“Everyday I wait for my husband to come home from work so that we can share one meal together. That’s how we save money,” shared Rita.

36-year-old Rita lost her job in 2020 because of the pandemic and has found it difficult to secure employment for a few months. It was only recently that she managed to secure a part-time job as a cashier at a local grocery store. 

The lack of income when she was unemployed has hindered Rita from repaying back her loans and she has accumulated almost $3,000 in debts now. 

Ray of Hope is raising $1,400 ($350 x 4 months) to help Rita with her daily living expenses. She hopes to be converted to a fulltime cashier so she can earn more to support herself.

Rita’s husband works as a waiter and is currently the main provider of the family. Unfortunately, his salary is hardly enough to cover the couple’s living expenses and debt repayment each month. The couple has cut out a lot of their expenses and is thrifty with their spending. To supplement their income, Rita is working as a cashier earning $400 per month. The couple stays together in a one-room rental flat.

When Rita was unemployed, the couple had accumulated multiple arrears as they had to prioritise their basic living necessities such as food. Hence, they were not able to clear their debts as planned.

*Rita is not receiving any social assistance.