Kudos to all the women who are shattering stereotypes in stereotypically male fields and taking on jobs that many would consider unconventional.
On that note, meet Sheela Bathumalai, a mother of two who despite being a stay-at-home mom, desired to help her husband put food on the table by becoming a food delivery rider.
The 44-year-old woman who joined Grab as a food delivery rider in 2020 said she used to work part-time as a cashier at a fast-food restaurant and a supermarket, but she left because the hours were too tight.
“Compared to other jobs, it allows me a lot more flexibility. I get to choose my working hours and rest breaks. This allows me to spend more time with my children and do anything I want while also earning money,” the mother of two explained.
Sheela also mentioned that her forays with e-hailing food delivery culminated from ‘Mum Guilt,’ or the niggling thought that you’re not doing enough for your children. She eventually gets over her guilt after two years of working as a food delivery rider.
Sheela’s Daily Call As A Food Rider
On weekdays, she would wake up about 6am or 6.30am to get her two boys ready for school at 7.15 am. She then begins delivering GrabFood at 8.30am. She will have her breakfast at about 10am or 10.30am before returning to work till 2pm. The remainder of the day is spent assisting her boys with their homework and doing housework. Moreover, this job allows her to pursue her favourite activities, such as baking and cooking.
Sheela normally makes deliveries five days a week, from early morning until early afternoon. On Fridays and Saturdays, she also works in the evenings from roughly 5pm until 9pm.
The Singaporean explained that she made her first delivery in the Boon Lay neighbourhood, where she got a bit disoriented while trying to follow the directions on the map. Thanks to her husband, who also works as a Grab driver directed her to the right location. Sheela has been lucky as she has yet to come across difficult customers and said most of her customers are kind towards her.
Yes, witnessing female grab drivers is quite difficult but Sheela has formed a sisterhood kind of friendship with two other ladies, Jeya and Dhanam who are also food delivery riders. “Because we live so close together, we occasionally finish work and go home together. I feel inspired and motivated to deliver more because I can do it alongside them,” Sheela remarked.
“Just go for it”, is Sheela’s message for every mother out there who is considering becoming a food delivery rider adding that the job is fun and challenging at the same time earning money and forging friendships.
Her pillar of support and encouragement is her beloved husband who accompanied her to the Grab centre to sign up. “My kids also love asking me about my day after coming home from work. They ask how many orders I got and how much I earned,” Sheela told MS News.
It’s encouraging to learn that women are now more integrated into many various sectors and that they have more freedom and flexibility to voice out and make decisions.
I hope this serves as an inspiration to many other women.
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