When Nurraishah Mahzan lost her husband, the world turned grey – until the Bright Horizons Fund helped her see that hope, like art, can bloom even in the darkest moments.
Nurraishah Mahzan, 40, who goes by Aishah among friends and family, knows what it means to rebuild a life from the ground up.
In February last year, her husband passed away in a motorcycle accident, leaving her to raise their children on her own – two children, Hizsyafiyah and Hisziqri, who are still in preschool, and two teenagers.
“It was difficult at first,” Aishah recalled. The grief was overwhelming, but as a mother of four, she couldn’t afford to give up.
“I couldn’t just pause my life there and then cry. I couldn’t be weak in front of my kids.”
The practical burdens were immediate and relentless. She learnt to change light bulbs, fix things around the house, and manage tasks that once belonged to her husband.
Her son Hisziqri, noticing her struggles, made her a promise that still brings tears to her eyes: when he gets older and taller, he will help her with chores.
For Aishah, the challenge wasn’t just about managing household tasks or working part-time at a nearby minimart. It was about ensuring her children, especially the two younger ones, don’t lose their childhood to grief and financial hardship.
“I didn’t think that I would make it past one year. But it’s going to be two years now, I tell myself that.
“The first year was difficult, but I’m going to make it to two years, and then many more years to come,” she said.
Even before her husband’s passing, enrichment classes for her children were a luxury the family couldn’t afford.
Both Hizsyafiyah, now 6, and Hisziqri, who is 5, attend My First Skool and had expressed interest in various after-school activities – Hizsyafiyah wanted art classes, Hisziqri talked about taekwondo.
“I was actually discussing this matter with my late husband, and he was asking, ‘how much is it?’ I said about $100 plus, but then the classes are weekly. Then he’s like, ‘oh they’re expensive,’” Aishah shared.
After her husband’s death, those opportunities seemed even more distant.
“There were times they even skipped field trips because they were expensive and I don’t think I could afford it at that time,” she recalled.
The weight of those decisions sat heavily on Aishah’s heart.
“I grew up from a not so well-to-do family. So when I had Hizsyafiyah and Hisziqri, I said, ‘no, this has to change.’ I do not want my kids to feel like they cannot do this, they cannot have things, because I cannot afford them,” shared Aishah.
Everything changed when a staff member at My First Skool approached Aishah about the ‘You’ve Got Talent’ programme under NTUC First Campus’ charity arm, Bright Horizons Fund, early this year.
Started in 2015, the programme offers extra-curricular classes in sports, music, and art, and has benefited close to 3,000 children to date.
“When I heard that they were covering the cost of art classes, I jumped on it. I didn’t even ask whether my kids want to be in the class. I just felt that they should take it because they are already at an age where they could develop new habits and new hobbies,” she said.
For families with household incomes below $4,500, ‘You’ve Got Talent’ fully subsidises the weekly enrichment classes; a significant support given the typical $110 to $155 per month for four sessions.
Since enrolling at My First Skool in February 2021, Hizsyafiyah and Hisziqri have also received help through other programmes under the Bright Horizons Fund – things like infant nutrition support, field trip subsidies, uniforms, book hampers, reading programmes, family events, and now, the ‘You’ve Got Talent’ art enrichment classes.
“When the first day of art class arrived, Hisziqri was hesitant and a little anxious about going. I told him to try it first and if he didn’t like it, it’s okay, he can stop,” Aishah said.
But something magical happened: “The Wednesdays have become quite fruitful. Every time they came home, they excitedly showed me their artwork. It was never kept in their bags, always in their hands,” Aishah laughed.
The transformation in Hisziqri, especially, has been profound.
“My son can now draw Saja Boys from [the animated musical film] KPop Demon Hunters. He can copy them from photos,” Aishah said proudly.
The change has been remarkable: “Last time he just didn’t want to draw. He was not motivated at all. But now, give him a piece of paper and pencil, and he will want to draw.”
For Hizsyafiyah, who had natural artistic ability, the classes have allowed her talents to flourish.
“My daughter could already draw well. But the other day I saw her trying to draw even more complicated human figures – just like art students do, with circles and lines. She’s developing something amazing,” Aishah said.
The impact extends far beyond technical skills. The children often talk excitedly about what they learnt, what they created, and what they will do next in art class.
The confidence and curiosity they have developed is clear.
“Instead of buying toys, plushies, now I buy more art supplies. We have upgraded,” said Aishah.
In 2025, NTUC First Campus' Bright Horizons Fund has set aside $250,000 to expand the ‘You’ve Got Talent’ programme. It is now available at 30 My First Skool centres, up from 20 in 2024.
By 2028, all 162 centres will be included, benefitting an estimated 1,200 children annually.
For Aishah, the support represents something profound: the ability to give her children experiences she never had.
“I didn’t have any of that growing up. So yes, I want them to have this kind of childhood with me. I want them to say that, ‘Yes, my father passed away, but my mother fulfilled everything that I wanted,’” Aishah explained.
When asked about her hopes for her children, her voice softened: “Hisziqri wants to become a doctor. Hizsyafiyah wants to become a teacher. I always tell them, do whatever you want as long as you are happy.”
The art classes have become part of building those dreams.
“As a single parent, I might never be able to afford these extras. Or maybe, once they finish this programme, I might not be able to pay for these classes in the future. So I grab opportunities as they come.
“I don’t want them to feel like they cannot do this, they cannot do that. They’re only 6,” she said.
Reflecting on what the Bright Horizons Fund has meant for her family, Aishah’s gratitude is evident.
“From infant care until now, the Fund has helped us a lot. This entire thing has really helped my family cope during the times when I felt like I couldn’t make it. All the help came in at very crucial times,” Aishah said.
The transformation she’s witnessed in Hisziqri still amazes her: “I get to see my son, who had difficulty holding a pencil only last year, draw on his own.”
“It’s magical. It’s something that I never thought I would see. He can just sit down and draw. This is something that I feel very grateful for,” she said.
Looking back on her journey, Aishah reflects on how far they’ve come. Through it all, she has learnt what it means to persevere.
“During the difficult times, it’s only been us, and the school, and our friends. I think I’ve created a memory that’s actually in their hearts and their minds… that I have tried, I have done, and we all accomplished something,” she shared.
For her two youngest, the art classes mean more than just learning to draw. They represent possibility, confidence, and the knowledge that their dreams matter.
As Hizsyafiyah and Hisziqri continue to create their artwork each week, their living room walls fill with proof of their growth, and Aishah watches with a heart filled with hope.
“This entire development that I see in them in school and the activities that they do... It’s wonderful,” Aishah said emotionally.
For a widow who once doubted she could make it through even one year, life is starting to be filled with colour once again. Not through forgetting the past but through building a future as vibrant as the art her children create.
Since its inception in 2008, the Bright Horizons Fund has impacted more than 45,000 children, ensuring every child has an equal opportunity to discover and develop their potential, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. To learn more about the Bright Horizons Fund or to contribute, visit NTUC First Campus’ website.
