Anna’s Story

Hi, my name is Anna.

I'm a single mum of 4. Currently, I’m staying with my three daughters and, by October this year, I will upgrade to be a grandmother too.

I have a full-time job as an admin assistant and also the sole breadwinner. We love to eat, go shopping or go for outings and watch movies together.

What attracted you to the EFI program?

The beauty of EFI is that they trust us and encourage us by giving us the full autonomy to decide and plan for ourselves. It also allows us to take full ownership of our own decisions. EFI provides us with an opportunity to continue to build on our hopes or interests. Instead of them telling us what we should do or the long list of criteria that need to be followed, the team respects and supports our plans or the ideals we have. It motivates us to strive even more, as that is what we want as a family.

What goals did you decide to pursue as a family with the support of EFI?

Most importantly, I am able to set aside some emergency funds for my family. Also, I am allowed and encouraged to pursue my interest of making handmade accessories into a Home Based Business again (I tried previously, but failed).

How did you go about achieving your goals?

• I was clear on my goals or the things I wanted.

• I planned ahead and made sure to achieve it one at a time.

• I prioritised.

• I didn’t give up on myself and continued to believe in myself.

What have you learnt from the process?

Being more confident in my ability to create or design my products and save up more. Nothing is impossible, as long as you believe in yourself and put effort into it.

What are your next steps?

Initially, I intended to use EFI for my Home Based Business (HBB). This changed later due to my new HDB flat key collection. Therefore, I focused my attention on my new home, rather than my HBB. However, my goal shifted again. As I am welcoming my grandson soon in Sept/Oct 2023, I intend to focus on them during the confinement period. Then, I will get back to working on my HBB.

What advice do you have for families that want to follow in your footsteps?

Take things calmly. One at a time. Prioritise what comes first. Focus, complete one thing at a time and move to the next one.  

It will be very tiring but once you complete it, you will have a great sense of accomplishment.