Ray of Hope is raising $2,240 ($280 x 8 months) to help Melissa with her groceries, while she settles into a job and saves for a flat.

34 year-old Melissa is a single mother of a 7 year-old daughter, and they stay in a one-room rental flat. Two weeks ago, Melissa started work as a part-time stall assistant in a bakery near her home. She expects to bring home about $900 a month.

Melissa shared with the caseworkers that her partner left her when their daughter was only 2 years old, and she has been struggling to support the household single-handedly. As her daughter’s main caregiver, she strives to balance between parenting and providing for the family. Melissa does not have family support — her mother passed away in 2006 and she is an only child. She has no contact with her biological father and step-father.

While all may seem bleak during the hardest times, Melissa still has hope for the future. She will be getting the keys to a new, two-room BTO flat in April 2023, and looks forward to providing her daughter with a conducive environment to grow up in. Melissa tries to save up each month for their new BTO flat.

*Melissa is not receiving social assistance. She will be applying for assistance.