What happened to Shakilla? 

Like every parent, 24-year-old Shakilla has dreams of providing a secure home environment for her little boy.  Yet, this dream is a challenging one for the young single mum to fulfill. 

7 year-old Danish is mildly autistic and has always needed extra care. When it was time for him to start Primary School in 2023, Shakilla left her full-time job to help him with the transition. While this has helped with Danish’s adjustment, Shakilla faces increasing difficulty in making ends meet as finding work that fits into her caregiving schedule is challenging. 

The family’s financial difficulties escalated in December 2023 when Shakilla met with a traffic accident while returning home from a part-time job. The accident left her with multiple abrasions and a fractured collarbone.

How can you help?

Shakilla was surgically treated for her fractured collarbone on 16 January 2024, and Ray of Hope is raising $3,000 for her family’s living expenses for five months ($600 x 5 months). 

Your support allows her to focus on recovery and caregiving without the added burden of immediate financial challenges. Ray of Hope will be referring Shakilla to the nearest Family Service Centre for further support and intervention.

Find out more: 

“Before we moved into this flat, I was staying with my mum and 4 siblings. The flat was cramped with 7 of us and I don’t want my son to grow up in the same environment as I did”, Shakilla explains.

She was referring to the situation she was in before her move into a separate HDB rental unit together with Danish in 2023.

For five years, the outgoing Shakilla worked as a Camp Facilitator, a position she was deeply passionate about. However, with the move in 2023, Shakilla did not have alternative caregiver support to fall back on.  Biting the bullet, she gave up on her cherished job as it required her to be away from home almost every week. Her priority was spending more time with Danish who was transiting to Primary School. 

In early January 2024, Danish was diagnosed with mild autism and speech delay. Although he attends a mainstream Primary School, his schooling arrangement of five half days makes it difficult for Shakilla to seek full-time employment. She hopes this will change as she gets more clarity about Danish’s needs and his suitability for after-school care. 

Despite receiving support from the Social Service Office (SSO), Shakilla admits that it has been challenging for her to cover their basic expenses with no buffer for emergencies. While grateful,  Shakilla does not want to stay reliant on formal assistance in the long run and is determined to find suitable work arrangements that enable her to be a better provider for her son. 

*Shakilla is receiving social support. Her assistance ends in March 2024.