Less-fortunate folk must not give up hope of a better life — Sarikei Resident

SARIKEI: The less- fortunate people have been advised not to easily give up hope as there are ways and means for their lives to change for the better.

The call came from Sarikei Resident Mohd Junaidi Mohidin, who said parents, under whatever circumstances, should play their role as head of the family to ensure that their children are properly brought up and are given a good life.

“Parents should understand their roles, especially on what it takes to raise a successful family, whose members enjoy a strong bond, are free of social problems, are educated or knowledgeable, and are able to afford a decent living.

“Poverty or a hard life should neither be regarded as something inherited from their parents, nor should it be something ‘ handed down’ to their children,” he stressed at the closing ceremony of ‘Single Parents Spiritual and Physical Well- being Workshop’ here on Monday.

Single mothers, in particular, should accept the challenge of taking care of their families, he added, while advising them to make full use of the assistance and guidance provided by various government agencies, especially the Welfare Department, to change their livelihood for the better.

Junaidi also emphasised on the importance of according top priority to their children’s education to ensure a brighter future.

Officer in- charge of Sarikei Welfare Office, Tang Kee Lee said the objective of the workshop was to provide training and impart useful knowledge to help improve the livelihood of single parents.

Apart from various types of assistance provided by the Welfare Department to the less-fortunate, Tang also mentioned of a startup grant to help them do simple businesses.

The amount of each grant depended on the type of business, with the maximum set at RM5,000 per family, he said.

(Seated, from fifth left) Tang and Mohd Junaidi with single parents and their children, as well as government department representatives, at the closing ceremony.