What happened

Cherry moved to Singapore in 2014 with her daughter, Jessie, who was just four years old at the time. Over the years, she built a life here and later gave birth to her second child, Benjamin, who is now 10.

In 2024, her marriage broke down. The separation forced Cherry and her two children to leave their home. For a period, they stayed in a crisis shelter before eventually moving into a 2-room rental flat.

Around the same time, Cherry had to stop working due to ongoing health concerns, including insomnia, digestion issues, and knee pain. She was later diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder, and is currently receiving treatment.

How she’s trying

Despite these challenges, Cherry has been taking steps to rebuild her life.

At the end of 2024, while still working, she enrolled in a Diploma in Business Management. Her goal was to upgrade her skills and secure better job opportunities to support her family.

The journey has not been easy. Balancing work, caregiving, and her health affected her ability to cope with the course, and she initially failed three modules. But Cherry did not give up.

She has since retaken and passed two of them. Now, she is left with just one final module. The course must be completed by June, which is the maximum allowable time frame.

“On the recovery of my health, I took this chance to upgrade myself,” she said.

Her current barriers

To complete the course, Cherry needs to pay a remodule fee of $765.06.

She has reached out to the institution to explore paying the fees in installments and is checking if the remodule fee can be deferred. However, with the module starting in May, time is limited and payment is required soon.

At the same time, Cherry is facing financial strain at home. She is currently awaiting the outcome of her SSO application and receives only interim support. Daily expenses, especially groceries, remain a challenge.

Without support, Cherry risks being unable to complete her Diploma — after coming so close.

Why now

This is Cherry’s final hurdle. If she is unable to complete this last module by June, the time, effort, and progress she has made over the past year may not count toward her qualification.

Completing the Diploma would open doors to better job opportunities and give her a more stable path forward. Without it, she may remain limited to lower-paying roles, making it harder to support her family in the long run.

What the money will cover

Ray of Hope is raising funds to support Cherry in two key areas:

• Remodule fee: $765.06

• Living expenses: $500 per month for 3 months 

This support will:

1. Enable Cherry to complete her Diploma
2. Reduce immediate financial stress
3. Allow her to focus on recovery and studies
4. Support her family’s daily needs during this transition period

Cherry has already come this far. She has pushed through health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, and financial strain to reach her final module.

With your support, she can complete her Diploma and move toward stable employment — and the chance to build a better future for her children.