In a heart-wrenching story Siti Nurfarahim Abdullah, a 29-year-old single mother, has had to resort to creative solutions to feed her three young children after her regular source of income dried up.
The milk shortage has left her with no choice but to serve “teh o” and warm water to her children, highlighting the financial difficulties she’s been grappling with over the past month.
Mother persuades children to drink Teh O & warm water instead of milk
Siti Nurfarahim, residing in a flat in Taman Pulai, Skudai, has been solely dependent on a daily wage of RM10, earned by helping a friend make curry puffs from her home.
Previously, she had contributed to her income by assisting her cousin in preparing breakfast orders, which brought in a daily wage of RM40 to RM50.
Unfortunately, her cousin’s food business ceased operations, leaving Siti without a steady source of income, reported Harian Metro.
Siti’s survival tactics
In desperate need of support, she accepted a part-time job making curry puffs for just RM10 a day.
The plight of this single mother becomes even more apparent when considering the fact that she cannot leave her home to seek more substantial employment.
This is due to the responsibility of caring for her three young children, all between the ages of three and five.
Her work as a part-time curry puff maker requires late-night hours, leaving her unable to work outside the home.
Tough choices: ‘Teh O’ over milk
With this limited income, Siti can barely cover the cost of daily kitchen necessities and cannot afford her monthly rent of RM550. And, her eldest son and second daughter, aged 11 and 9, live with her ex-husband.
I bought wet items, including fish and eggs, in small quantities because I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough money. For the past week, my children have been drinking ‘teh o’ and warm water because I can’t afford to buy milk.
Community support
Fortunately, the situation took a positive turn when representatives from the Johor Islamic Religious Council (MAIJ), Jejak Asnaf, and the General Manager of Econsave Cash and Carry Supermarket, Mas Imran Adam, paid a visit to Siti Nurfarahim.
They recognised the dire circumstances she was facing and decided to extend their support.
Siti Nurfarahim had previously considered selling frozen curry puffs, but her home lacked the necessary equipment, including a refrigerator, making it impossible to pursue this option.
Supporting Siti’s cause
The general manager of Econsave Cash and Carry Supermarket, Mas Imran Adam, donated electrical goods and kitchen necessities worth RM1,200 to the family.
Mohd Nasir Ishak of MAIJ also provided immediate assistance to the family and suggested further support to enable Siti to establish her own business.
For those who wish to extend a helping hand to Siti Nurfarahim and her family, donations can be made to her Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) account at 1099541100275957.
