Not only is it a painful reminder that her husband is no longer around, but the widow, who is also deaf and mute, now has to play the role of both mum and dad.
The past weekend marked the family’s first Father’s Day without her late husband. The delivery rider died in a road accident last year at just 40 years of age.
Amisah, 37, of Kampung Bachang, was pregnant with their fifth child at the time.
She keeps count of the days since she was left to care for the children, all below the age of 13.
“My beloved husband left us on Sept 29, it’s been almost nine months now,” she said. “So I must continue to find a source of income to raise my young children alone.”
Back in 2018, Amisah and her husband decided to set up a stall selling burgers and roti john to help make ends meet. But after her husband died, she took six months off to grief and focus on her youngest child.
Throughout this time, she received assistance from non-governmental organisation (NGO) Great Heart Charity Association, which supplied her groceries for six months.
Amisah made the decision to get back on her feet and start the stall in March, with Great Heart contributing RM300 each month to help her buy ingredients for her stall.
“Occasionally I’d receive food aid such as rice, but not all the time. That’s why I have to keep my stall open to earn money.
“It’s not much, but it’s enough to purchase our household necessities. Everything I get goes straight back to my children,” she said, adding that she now managed the stall alone with occasional help from the little ones.
Unfortunately, things have not gotten any easier – the number of customers are inconsistent due to the pandemic – and Amisah has had to revise her operation hours to fit the Covid-19 SOPs.
But the dedicated mother continues to persevere, saying her children keep her going.
“Whatever the challenges, I’ll just have to stay strong and do my best for the sake of my kids, insyaAllah.”
Amisah’s burger stall
Kampung Bakar Batu,
75460 Melaka
Operation hours: Every day from 2pm to 7pm
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