8 news
Thursday, November 7 2013 THENEWPAPER
breaking
out
There are about 40,000 needy students from
households with less than $1,500 monthly income.
This is the story of one girl, her family, and the hope
they have that they will finally break the poverty cycle
reports by rEnniE WHAng
wrennie@sph.com.sg
Syahera knows where drug addicts leave
syringes in the stairwell at her block.
She also knows which tables between her block
and the next are good for studying, and which to
avoid because drinkers will later claim their spot.
Syahera is 12 and this is home.
Her family asked that her picture not be used to
prevent embarrassment.
On one of the days The New Paper visited her,
there were three empty vodka bottles left at the
void-deck table where she usually studies.
“I can get distracted, because people throw
things down when I’m doing work and I’m scared
they will hit me. Sometimes I’m unhappy, some-
times I’m scared,” she said.
She’s the third generation of a family that has
lived in the same one-room flat for the past six
years. She lives with her grandparents, uncle and
two younger cousins; as well as another uncle oc-
casionally. Her father lives elsewhere with her fu-
ture stepmother.
While it’s easy to feel sorry for themselves, Sya-
hera’s family are banking on her breaking through
the poverty cycle.
“They want me to get an education, maybe be-
cause they are not educated. I feel proud they have
that hope for me,” she said.
FOURTH IN CLASS
The Fengshan Primary pupil took her Primary
School Leaving Examination last month, and is
aiming to qualify for Temasek Secondary School.
She was fourth in class during the preliminary
exams, and received an award for perseverance
THENEWPAPER Thursday, November 7 2013
from her school last year.
Mathematics and Malay, her mother tongue,
have always been her strongest subjects — she
scores As and Bs.
“I’m not stressed,” Syahera said of the pressure
on her. “My grandparents don’t say I must do well
for everything. They will say, ‘at least you passed’.”
She did receive help.
She joined Indian self-help group Sinda for sci-
ence tuition briefly in February, but stopped as the
sessions were in the evenings and returning home
i feel like i alone was unsafe.
want to make She has been harassed by young men who loiter
things better in the estate, some asking her for a lighter.
for my family, HOMEWORK, THEN DIAPERS
maybe a During the six times TNP visited her Chai Chee flat
better house since September, we saw how her grandparents —
cleaning supervisor Subas De Costa, 66, and Mad-
for everyone. am Surya, 54 — tended to Syahera’s four-year-old
And i can and six-month-old cousins.
be a role Syahera is also expected to look after her cousins.
“It’s like my daily routine. When my grandma
model for changed diapers, I learnt from her. Now I know
my cousins. how to do it, I change it at least once every day.”
She said she’s used to the balancing act of study-
— Syahera, 12 ing and looking after the younger ones.
“Noise is always distracting. I plug in earphones
and listen to music, if not I would go crazy trying
to study.”
When she is at home, the flat’s only bed is her
study space. At night, to let the others sleep, she
goes to the kitchen and studies while standing by
the washing machine, leaving a fluorescent bulb on.
On weekends or after school, she likes to head
to the library with friends. In between homework,
she draws posters she sees and sometimes for her
friends’ art assignments.
“They say I draw better than them, but my teach-
er can tell. She knows my style,” she said.
Syahera hopes to be an artist, or a photogra-
pher. In 2011, she received a Nikon digital camera
from the Salvation Army and uses it on special oc-
casions.
DRAWING HOPE
Her hope is simple — she wants to be the first in her
family to attend polytechnic.
Her parents were both educated up to Second-
ary Two; the same with her father’s three brothers.
Her father and uncles are shipyard workers.
She isn’t sure what her birth mother is doing
now as they meet only once or twice a year.
Her grandparents are her inspiration and it’s for
them that she wants to succeed.
“My grandfather is old but works hard, and my
grandmother is my role model. She’s been taking
care of me since I was a baby,” she said.
“I feel like I want to make things better for my
family, maybe a better house for everyone. And I
can be a role model for my cousins. Sometimes,
my cousin says she wants to be like me.”
Mr De Costa said he’s proud of his granddaugh-
ter and would like her to study hard, at least up to
Secondary Four.
“If she wants to go further, carry on. I can afford
it with my CPF money.
“I hope she can go as high as she wants to go.”
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FIND yOUR
PAGE14 PERFECT jOb INSIDE
The inspiration
We introduced Syahera to
medical technologist thasneem, Q&Advice
who overcame similar obstacles, When the new Paper introduced Syahera to
as a source of inspiration. thasneem last month, the questions and advice
This is 24-year-old Thasneem’s back came fast and furious.
story:
l Her mum died when she was six. StUDy
She is the sixth of seven siblings. thasneem: Do you like studying, or playing?
l In upper primary, she manned her Her pain Syahera: Studying.
father’s clothes stall in a market
five hours daily
i didn’t have FriEnDS
l Family moved from a four-room someone to seek thasneem: When you are with your friends, do they
flat to a three-room, then to a two- advice from. i motivate you to study or play?
room rental flat when her father Syahera: Both.
declared bankruptcy about five
was the eldest thasneem: You should choose your friends wisely. If they
years ago child at home. motivate you and can help with homework, go ahead. If
l After PSLE, she was put in the Nor- in the end, i got they just want to hang out, don’t spend too much time
mal Academic stream with them.
l Promoted to Express stream after
30-plus points.
sterling performance in Sec 1 and i was very DrEAMS
Sec 2 disheartened and thasneem: Any dreams for the future?
l Did badly for O levels, but resat ex- Syahera: I want to be an artist or a photographer.
was crying a lot.
ams and got 5 O levels. Qualified
for polytechnic
thasneem: Well, why not? But you’ll need a lot of passion.
Syahera: Recently, some old folks were coming my
l Dropped out after a few months as
Her will primary school. I asked for permission to decorate the
course was not what she wanted back of the class.
l Got full-time job and studied part- i never
time to get foundation certificate in approached my ADViCE
biomedical sciences at the Manage- thasneem: School gave me an opportunity to help
ment Development Institute of Sin-
father for money. myself move forward in life. I wanted to do something
gapore (MDIS) i thought, i’m above the O levels. For all the people in my family, O
l Got a bachelor’s degree with hon- healthy with a levels is like a degree already! Start dreaming now. You’re
ours at the MDIS biomedical school still young, you shouldn’t think that there’s no hope. Start
while working as a clinic assistant
good mind. So i dreaming high so you can achieve.
in a hospital started to count
l She is the first in her family to earn on myself On tHASnEEM
a degree Syahera: She’s a lot like me. She gave good advice.
Breaking bread NEXTPAGE
by THE NUMbERS
l $102.4 million given out to the needy in the last
financial year ending March
l 80,000 needy students currently receive financial
help from the Education Ministry
HELP FOR SyAHERA
l She’s on MOE’s Financial Assistance Scheme, which
covers the cost of her books, uniforms and some
canteen meals.
In some years, Syahera gets pocket money
from the Trans Family Service Centre (Bedok). Ms
Cherylene Aw, a senior social worker at the centre,
said the family is on its Casework and Counselling
programme and is receiving supportive services.
She said: “We have known the family for about
five years and have witnessed incredible resilience
in the family members. Syahera, despite the
odds, has embodied traits of courage and moral
strength.”
HOW THASNEEM WAS HELPED
l In 2011, Thasneem approached Kampong Kapor
Family Service Centre. Aid was provided from the
Mainly I Love Kids (Milk) Fund. The fund helped with
trying: Syahera (above, right) with medical her university and her sister’s polytechnic fees.
technologist Thasneem, who overcame similar
obstacles. TNP PHOTOS: LATASHNI GOBI NATHAN