‘Mummy, why so little?’: Single mum earning $300 monthly cuts back on daughter’s milk to make ends meet
In early 2026, Ms Hafizah Abu, 44, had to make a difficult decision — to reduce the milk she gave to her youngest child, Siti Afiyah Muhammad, 5.
As a single mother, she was forced to do so to save money to support her four children aged between five and 24 years old.
The family of five is also accustomed to eating instant noodles and sausage.
“I had to cut down the milk given to my youngest child.
“Usually, I would give her one full bottle each night, but I had to give her half instead.
“She then asked me: ‘Mummy, why so little?’... That made me sad, because I had to reduce her milk,” Hafizah said.
Asked kindergarten teacher to potty-train child to reduce diaper use
A part-time bus attendant who earns $300 a month, Hafizah has to make other sacrifices to tighten her belt.
For instance, she urged Afiyah’s kindergarten teacher to potty-train her daughter quickly to reduce the amount of diapers she has to purchase.
Hafizah also pays her bills in instalments.
At times, she could not even afford to top up her own EZ-Link card because she had to top up her children’s cards first.
“Sometimes, I have to think... whose EZ-Link should I prioritise topping up? If mine is not important, I can walk to my children’s schools.
“At the end of the month, when I don’t have enough money to buy cooking ingredients, I would ask my mother to cook (for us).
“My mum would then cook and freeze the dishes. That way, my kids would have food to eat the next day,” explained Hafizah.
If there are overdue bills, she would stagger her payments.
“When there are overdue bills, such as a $100 bill, I would try to pay $50 first.
“I only hope that the electricity and water supplies don’t get cut off. If I have extra money in a month, I will pay the remaining amount. If not, I would pay the following month,” Hafizah shared.
She said this in an interview with Berita Harian (BH) at her two-room rental flat in Bukit Batok West.
Among 5,600 recipients of assistance from MUIS
Hafizah’s family was among 5,600 households and eligible zakat (alms) recipients that recently received a one-time Cost-of-Living Assistance from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).
According to the statutory board, the special payout aimed to provide additional support to low-income Muslim families to ease their daily expenses.
Through the Cost-of-Living Assistance, each household received at least $120, whereas a higher amount was given to households with more needs, based on their per-capita income (PCI).
Hafizah received $495. She recalled feeling shocked after receiving a message stating that she would be getting the payout directly into her bank account.
Shopping for her child’s milk at that time, she struggled to contain her emotions as the money would enable her to buy more milk formula and fresh milk for her children.
“I bought a lot of milk supplies, about five to six tins. I will keep them... they should last about two months,” the single mum commented while holding back tears.
The payout added to the $700 assistance Hafizah receives from MUIS in the form of cash and fidyah (religious charitable compensation) vouchers, alongside financial assistance from the Social Service Offices (SSO) and the Ministry of Education (MOE).
The support has allowed her to spend more time with her children, including bringing them to the bouncy castle at SAFRA Choa Chu Kang.
Hopes children won’t go through what she did
Amid her struggles, Hafizah conveyed her hope that her children would build a better future for themselves.
“I don’t want my children to go through what I went through. Mama wants my kids to break this cycle. I want all of you to get good jobs and good salaries... For all of Mama’s children, Mama wants that,” she advised her kids.
The additional support from MUIS is among various forms of Government assistance aimed at helping citizens manage cost-of-living pressures and navigate the uncertain economic climate.
In July 2026, the Government announced a second round of assistance to help citizens deal with rising costs amid the conflict in the Middle East.
This included Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers worth up to $500 for eligible Singaporean households.
These households will receive $300 worth of CDC vouchers in January 2027.
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