The KeyStart programme provided Mr Borhan and his three children with a stable home and a fresh start.

A stable home environment is crucial to overall well-being, particularly for families with children. Lower-income families often encounter hurdles in achieving homeownership, which may include the inability to accumulate sufficient savings for a down payment, or to keep up with mortgage payments.

Following his divorce, Mr Borhan was forced to sell his matrimonial home in 2007. The flat was sold at a loss, leading to debts that he spent the next decade servicing. As they were unable to afford a new house or qualify for a rental flat, Mr Borhan and his three children spent the next 10 years moving between relatives’ homes. At one point, they lived with his brother’s family, where 13 people crowded into a four-room flat.

“We didn’t have space to do anything at home,” recalls Mr Borhan’s eldest daughter, currently studying floristry at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). “I had to go to the library to do my homework and we only went home late at night to sleep. Sometimes, I didn’t sleep until morning because there wasn’t enough space.”

Over time, the lack of a conducive living environment took its toll on Mr Borhan and his children. He constantly felt overwhelmed and stressed, and his children’s academic performance took a dip. To help tide him through, Mr Borhan sought counselling and casework support from a Family Service Centre, and the social worker he spoke with referred him to the The KeyStart Home Ownership Programme.

The KeyStart Home Ownership Programme

Offered by the South Central Community Family Service Centre and a key initiative under the Collective for a Stronger Society (CSS), the KeyStart Home Ownership Programme provides grants and guidance to support families with children in transitioning from rental housing to home ownership.

Assisted by KeyStart Home Ownership Specialists and the KeyStart Access Fund, Mr. Borhan and his children moved into their new three-room flat in January 2019. The moment Mr. Borhan received the cheque from KeyStart to cover the cash shortfall for their flat was deeply emotional, as it marked the end of their nomadic lifestyle and the beginning of a stable home environment for his family.

“KeyStart’s assistance has been invaluable to us. Without it, the stress would have been overwhelming. Now, we finally have a place to come home to and unwind. It’s peaceful. The children can study and prepare their meals comfortably. They finally have a place to call their own,” said Mr Borhan.

“Now, we can enjoy meals together and I can cook for them on weekends. We didn’t have this before because we lacked space. Now, we can finally spend quality time together at home,” The children have certainly benefitted from their new home, reporting improved sleep, better study conditions, and increased academic focus. Mr Borhan’s youngest daughter recently received an Edusave Merit Award, another positive milestone for the family.

The Collective for a Stronger Society

The Collective for a Stronger Society (CSS) is one of CFS’s key initiative dedicated to providing wraparound support for Singapore’s most vulnerable families by uniting donors, non-profits, and organisations.

Through programmes like the KeyStart Home Ownership Programme, CSS helps families like Mr Borhan’s regain stability and rebuild their lives.

Your contribution to the Collective for a Stronger Society can create meaningful change – opening doors, strengthening communities, and giving families a brighter future.

Join us today and be part of the change.

References:

• Tan, T. (2023, November 23). Giving low-income families and their kids a fighting chance to escape the poverty trap. The Straits Times.
  https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/giving-low-income-families-and-their-kids-a-fighting-chance-to-escape-the-poverty-trap#:~:text=Social%20workers%20interviewed%20say%20some