'I felt lonely and upset': Grandma, 73, worked at hawker stall to support grandkids during daughter's imprisonment
Every weekday, Habsah Binte Dol wakes up at 2am to prepare for her job as a cook in a hawker stall.
She is 73, and took on the responsibility of looking after her grandchildren, aged 14 and 18, after her daughter was jailed in 2024 for drug abuse.
Woon Roselin, was released from jail in March, but Habsah still works five days a week, 12 hours a day at an ayam penyet stall near her home in Bedok, earning less than $1,000 a day, to help support the family.
After finishing her shift at 4pm, Hasbah's day isn't over. She heads home to prepare dinner for her grandchildren or occasionally runs errands, such as grocery shopping.
In addition, she also manages the household chores, including doing the laundry and sweeping the floors.
Despite her advancing age, Habsah still has the energy and spirit to keep working.
Speaking to AsiaOne, Habsah recounted the difficult and lonely period when she first took on the role of caring for the two teenagers.
«My daugher (her only child) was sent to the prison, and there were many times when I felt lonely and upset,» said the elderly woman, who lost her husband in 2016.