From the pandemic's start until the present day, Covid-19 has plunged this family into unprecedented hardship. The mother, originally a clerk, had a stable job and was forced out of work due to the epidemic. For the sake of the family's livelihood, she takes on a whole new field - food stall hawking. As a daughter, Judy Ng Min Hui witnesses her mother's transformation along the way. What are her thoughts and opinions on this?
The daily repetition of the routine is both hard work and happiness.
Every morning, Judy's mother, Madam Lim Pek Kuan, wakes up at 3 am to get ready and heads out to the snack bar near her home. The day starts with Lim responsible for cooking congee and syrup. At the same time, her husband is in the kitchen, stir-frying noodles and rice and deep-frying snacks. In the interview, Judy said that she would always come home to help out during school holidays as the eldest daughter. She wakes up early with her mother and goes to the shop to clean the dishes and serve the customers. Judy also said that to reduce food waste, they would give the leftover food to those in need for free, and sometimes they would take it home with them for lunch and dinner. Figure 1 and Figure 2 below show Lim and her husband are preparing for the store's opening.
Figure 1
Figure 2
She is doing what she loves to help people in need.
Judy said that her mother was a keen cook and would often cook at home when setting up the stall. Judy's mother lost her job as a clerk as her workplace was not operating due to the pandemic. During the time Lim was at home, she spent a lot of time studying the art of cooking. Eventually, Lim decided to go into the catering industry. For one thing, she felt that even if she lost a steady job, Lim could not easily give it up, as she had two children to look after, not just Judy. Lim felt that many people could not have a steady diet during the epidemic. She hopes to be able to help those in need through her hobby. Judy mentioned that her mother spent a lot of time researching recipes to ensure the taste and quality of the food. She was very supportive of her mother's meaningful act and decision. And she is grateful to her family and friends for their help and suggestions.
Foods prepared by Lim and her husband
It's hard to start a business, but even harder to stay in business.
When mentioning the challenges and difficulties they encountered during the interview, Judy reminisced about starting the business. As mentioned earlier, the food and beverage industry was an area they had never been exposed to before. They encountered a problem right from the start - the business license. They used many methods such as asking their friends and searching the internet about applying for a business license. Then there was the problem of customer traffic. When we visited the shop, we found that not many residents were in the shop's vicinity. Moreover, several cuisines in the same row had been operating for some time as tea restaurants, which was unfavorable to the Lim family. They had just started their own business, but the other shops already had a steady flow of customers.
In addition to this, many people did not want to take the risk of eating out during the epidemic. They prefer to stay at home to avoid the risk of infection. In the early days of the business, Judy highlighted that it was a real struggle for them. The initial turnover was not enough to cover their expenses. Even though the sale was sometimes good, it was barely enough to cover some costs.
Fortunately, with customers and family members actively promoting Lim's snack bar on social media, their business is gradually getting off to a good start. Many customers have also given good feedback, and they are progressively racking up a steady flow of customers. Although sales are still erratic at times, Judy says it is good compared to the early days of the business. Also, with the government's gradual relaxation policy, there has been a noticeable increase in customer traffic. In addition, they often receive feedback from customers, which they record and improve.
Words To Her Mother
It was clear from the interview that Judy and Limit are both shy people. But when it comes to her mother, Lim, Judy says she is very proud of her mother. "To me, I would like to say that I am proud of my mother that she is confident in making these changes although she is already in her middle age (47 years old)," Judy says proudly. Instead of being overwhelmed by the sudden changes, Lim has been brave enough to build her own business.
"As a young adult, it motivates me to be courageous and daring in making new changes," says Judy. She says she is a very introverted and nervous person, which has kept her from stepping out of her comfort zone. Her mother was the one who gave her the courage to do so.
"We only live once," she says with emotion. Fearing failure, she has always been afraid to make any changes. But who knows if you will fail until you try? We only live once, so she is happy to see her mother making a difference.
As for her family and relatives, Judy expressed her gratitude for their constant support and companionship. She also hopes that they will continue to support their little food stall in the future.
Throughout the interview, it was clear that Judy loves her mum very much. Coming from a single-parent family, she has lived with her mother since childhood. After her mother had remarried, Judy took care of her siblings and did not burden her mother. When I asked for an interview, the shy Lim refused because she did not want to be in the picture, so I interviewed Lim's closest daughter. This interview made me respect the people in this profession and realize how strong the mother and daughter bond is.
Let's have a look at the video to know about this family,
If the above video is not working, please click this link to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5l8iSGmyKQ
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