Be resilient, minister tells single mothers

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR EXEMPLARY MUMS: Fatimah (second right) presenting a souvenir to a single mother as Noriah (right) and Salmah look on.

 

KUCHING: Single mothers were urged to be resilient as raising children requires time, money and patience.

In pointing this, Women, Welfare and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said single mothers must be proactive and not wait for assistance.

“There are various non-governmental organisations and agencies providing help to single mothers, so they must approach them to look for help.”

Fatimah was speaking at a Mother’s Day celebration organised by Sarawak Single Mothers’ Association (Pitsa) with the cooperation of the Welfare Department here yesterday.

She expressed her concern over the rising number of single unmarried mothers in the state, especially in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.

“Miri saw an increase from 40 in 2009 to 253 in 2012, while Sibu a slight increase from 480 in 2009 to 578 in 2012 and Kuching from 703 in 2009 to 827 in 2012,” she revealed.

Fatimah said parents should know their children’s whereabouts and warn them of the dangers of premarital sex.

“We must instill good values and morals from an early age as it is the pillar to produce a child with a positive attitude.”

Fatimah said the government, under the Welfare Department has up to April 2013 allocated RM12.9 million to assist 14,217 single mothers.

The state has 11,810 single mothers registered with various single mothers’ associations such as Pitsa, Single Mothers’ Assistance Group Miri, and Club Carnation of Kuching and Samarahan division.

Fatimah presented souvenirs to selected single mothers around Kuching and Samarahan who had successfully raised  their children.  Also present were State Welfare Department director Noriah Ahmad and Pitsa president Salmah Ibrahim.