JOHOR BAHRU: Ramadan is the month of goodness, spirituality and peace, but for many single mothers, it brings financial worries.

The holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Hari Raya festivities are often hardest felt on the poor, who struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis.

Ibis Styles Johor Iskandar Puteri, wanted to show compassion for the poor and less fortunate.

They decided to host a breaking fast event with Persatuan Ibu Tunggal Kebangsaan Cawangan Pulai recently.

Ramadan is a chance for us to empathise with those whose daily lives are the hardest – so the hotel decided to be more charitable towards them and strategise long-term poverty eradication programmes for them.

A number of poor families are finding it hard to make ends meet. The escalating costs of living today, causing urban poverty to remain a worrying problem.

The shrinking ringgit and growing inflation have hit the pockets of Malaysians, and while the cost of living is constantly going up, our standard of living has been adversely affected.

The hotel brought cheers to 21 single mothers ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season.

In her address, the hotel’s general manager Charanita Gill said, “Women play an essential part in all aspects of our society; they are known to be mothers, leaders, entrepreneurs, caregivers and teachers of societies.”

She stressed that they are pillars of families and communities that make noteworthy contributions to the world as a whole and evolvements break down barriers in order to achieve equality.

“We hope by giving back to society, in return this will envelope a sense of reassurance to these mothers that there is still abundance of kindness within the world,” she said.

She said as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), the hotel was happy to launch this program to share their livelihood and make a meaningful contribution to the local community, especially to single mothers who need extra support.

To mark International Women’s Day, Ibis Styles Johor Iskandar Puteri hotel felt the call to join together with the Persatuan Ibu Tunggal Kebangsaan Cawangan Pulai to hold this CSR program.

“As part of our CSR, we are happy to launch this program to share our livelihood and make a meaningful contribution to the local community, especially to single mothers who need extra support,” she said.

She stressed that the hotel is delighted to participate in ACCOR’s efforts to empower women through its implemented program of Gender, Diversity and Equality, through the Women’s Employment Development and Empowerment program.

“We hope to bring joy and happiness to mothers in celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri which is coming up in a few days,” she said.
The single mothers enjoyed the variety of food dishes and desserts prepared by the kitchen team headed by the hotel’s head chef Azhar Abu Bakar.

Among the few signature dishes included biryani kambing, kambing mat piah, laksa johor, mee goreng mamak, sotong merah and a selection of desserts like assorted cakes and pastries, pudding and jelly and even bubur pulut.

To add more merriment to the occasion, guests were entertained by the Fren’z Acoustic and stylo violist Aqmal Daniel.

The evening ended with the distribution of kitchen provisions and cookies to the mothers to assist them for the upcoming Raya festive preparations.

All present were enchanted and grateful of the affectionate gesture.

Runida Mohamed Nor, 57, was divorced in 2010 and has five children aged 21 – 34.

She now looks after her grandchildren and she is happy to be with them.

“I am happy to have been invited by the hotel to attend the Ramadan buffet,” she said.

Runida said she is grateful to the hotel for at least remembering her.

Noraini Abu Bakar, 43, lost her husband eight years ago.

She has one daughter and works as an assistant in a kindergarten school.
“It was nice of the hotel to at least think of us and for this I am thankful to them,” she quipped.

She lives in a two-room flat in Uda Utama and with her salary she supports her daughter.

The hotel has been actively organizing events for children and underprivileged welfare homes for a few years, as part of giving back to the society.