A Mother Holding On for Her Children

Mdm Jasmin, is a Singapore permanent resident who has lived here since she was four. Now a single mother of a daughter (13) and son (4), she is navigating a painful divorce and custody disputes. After years of domestic violence, she and her children fled their home and have been moving from shelter to shelter since September last year. They are safe for now, but far from stable.

“I bring them (my children) to this world. I am responsible for them… I haven’t even sat down and cry after leaving my home. I have not processed my own trauma,” she said quietly.

Despite the upheaval, Mdm Jasmin has kept her children in their same schools to provide them with consistency and ensure continuity in their learning.

Fighting Fatigue to Put Food on the Table

Mdm Jasmin works full-time as a student care teacher. On weekends, she picks up shifts at a fast food restaurant to make ends meet. “Doing all this is just for them, just for them,” she shared.

Even with two jobs, her income cannot cover basic needs. Her daughter’s school fees already cost $346.62 a month, with $699.58 in arrears and another $1,039.86 needed for October–December 2025. Fees are expected to triple when her daughter enters secondary school in 2026.

She has applied for citizenship for herself and her daughter, hoping for long-term stability, but her application was rejected. Her application for financial assistance was also turned down because her daughter’s non-citizen status excludes her from many forms of aid. 

A Critical Moment for a Family on the Edge

Without immediate support, Mdm Jasmin risks deeper arrears, threatening her daughter’s education and adding to their emotional strain. 

Her 13-year-old daughter shoulders adult responsibilities; she cares for her younger brother when Mdm Jasmin works on weekends and sometimes helps to fetch him from childcare on weekdays when Mdm Jasmin is unable to do so.  

Timely support would ease Mdm Jasmin’s caregiving burden while her caseworker pursues longer-term aid.

What Your Gift Will Cover

Ray of Hope is seeking $4,349.44 to support this family:

– $699.58 to clear school fee arrears

– $1,039.86 for October – December 2025 school fees ($346.62/month) 

– $360 for six months of diapers support for her younger son ($60/month)

– $1,800 for six months of grocery support ($300/month)

– $450 for new secondary school uniforms and textbooks for her daughter who is expected to enter secondary school in 2026

Together, We Can Keep Her Children Safe and Schooled

Despite the weight she carries, Mdm Jasmin’s spirit remains unbroken. 

She dreams of becoming an early childhood educator and has been writing to preschools to explore work-and-study opportunities. She hopes to upskill, earn a better income, and give her children the safe, stable life they deserve.

Your contribution today will keep her daughter in school, ensure food on the table, and give Mdm Jasmin the space to be more than a survivor.  

“I have no choice. They depend on me. To them, I am their world,” she said. Together, we can remind her that she’s not alone.