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proudly serving Brimbank and the North West
9 MAY, 2023
12496404-AV22-21
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SIG N U P N O W!
Celebrating all mums
(Damjan Janevski) 332288_07
Kids across the west have been busy crafting homemade cards, shopping up a storm at the school Mother’s Day stall and putting the finishing touches to their breakfast in bed menus ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday. Among those celebrating will be Kealba’s Caterina Elzmeter (pictured), who will celebrate her first Mother’s Day with eight-month-old daughter Alara.
Cost of living ‘isolating’ For Myha Le and her daughter Mikayla, life was less stressful during Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. While staying home during the city’s six lockdowns, the St Albans residents didn’t have as many costs and financial pressures. Post-pandemic life for them is proving to be expensive, with the rising cost of living forcing them to think “more wisely” about how they spend their money. Sometimes this means deciding whether they can afford to eat meat. Myha said she is worried about what will
happen if the cost of living continues to rise – although she is almost certain it will. Health conditions, including two heart bypass surgeries and hip and back issues, prevent her from working. Half of her income is spent on rent leaving the other half to cover bills, food, transport and Mikayla’s school costs. “I thought COVID was better than now because you didn’t go out and spend as much money … now it is expensive,” Myha said. “Every time we leave the front door it costs us money. “We used to eat out a lot but now we can’t. After the rent and bills … there is not a lot left.
[When] you don’t have much money, you don’t go out … you feel isolated and keep to yourself.” At 14-years-old Mikayla is acutely aware of the rising cost of living. “I haven’t been able to go out as much, or if I do, or of I buy food at school, I have to budget.” To help ease the family’s financial burdens, Myha buys as many of Mikayla’s school supplies as possible through the Facebook Marketplace. The Smith Family also helps with Mikayla’s education expenses through its Learning for Life Scholarship. Through the program, sponsors make a
SPOIL YOUR MUM ON MOTHER’S DAY
www.watervaleshoppingcentre.com.au
monthly donation which goes towards school uniforms, laptops and back to school costs for students. “The Learning for Life program gives me peace of mind knowing [Mikayla] will get those payments,” Myha said. Mikayla said the scholarship, which she has received she 2019, enabled her to keep up with her schoolwork. “You can’t really do all of your schoolwork without things like a laptop and internet now, that was a big help during lockdowns and has meant I can keep up with my friends,” she said ■ Continued: Page 7.
12600436-MS19-23
By Laura Michell