Contribution Name: Siew Shi / Tzu Chi Singapore
Pseudonym: Koh Ah Moi
Year of Author: 1951
Mdm Koh Ah Moi, born in 1951 in Malaysia, has lived a life shaped by family responsibilities, hard work, and perseverance. Born into a society that traditionally preferred boys over girls, Mdm Koh grew up with one older brother and one older sister. The early years of her life were marked by the difficult family dynamics common at the time. Her grandmother, adhering to traditional values, even considered sending her away. Fortunately, Mdm Koh’s aunt, a single woman at the age of 28, stepped in and adopted her. It was this act of love that provided Mdm Koh with a chance at a better life. Her aunt sent her to school, giving her an opportunity that might not have come otherwise.
However, Mdm Koh’s education was cut short when she was just 10 years old and still in Primary 4. Her aunt, who had just had her first child, needed someone to help take care of the newborn. In 1961, Mdm Koh began looking after the baby, and by 1963, her aunt had given birth to two more children. With three young children to care for, Mdm Koh had to leave school and focus on helping her aunt raise the family. Despite her young age, she stepped into a caregiver’s role, shouldering responsibilities beyond her years.At the age of 17, Mdm Koh began working to support herself and her family. She started by helping to pluck grass in an oil palm farm, earning a modest RM2 for a day’s work, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The job was demanding and did not last long.
She soon transitioned to collecting rubber tree sap, another labor-intensive task common in rural Malaysia at the time.When Mdm Koh turned 20, she decided to seek better opportunities and, with the help of relatives, moved to Singapore. Here, she worked as a domestic helper, cooking and cleaning for families. Her resilience and hard work paid off, and at the age of 23, she met her future husband through family connections. The couple got married when she was 25, and together they built a life focused on family and stability.
Mdm Koh became a mother for the first time at the age of 27, giving birth to her eldest son in 1977. She went on to have two more children, another son in 1979 and a daughter in 1982. Shortly after starting her family, she returned to Malaysia to raise her children in Johor Bahru, maintaining strong ties to her homeland while still keeping connections with Singapore.
As her children grew up, one of her sons decided to return to Singapore, while her other two children remained in Johor Bahru. In recent years, her son in Singapore suggested hiring a maid to help take care of his children, but Mdm Koh, always devoted to her family, volunteered to take on the responsibility herself.
Now, at the age of 73, she spends her time shuttling between Singapore and Malaysia. Every Monday, she heads back to Johor Bahru, and by Tuesday, she returns to Singapore to help care for her grandchildren, one of whom is in K2, while the other is in Primary 4.While Mdm Koh finds fulfillment in taking care of her grandchildren, she admits that life at home can sometimes be lonely. She jokingly remarked, “I can’t possibly talk to the walls!”
She misses the company of others and longs for more social interaction. For this reason, she is eager to make new friends and join activities where she can connect with others and break the monotony of her daily routine.Mdm Koh’s life story is one of resilience and adaptability. From her early years helping to raise her aunt’s children, to working on farms, and finally building a family of her own, she has faced many challenges.
Yet, through it all, she has remained steadfast in her dedication to her loved ones, always putting family first. Now, as she cares for her grandchildren, she hopes to find more opportunities for connection and friendship in her golden years.
坚毅与奉献之旅：高阿妹女士的故事高阿妹女士1951年出生于马来西亚，她的一生在家族责任、辛勤工作和坚持不懈中度过。在一个重男轻女的社会中出生，她有一个哥哥和一个姐姐。在她的早年生活中，家庭的复杂关系给她带来了许多困难。她的祖母由于传统观念，甚至一度考虑把她送走。幸运的是，高女士的姑姑，一位当时28岁的单身女性，收养了她。这一爱心之举为高女士带来了更好的生活机会。她的姑姑送她去上学，给了她一个难得的学习机会。然而，高女士的教育在她10岁、四年级时就被迫中断。她的姑姑刚刚生下第一个孩子，需要有人来帮忙照顾婴儿。1961年，高女士开始照顾孩子，到了1963年，姑姑又生下了两个孩子。为了照顾三个小孩，高女士不得不辍学，帮助姑姑承担起家庭的重任。尽管年纪尚小，她却早早承担起照顾者的角色，肩负起远超年龄的责任。17岁时，高女士开始外出工作，以支持自己和家人。她首先在油棕榈园帮忙拔草，每天从早上7点工作到下午2点，报酬只有区区2马币。虽然工作辛苦，但她没有持续多久，随后转而收集橡胶树汁——在当时的马来西亚农村，这也是一项劳累的工作。20岁时，为了寻找更好的机会，在亲戚的帮助下她来到了新加坡。在这里，她做家庭帮佣，为雇主做饭、打扫卫生。她的韧性和努力得到了回报，23岁时，通过家庭介绍认识了未来的丈夫。两人于她25岁那年结婚，并共同建立了以家庭为中心的稳定生活。27岁时，高女士第一次成为母亲，1977年她的长子出生。之后她又生了两个孩子，1979年出生了次子，1982年生下了女儿。在开始自己的家庭生活不久后，她回到了马来西亚，将孩子们抚养在柔佛州新山，同时保持与新加坡的联系。随着孩子们逐渐长大，她的一个儿子决定返回新加坡，而另外两个孩子留在了新山。近年来，她在新加坡的儿子建议雇佣一名保姆来照顾他的孩子，但高女士一直对家庭十分尽责，她主动提出自己来承担照顾孙子的责任。如今，73岁的她往返于新加坡和马来西亚之间。每周一，她返回新山，到了周二她便回到新加坡，帮助照顾她的孙子，一个正在上幼儿园K2班，另一个已上小学四年级。虽然高女士从照顾孙子中找到了满足感，但她也承认在家时偶尔会感到孤单。她笑着说道：“我总不能和墙说话吧！”她非常想念他人的陪伴，希望能有更多的社交互动。正因为如此，她非常渴望结交新朋友，参加各种活动，让自己的生活不再单调。高女士的一生充满了韧性与适应力。从年幼时帮助抚养姑姑的孩子，到在农场工作，最后建立了自己的家庭，她面对了许多挑战。然而，在这一切过程中，她始终坚定地为所爱之人奉献，把家庭放在第一位。如今，身为孙辈的照顾者，她希望能在晚年找到更多的联结和友情。
This work includes translation generated by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.
此作品包含由OpenAI开发的AI语言模型ChatGPT生成的翻译内容
