A pillar of strength, resilience, and kindness within her community, Foresthaven’s Sandra Pillay was recently praised as a community role model and acknowledged as one of its matriarchs ahead of Mother’s Day.
Sandra Pillay, an administrator and mother of two, has immersed herself within the Foresthaven community for 29 years. Reflecting on the significance of the upcoming celebration, she expressed pride in her journey and noted: Mother’s Day is not about gifts or kind gestures; it is about love, gratitude, and togetherness.
She said: “It’s a day where I feel appreciated for my strength, the prayers I whisper for my family, and the role I play not just as a mother, but as a guiding, nurturing figure to everyone around me. It reminds me that all the sacrifices, traditions, and values I hold close are seen, respected, and deeply cherished.”
Pillay explained that she has become someone the community naturally turns towards for support. She said: “Whether it’s offering help, guidance, or simply a listening ear, I try to show up with kindness and sincerity, not for recognition, but because I genuinely care.”
When asked for her perspective on parenting, she advised new mothers to maintain firm boundaries and discipline. She said: “Being spoiled to an extent is okay, but the child needs to be taught respect, manners, being humble, kind and considerate to others. In the world we live in today, the child’s freedom and whereabouts have to be monitored always.”
Her daughter, Kerissa Pillay, shared high praise for her mother, describing the occasion as a moment to pause and reflect on the woman who has shaped her life. She said: “It’s about honouring my mum not just for what she does, but for who she is. Her strength, her faith, her belief in prayer and traditions—all of it has become a part of me.”
Kerissa added: her mother serves as a constant reminder that no matter how tough life becomes, they are strong women capable of withstanding any storm. Regarding her mother’s wider impact, she noted: “It’s about appreciating the way she holds our family together while still giving so much of herself to others, even in the community and in our place of worship where she is seen as a mother figure to so many.”
