Mon (an assumed name) is a 43-year-old woman, and a single mother. Her husband died years ago, after drowning during his work as a fisherman. Mon is poor and looked down on by the people around her. But with Siam-Care’s help, she is trying to survive. And slowly learning to be proud of herself.
When Mon was young, her father left her mother, to be never in touch with her again. Mother found a new boyfriend, who was very unloving towards Mon. He discouraged her to go to school, as he could hardly afford the school-costs for his own children. Hence Mon never learned to read and write and dropped out of school at a young age. Stepfather was also a violent man, often beating up Mon and her mother.
Hard to find work
Mon’s upbringing clearly was tough. She moved out when she was young, trying to make a living on herself. But because she was uneducated, it was hard to find work. People treated her badly, as Mon was poor and didn’t have much to offer. She worked several jobs, always with a low income and never a fulltime job. Yet she gave everything and always tried to be positive. She gave birth to two children, Bick (a son), and Aom (a daughter). Her life was challenging but ok, until her husband suddenly drowned.
Sometimes feels ashamed
By herself, she could never make enough money to support her family fully, let alone support her childrens’ education. She moved back in with her mother and stepfather, who was still showing violent and aggressive behaviour. Yet Mon kept on fighting to give her children a good future. Siam-Care has been supporting the education of both Bick and Aom, as mother doesn’t make nearly enough to cover school costs. Mon is thankful for this, but sometimes also feels ashamed that she is poor and in need. Neighbors and other people still look down on Mon, simply because she is poor and a single mother.
Worth to be loved
Our female staff of Siam-Care in that region, does more than just covering Mon’s childrens’ education. She listens, gives advice, and encourages Mon to believe in herself and love herself. She has been quite unlucky in life, but should be proud of herself for not giving up and fighting hard for her children. She needs a lot of empowerment, as she has never received much love from the people around her. Yet she is the ultimate mom, always putting her children first. We hope that we can encourage her to be proud of herself. And by investing in her children, we show them that they are worth to be loved and invested in.
