The Struggle

Jeline is a single mum to 3 school-going children aged 12, 8 & 6. When the case workers met the 33-year-old, she confided in us that besides shouldering more than $10,000 of debts owing to banks due to their living arrears, she is most worried about her children’s daily needs and meals.

“Now that I am not working, I am relying on the assistance from SSO each month. I need to budget every dollar. Even when they want to buy sweets or toys like other kids, I have to think and calculate if I have enough money”, she explains. She also told us that she often feels distressed knowing that she is racing against time as her assistance ends in March, but she has not been shortlisted for any employment despite having sent out her resume to many companies. “But when they (the employers) hear that I am in the midst of my divorce and have 3 school-going children, they told me HR will contact me if I have been shortlisted. But so far, it’s just waiting….”

Help Needed

Jeline decided to put an end to an abusive relationship by filing for a divorce despite knowing the social stigma that she might be put to being a single mum, and the last straw came when her ex-husband was caught having an affair. According to Jeline, her ex-husband who worked as an IT Engineer, was always squandering his salary of more than $3,000 each month, and constantly turned to her for cash whenever his pay ran out. Although he did provide for the children, he was not contributing to the household, and had also allegedly mis-spent the baby bonuses that the couple has received for their sons.

Since filing for her divorce, having to juggle between providing for her children as well as being the caregiver to them, all at the same time, has not been an easy feat. Since losing her job in May last year, Jeline lost a gross salary of $2,800 and was relying on her savings and the sale of items online to support her children, until her social assistance came in place in January this year. Speaking to us while running through stacks of bills in hand, Jeline told us that she hopes to find employment soon, so that they could stop relying on social assistance as she wants to be able to provide for her boys whom she draws strength from.

Financial Breakdown

Ray of Hope would like to raise $1,200 ($300 x 4 months) to help Jeline with her children’s expenses while she seeks employment with the help of her social worker. Please donate to give hope to the single mum!

*Jeline’s social assistance ends in March 2020.