“Life hasn’t always been easy for me especially juggling between being a single mother of four children and a full-time job as a cleaner.
I used to reside in family shelters and was struggling to make ends meet. I had difficulty securing an apartment in Singapore as I was a permanent resident. However, my life took a turn for the better the day my social worker introduced me to SPIN. SPIN supported me through my crises providing emotional, social and practical support. I even managed to move in to a rental flat of my own with the help of the SPIN support system.
I value my children’s education so I send my two daughters to tuition every week and I am also looking into enrolling my children to religious classes. However, I am concerned that my children are not getting enough play and are overexerting themselves in schoolwork. I am grateful for SPIN as they hold multiple outings and workshops for my children to enjoy themselves in which I otherwise could not have been able to afford.
One of my favourite SPIN events was the annual Christmas celebration. It brought me a lot of joy to see the smiles on my children’s faces as they eagerly opened up presents and played with their friends. Before SPIN, I did not have much time to spend time with my children but now, my family and I have more opportunities for family bonding. In the future, I hope that my children will understand the importance of having a work-life balance.
I will never forget the opportunity I had to meet President Halimah Yacob. It was an emotional and significant moment for me seeing a Malay woman in a position of power and I found that to be truly inspiring. As a Malay woman myself, we are often subjected to sacrificing our well-being for our husbands. But meeting President Halimah reminded me that it is possible for Malay women to do anything we put our heart and mind into. SPIN has inspired me to improve the lives of my children and I. For now, I am taking on life one day at a time with the help of my family and friends.”
Testimony by Yeni, Member of HCSA Dayspring SPIN