A Mother's Journey to Financial Freedom

Caption: Watch this video to find out about Mdm Shan Shan's story. 

It was always Mdm Shan Shan’s dream to become financially independent. As a single mother with four young children, Shan Shan lives together with her parents in a 3-room HDB flat. Every month, she constantly worried about monthly expenses and providing for her children with her salary as a bus attendant, which was barely enough for them to get by.  

Before working as a bus attendant, Shan Shan job-hopped from one part-time role to another, and never had a sense of job security and financial stability. As a mother with a strong sense of responsibility, Shan Shan wanted to do what she could on her own to support her family. She shares, “I am old enough to depend on myself. I’m a mother and I want to provide for my children on my own. I don’t want to rely on government subsidies or depend on my ex-husband for financial help.” 

While working part-time, Shan Shan recalls that she had little time to care for her children, “I couldn’t spend time with my children at all because I had to work on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 in the morning to 10 at night. When I return home, my children have already gone to bed.” She shares, “I’m both the mother and father to my children. I don’t want them to feel that they don’t have a mother too because they don’t have a father. I want to be around to watch them grow up. I have already missed a lot of their milestones, and I don’t want to miss anymore.”  

From Struggle to Strength 

When Shan Shan joined Project 1,2,3! (P123) in 2022, she was determined to find a higher paying job so that she could earn more to provide for her children.  

Through P123, Shan Shan received dedicated guidance from a Job Coach and Social Worker, who worked together to address complex family issues with the aim of helping her find a full-time and higher paying job.  

Caption: Shan Shan together with P123’s Job Coach and Social Worker.  

Shan Shan’s Job Coach, Timothy Ong, recalls that when he first met Mdm Shan Shan, she felt unsure of her career options and worried about meeting work expectations while juggling her family commitments. He shares, “Despite her uncertainties, I saw a lot of potential in Shan Shan. She could earn much more with the right guidance and encouragement.”  

During the programme, Shan Shan attended a Self-Discovery Workshop, where she discovered her strengths and skillsets and gained encouragement from other peers who were in a similar situation. She also enrolled for a three-month English course to boost her confidence when conversing in English. “I felt like I was back in school! I learnt a lot of new things and met many new friends who understood my struggles,” she shares.  

New Beginnings 

Together with Timothy, Shan Shan explored various job opportunities and identified a job that matched her skillsets and preferences. Today, Shan Shan has secured a permanent job at a printing company and has been a proud employee for more than two years.  

This job has transformed many aspects of Shan Shan’s life. “I’ve always had to rely on my parents to pay monthly expenses. With my current salary, I have enough money to help pay some bills and buy necessities for our home. I also have enough to buy things for my children,” she shares with a smile.

Caption: Shan Shan playing a board game together with her two younger children at home. 

Compared to irregular ad-hoc working hours in the past which often fell on weekends and Public Holidays, Shan Shan’s current job also has more regulated working hours from 9am to 6pm on Monday to Friday, and half a day of work on Saturday, allowing her to spend more time with her children.  

“I’ve finally found a job that I’ve been looking for! I’m thankful for P123 for helping me gain financial independence,” she shares.  

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Story published in 2025. 

Project 1, 2, 3! (P123) is a programme by TOUCH Family Support (TFS) that addresses issues that affect the ability of lower-income families to seek and sustain employment. TFS works with clients to increase their motivation, build skills, and secure and sustain employment over a period of two years.