EVEN though Mother’s Day has just passed, their sacrifices and hard work in caring for their children and managing everything else in their family should be appreciated and never taken for granted.
Jaiton Yasmin, a single mother of six, has been working tirelessly in several jobs to make ends meet for her children after the passing of her husband three years ago due to cardiac arrest.
According to NST, Jaiton’s husband worked as a lorry driver before his death.
“My husband was a lorry driver and had made a quick pit stop at the Shah Alam gas station due to a flat tyre. As he waited for help to arrive, he collapsed from a sudden cardiac arrest,“ she said.
She also received payment benefits from the Social Security Organisation (Socso) after her husband’s passing to also alleviate the burden of her family’s expenses.
The 38-year-old is an entrepreneur mainly running her own business as well as two other gigs transporting school children from 3pm to 5pm and selling banana shoots and coconut leaves.
Her transportation services provide her stable income while the other two businesses’ profits depend on festivities and the season attracting customers.
With her schedule keeping her busy, the Johor native admitted to rarely spending time with her children except on Fridays and Saturdays when they would visit her husband’s and mother’s graves.
Despite not having time for her children, she has always encouraged her children to be independent.
“I teach them how to cook rice, iron clothes, and do other menial chores. I believe God has blessed me with wonderful children. It is my duty to care for them. They are the only reason why I am working very hard,” she added.
The single mother said that her family do not often celebrate Mother’s Day but there were times where she has received a card from her children.
“When we did celebrate, I would go out and buy Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) for the whole family,” she mentioned.
Meanwhile, her eldest son, Muhammad Hakimi, 19, said that he hopes to help lessen her burden of working many jobs after graduating from college at the Kolej Poly-Tech MARA (KPTM) located in Ipoh.
“I wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day and may they be able to brave through the hurdles of motherhood.
“For my mom, let’s spend more time together and do visit me in Ipoh whenever you have the time!” he said.
