage in any formal employment.

When the case workers met Mr Manivannan, he told us that even with 17 years of experience in massage, he still faces difficulties in securing any formal employment and is only able to take on part-time masseur jobs when he is back in Malaysia. He also shared with us how he useless he feels at times as he can only rely on his 59-year-old mum for financial support due to his unemployment.

Help Needed – Give Hope

Mr Manivannan has two sisters, and one of them who is a Malaysian is based in Malaysia with her family while the other sister is a Permanent Resident is currently staying in a shelter with her three children due to spousal abuse.  With a nett salary of $1,600, Mr Manivannan’s mum who works as a cook manages everything in the household and is often left struggling in tears with no one to turn to ever since her spouse passed away many years back. The case workers were touched by the resilience of Mr Manivannan’s mum who is the sole breadwinner supporting her 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

Financial Breakdown

Ray of Hope would like to raise $1,380 ($230 x 6 months) to defray the rent for Mr Manivannan and his mum. Your contributions will go a long way in helping the family out!

*Mr Manivannan is not receiving public assistance as his mum’s income exceeds the cap for eligibility.