It’s all about their children: The mothers interviewed by Unicef Malaysia in the Kemabong interior sub-district in Sabah.
KOTA KINABALU: Ask anyone who has been to Sabah’s rural areas and chances are they will tell you of the daily challenges and hardships that the communities there face.
Besides the road conditions, residents have poor connectivity and are far from health services.
Despite these challenges, mothers in these remote locations still have high hopes their children will make something of themselves and later return to serve their parents and villages.
Ruth Rayan, who hails from the Kemabong interior sub-district, said she wanted the best for her children.
“Because I come from this remote village, I want my children to succeed and be the pride of the village,” she said in a video by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) Malaysia.
She said she hopes children in her village can be as successful as children living in big cities.
“When they grow up, they can return to this village and after seeing its condition, perhaps they will be inspired to develop it,” she added.
Marcella Randeh and Folora Insian both expressed desires for their children to be devoted to their parents, besides being independent and responsible.
Rezlin Angail said she hopes her daughter can do well in her studies and get a job in future.
“I hope that my child will be devoted to her parents, for her to have a job and respect everyone,” she said.
Julita Emange said she hopes her son will be able to bring change to their family’s situation.
“I wish my son success so he can change the family’s situation for the better. He told me he wanted to be a teacher, so let’s hope so,” she said.
Unicef Malaysia published the two-minute video over social media on Mother’s Day after interviewing mothers in Sabah’s rural areas.
“This Mother’s Day, we celebrate mothers around the world for their strength, commitment and unconditional love for their children.
“Unicef is working to support mothers and ensure their children can reach their full potential,” it said in the video.
Unicef Malaysia partnership specialist Razlan Rashid said he was touched by these mothers in rural areas.
