A widow with three kids has narrated how she copes with a monthly salary of Gh₵1000.

According to her, the said amount is what she depends on to cater for all her needs and that of her children.

Anita Okine has been living with her kids for the past 14 years since her husband passed on. She has been left with the sole responsibility of taking care of the children after the incident happened without her late husband's family contributing in any way to the upkeep of these children.

Prior to her husband's death, Anita was a trained hairdresser who had her own shop. However, she tells JoyNews things went downhill after her husband's demise.

"Then, I had my own shop but after the incident, I lost my shop and I had go and work with people. Life has not been the same afterwards," she said.

Anita is making GHS1000 a month as a hairdresser and she's trying to make ends meet by doing extra work but all these efforts do not seem enough as she has to take care of the fees of her children.

The oldest child, a 19 year old, is now a student at the University level. Anita has to find ways of paying the fees and provide other needs of this brilliant daughter of hers.

She told Kojo Yankson on the Super Morning Show that she dwells on the benevolence of family and friends who sometimes offer financial assistance to do this.

"...my family and people I know occasionally send money for the children which I add up to pay for their fees," she said.

Sometimes, she also has to take up other responsibilities such as cooking for people so she can also get some extra food to feed her children.

Her middle child, who is also in her midteens, is a Senior High School student. Though the free SHS policy covers her tuition and other basic needs in schools, Anita has to deal with the challenge of paying for the rent of her daughter since the girl has been posted to the Volta Region as a day student from Accra.

The concerned mother has to convince a hostel owner to allow her child to have a place to lay her head while she pays for its cost bit by bit.

"It's not been easy at all, the children were just five years, 2 years, and 3 months when my husband passed on. I'm alone taking care of them with this hairdressing business.

"Sometimes I go and do some home services: when someone wants to cook I'll ask the person to let me cook for them then I get small from there to feed the children," she said.

"Now the elderly one is in the University and how to pay her fees is even the problem," she added.

Fortunately for her, she lives in a family house where she doesn't have to pay rent but her fears have heightened with news of an increase in fuel prices.

This means that she would have to pay more as the cost of transportation when going to work since the development is likely to cause a hike in the price of transport fares.

Anita wishes to re-establish her collapsed business, however, efforts in that regard have been in vain since no one is willing to offer financial assistance, even if it's on a loan basis.

"I always pray to God to let helpers locate me help me up to open the salon so that I will be able to work and take good care of my children," she said.