Single mum will never forget the hard times

GEORGE TOWN: Single mother Mydin Pathmah Os Abdul Kader (pic), 50, knows too well what it is like to be poor.

“I raised five kids alone. Every Ramadan, I searched everywhere for buka puasa events to take my children to break our fast.

“As a mother, you want your children to break fast with scrumptious meals, but at that time I could not afford it.

“When no buka puasa events could be found, we broke fast with biscuits,” reminisced the founder and president of Persatuan Kemajuan Wanita Pulau Pinang (Perjuanita), a non-governmental organisation that helps single mothers, the disabled and elderly.

Mydin Pathmah, who has since remarried, said when life became better for her, she knew she had to give back to society.

“When my children grew up, I knew I had to create an NGO to help the needy.

“I know that feeling too well because I was there – when you are lost and alone but still want to keep your chin up.

“So, I formed Perjuanita four years ago,” she said at the association’s annual open house at the United Muslim Association’s premises in Transfer Road recently.

About 250 people from underprivileged, single parent families broke fast at the event.

Perjuanita also gave out RM50 each to 70 guests and food hampers worth RM50 to several families.

“I was a volunteer with the state Social Welfare Department.

 

“This was how I met struggling families and because I am a single mother, we connected and some of us became good friends,” she said.

Mydin Pathmah said Perjuanita was made up of 15 of her friends and they had about 30 single mothers, the elderly and disabled under their wing.

“We help them when they contact us. Some months they need help and some months they don’t.

“They usually need help to pay the rent or rations for the month.

“I sometimes pay for it myself or I approach our benefactors to help out,” she said.

Mydin Pathmah said anyone who needed help could approach her and she would look into their needs.

She can be contacted at 016-374 1806.