As the countdown begins to Mother’s Day, FMT Lifestyle is celebrating mums who haven’t only raised kids, they’ve raised the bar for love, strength, and sacrifice.
Mother Mangalam: the ‘Mother Theresa’ of Malaysia
Despite never marrying or having biological children, the late A Mangalam S Iyaswamy Iyer was fondly known as “Mother” to many across the country.
A legendary humanitarian, she served as the longtime Life President of the Pure Life Society.
Deeply affected by the suffering she witnessed during World War II, she chose a life of non-conjugal devotion, dedicating herself entirely to service.
Mother Mangalam challenged the idea of biological motherhood, spending over 70 years caring for more than 2,000 orphaned and underprivileged children, regardless of race or religion.
Initially known as Sister Mangalam, the Merdeka Award recipient was bestowed the title of “Mother” by the organisation in 1985.
Priya: refugee, single mum and sole breadwinner
Single mother Priya arrived in Malaysia from Sri Lanka in 2009 as a refugee. After separating from her husband, she now supports herself and her three children.
While her two sons aged three and five are healthy, her daughter has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair, making her fully dependent on Priya.
Priya has been waiting for resettlement for more than 10 years and her biggest concern remains her children, whom she hopes will receive a good education and build a better future.
With no steady financial support, Priya earns a living from her small kitchen, preparing homemade treats such as muruku and cookies in order to make ends meet.
Naneecharam Muniandy: upskilling for her kids
A trade commissioner by profession and a certified yoga instructor by training, single mother Naneecharam Muniandy, 40, has two children aged six and seven, both autistic.
When the cost of professional therapy became unsustainable, she chose not to outsource care she could not afford, and she did the next best thing.
She completed a postgraduate diploma in autism and an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) certificate with the Asian College of Teachers.
She then applied what she learnt on her two kids – from calming routines and sensory regulation to consistent parenting strategies – to help them cope and function better in daily life.
Based in Klang, Naneecharam now teaches yoga for other autistic children, and runs inclusive activities.
Sia Chiew Chin: mum with disability
Taking care of special needs children is challenging on its own, but doing so while living with a physical disability is a mountain to climb.
Having muscular dystrophy and being wheelchair-bound has not stopped 60-year-old Sia Chiew Chin from giving her family unconditional love and support.
She is the chairman of the Malaysia Independent Living Association for Disabled and president of the Society of the Chinese Disabled Persons Malaysia. She is also an author of a children’s book.
Sia has two children: her daughter also has muscular dystrophy, while her son has ADHD. Even when advised to terminate her first pregnancy, she refused, believing all children are divine blessings.
Jamie Lim: turning entrepreneur for custody of daughter
Jamie Lim is the founder of Zoey’s Homemade, a Malaysian early-stage health food brand for children that she launched in 2017, offering nutritious, preservative-free meals.
The brand is named after her daughter, Zoey, the inspiration behind its creation.
Lim started the business alongside other work-from-home mums, turning a personal struggle into a purpose-driven venture.
At the time, she was fighting for custody of her then two-year-old daughter after separating from her ex-husband.
Financially strained after having spent much of her savings on her former husband’s business, she found herself in a difficult position, needing nearly RM20,000 for legal fees while also raising her daughter on her own.
With limited options, Lim began a small home-based business making kid-friendly chicken powder to raise funds for her custody battle and support her young family.