Ms Shahira Harun, 45, or Ira as she’s known to those around her, took a leap of faith and joined Deliveroo as a walker in early 2022. She also works full-time as a student mentor, and is the head of her household as a single parent of two children and caregiver to her elderly mother who has dementia. We chat with Ms Ira and reflect on her journey with Deliveroo thus far this Mother’s Day.
Why and how did you join Deliveroo?
Ira: I wanted to do this because of my son, Rizq, who has been working with Deliveroo! He has actually been working in the delivery scene for a long time. He started with a bicycle and has managed to save up for his motorbike license. It’s now been a year since he joined Deliveroo. I decided to join as well early this year to support our income.
I only work with Deliveroo, and I chose this because it seems very flexible. I heard that picking up orders from Deliveroo is a very easy and systematic process as well. From what I’ve seen and experienced, Deliveroo riders don’t face any trouble at restaurants, and can pick up our orders really quickly.
Did you face any difficulties starting out?
Ira: Before I started, I wondered – what if I cannot do well? But I made up my mind when I told my son, “Mummy is going to start today.” When my first order came in, I was nervous but decided to just go with the flow. Since then, it’s been a lot smoother.
I had my worries at first because I have never done delivery work before. I’m working in a completely different field full-time. But I have overcome my initial difficulties. Now I look forward to that satisfaction once I finish my deliveries and when the money comes in. I feel great when I complete one order and the momentum starts there.
How do you manage all the roles you juggle, from your full-time job to being a parent and caregiver, and now Deliveroo?
Ira: I always think about my kids and my mum as I work. My family is my motivation to do anything.
Especially since I have a full-time job as well, I have to discuss with my kids whether it would be possible for me to go out for deliveries part-time. We will cooperate so that we can manage the household and look after my mother who has dementia. My younger child, who is 18, is able to care for my mother at home if I can’t be around sometimes.
Deliveroo helps me a lot by not being like the usual part-time jobs with a fixed time and schedule. If something urgent comes up, I’m not obliged to work, and whenever I am available I can choose to start delivering.
What is it like having a son who works alongside you in Deliveroo?
Ira: My son has experience so I asked him so many questions!
Rizq: She didn’t know about stacked orders and asked why she had to make two drop-offs for one pickup. I explained how to carry out stacked orders.
Ira: Now I have a sense of the difference in earnings for single and stacked orders. He did give me lots of tips to start off and I’m glad! As mentioned, I thought delivery work was easy when my son was doing it himself, and I thought it would be easy to get started. Eventually I would like to use a vehicle for deliveries, but I spoke with my son and we decided I could get started with walking first for the experience. As my son says, “exercise lah, Mummy!”
Now that I’ve experienced everything myself, I would really say I’m proud of my son for starting his journey. He has always been very independent, and it’s great for him that he has been able to save up by doing deliveries. With him in mind, I was able to join this field positively.
Do you have any words for fellow mothers who might be considering joining Deliveroo?
Ira: I think many mothers might find it hard to take the leap to start. I had the same mindset at first – but it’s always the start that’s the hardest. It took some time for me to put my words to action after I first told my son that I wanted to start, but I finally told myself that I will do it, and I pushed myself to start. I focused on the vision of what I want for myself and my family. Now, it’s easy to be motivated to work because I’ve gotten used to it and Deliveroo’s system has been comfortable and smooth for me to use.
For single mums like me, you could be in a difficult situation, but I believe you can still achieve your vision. You’re the role model for your kids and people will see you as a strong woman too, so don’t be afraid to try if you want. But you have to discuss it with your family before making a decision too! I’m able to give this a go because my family is supportive of me.