When her mother died and her father kicked her out more than two years ago, the single unwed mum had nowhere to go.
She ended up renting five different places, paying to stay on a balcony at one point.
About a year ago, the HDB gave her good news. Though the woman, who is in her 20s, did not qualify for a rental flat, the HDB helped her obtain one.
Mr Gerard Tan, executive director of Sanctuary House, cited this case to say that things are looking up for single mums.
"Anecdotally, we are seeing instances where the unwed mother is not able to apply for a flat in her own right - but HDB has bent over backwards to see how they can help," said Mr Tan, whose volunteer welfare organisation provides fostering care and helps families in crisis pregnancy circumstances.
There were about 550 single parent births annually, from 2007 to 2011. Sixty per cent of these mothers were from 15 to 24 years old. Mr Tan said he handled about 40 cases last year.
The woman who got the flat from the HDB can now live with her son, three, who was previously in foster care. She now works as an administrative assistant and has enrolled her son in childcare.
"Without stable accommodation, you're always running around; it's hard to have stable employment," said Mr Tan.
Since last year, unwed mums have also been receiving the same amount of infant and childcare leave as their married peers.
Ms Corinna Lim, executive director of the Association of Women for Action and Research, said that while many Singaporeans are accepting of single parents, they sometimes receive reports of discrimination and prejudice from single mothers, at the hands of their colleagues or neighbours for instance.
Both Ms Lim and Nominated MP Mary Liew pointed out that maternity leave entitlements for single parents are not as generous as those for married parents. Unwed mothers also do not get Baby Bonus and the Parenthood Tax Rebate.
MORE SUPPORT
"To prevent the Catch-22 trap, this disadvantaged group needs support and not discrimination, otherwise, it will further widen the gap between rich and poor... I hope the Government can further review the benefits and for a start extend the full benefits entitled by married women to unwed mums," said Ms Liew.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) central committee member added that they hope to inculcate family friendly workplaces and social support networks - like the WeCare Project for single mums and children - to support this group. The project by the NTUC Women's Development Secretariat has reached out to 494 single mums and 990 children since it started in 2009.
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