Stories Of Impact

HOME: Helping vulnerable migrant workers through crisis

Stories Of Impact

Home Donors Stories Of Impact HOME: Helping vulnerable migrant workers through crisis

Stories Of Impact

HOME: Helping vulnerable migrant workers through crisis

John Doe

With almost one million low-wage migrant workers in Singapore, there is an increasing appreciation of the important role they play in our society. Yet, while migrant workers make up a significant part of our social fabric, their issues and challenges may often remain invisible from public view.

Since 2004, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) has been aiding migrant workers in crisis situations. These workers have often suffered exploitation and abuse ranging from overwork, injury, wage theft to physical and emotional abuse. HOME supports around 2000 non-domestic workers and domestic workers each year.

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“Many of the workers who come to us are already quite traumatised,” says Sheena Kanwar, Executive Director of HOME, “It is quite a journey for them: from making the decision to come here, receiving support, recovering from crisis and moving on with life.”

Support from donors to the Migrants Emergency Assistance and Support (MEANS) Fund, a community impact fund managed by the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), has helped HOME to provide immediate and short-term financial assistance to distressed workers. The financial support covers the basic necessities, medical care, transport and mobile phone top-ups. To date, the MEANS fund has disbursed around $60,000 to HOME.

Financial assistance is critical for these workers; many of them have no savings or have not been paid a salary for several months. If a worker decides to make a legal complaint against their employer, they may end up staying in Singapore for several years. “We help ensure there is a basic sum for their everyday well-being through this process, from food, transport to their medical needs,” says Sheena.

Beyond financial assistance, HOME has created “a sustainable system that allows us to respond to the different needs of a migrant worker in crisis,” explains Sheena. These services include help desks, legal, medical, and counselling teams, a shelter for vulnerable domestic workers, skill-building classes, to helping workers through re-employment. Moving forward, HOME looks to expand its reach, especially to vulnerable migrant workers from the Myanmar and Indian communities.

For these workers, HOME has opened a vital window of support – and even a new lease of life. Take Jofel, a domestic helper who has been living at HOME’s migrant worker shelter for over a year. After attending an art therapy class by the HOME Academy, Jofel stumbled upon her creative talent. She started to pursue her passion for handicraft, actively picking up skills online each day. Today, she is skilled at designing and producing a wide range of items, from bags, candles to flower bouquets. “I’m very grateful to HOME for its support. I discovered myself and my creative abilities here,” says Jopel. Upon her future return to her home country, Jopel hopes to start her own business.

Sheena is heartened by the surge of support amongst Singaporeans towards the plight of migrant workers; from enthusiastic young students who ask to join HOME’s projects, to HOME’s dedicated teams of legal, medical and counseling professionals. She says, “The support and empathy for migrant workers have gone up tremendously over the last five to seven years. It’s very heartening that people genuinely see the need for the work that we do.”

To support the MEANS Community Impact Fund, visit here

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John Doe

The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly established by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the Agency for Integrated Care, with the aim of addressing social isolation among the elderly.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development Mr Tan Kiat How attended the event. He encouraged the elderly to stay physically and mentally well, as well as urging them to participate in community activities and enjoy their golden years together.

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛：比赛限时反应要快

现年92岁的胡锦盛是最年长的参赛者。自2017年退休后，他几乎每天都到活跃乐龄中心报到，从此爱上了玩拉密，每次可玩上三个小时，在中心是“常胜将军”。

Related Topics For You: ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND, DONOR STORIES, HEALTH, IMPROVING EMPLOYABILITY, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, MIGRANTS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT, NEWS, PROMOTING HEALTHCARE, STORIES OF IMPACT

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Stories Of Impact

Care Corner Educational Therapy Service – Tackling gaps for children with special learning needs

John Doe

Singapore can take pride in being billed the best country for children to grow up in, based on a 2018 report by the non-governmental organisation, Save The Children. Yet, for children with special learning needs within mainstream schools, there remains room for timelier intervention and more holistic support.

Supported by multiple donors from the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), Care Corner’s Educational Therapy Service (ETS) has been serving children with special learning needs in mainstream schools from Kindergarten 1 to Primary 6. More than half of its students are from lower-income families, where lack of financial resources often means delayed diagnosis or access to specialised learning support services. Children struggle to keep up with their educational milestones and peers, hurting their self-esteem and motivation.

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The Funding Network (TFN)

Care Corner’s ETS well-received Specialist Tuition (English) and Specialist Tuition (Math) programmes have helped these children overcome their challenges and progress in their academic journey. Over 70% of its students showed improvement in their literacy and numeracy skills in 2017, based on assessment scores.

Many of its students spend on average of at least two years with ETS, benefiting from small class sizes where teachers adapt learning methods to the needs of each child. “Current mainstream resources do offer short-term support, but in reality, such children require continuous, targeted help for longer duration to allow the child to pick up the needed skills,” says Isaac Tan, Clinical Director.

More notably, its Specialist Tuition programmes are designed to not just improve key skills, but actually meet the academic demands of mainstream curriculum. “Improving reading skills does not mean the child can address academic demands, and tuition classes without these specialised methods might not cater to these children’s weaknesses,” adds Isaac.

Care Corner’s dedication to its mission can be witnessed in its innovative KidsBright Programme, which it developed by exploring research into brain development and contemporary movement therapy. KidsBright takes a three-pronged approach, through brain-stimulating movement exercises, diet, and mental training to help stimulate a child’s brain.

Care Corner believes tackling underlying causes in cognitive difficulty can have far-reaching effects in boosting learning. Impressively, more than 90% of children in its 2017 programme saw improvements in their learning abilities based on parental feedback.

“By addressing the underlying causes, these children may reach a level of improvement that they no longer require specialist tuition,” expresses Isaac. KidsBright’s approach is now being compiled into a research study, which Isaac hopes will catalyse and influence local approaches towards children with special learning needs.

Moving forward, Care Corner ETS is piloting a new Psychological Assessment Service in the second half of 2018. Tan believes such services are much-needed, especially for lower-income families, as early diagnosis allows children to receive interventions at an earlier stage and improves their chances of catching up with their peers.

Increased demand for its services has also seen Care Corner ETS open a new centre in Woodlands. Joanne Sim, Programme Head and Senior Educational Therapist, expresses, “With our expansion into Woodlands and launch of psychological services, we aim to offer a more comprehensive range of services, whilst reaching out to more children with special learning needs to support them in achieving their potential.”

Photo: Care Corner Educational Therapy Service

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John Doe

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛：比赛限时反应要快

Related Topics For You: ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND, DONOR STORIES, HEALTH, IMPROVING EMPLOYABILITY, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, MIGRANTS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT, NEWS, PROMOTING HEALTHCARE, STORIES OF IMPACT

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Events

CFS’ LaLa Café Series: Wellness Talk and Mindfulness Practice

John Doe

CFS’ LaLa Café is a virtual place to learn, socialise and rejuvenate for everyone at CFS. It is conducted by our employees, partners, and vendors to cultivate a growth-driven and dynamic work environment.

For the latest edition of LaLa Café, we invited Desmond Lim, psychotherapist, wellness advocate, and coach from Mind Culture to share about Mental Wellness and Mindfulness Practice.

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CFS participates in OCBC Sustainability Day

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Desmond shared that deep breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety, stress, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and physical discomfort. He advised staff to look out for any symptoms of burnout such as; feeling tired most of the time, falling sick easily, having frequent headaches and muscle pains, change in appetite and sleeping habits, a sense of failure, and loss of motivation.

To avoid burnout, practising self-care by doing things that make us happy is important — it helps boost our emotional well-being. Self-care activities also increase self-esteem, higher productivity, and motivation. We were reminded to take care of ourselves first before taking care of others.

He ended the workshop with breathing and meditation exercises. To see more, watch the video demonstrations below:

CFS takes pride in advocating good mental health practices amongst our employees and supports Mental Health Funds such as Mind the Gap 200.

To find out more about our programmes and start your giving journey, visit us here.

Related Topics For You: ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND, DONOR STORIES, HEALTH, IMPROVING EMPLOYABILITY, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, MIGRANTS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT, NEWS, PROMOTING HEALTHCARE, STORIES OF IMPACT

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Opinion

Sustainable Philanthropy Matters: The SDGs in SG

John Doe

In this three-part series ‘Sustainable Philanthropy Matters’, we explore the surprisingly intimate relationship between philanthropy and sustainability and how the practice of one can in fact, lead to the advancement of the other. Both of these issues are close to our hearts here at CFS and we want to share how our philanthropy can help preserve our planet, our communities and our future.

In our previous article, we took a brief look at the history of philanthropy and sustainability. Here, we will examine the relatively newer Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their paramount relevance and importance today. The SDGs were adopted as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Additionally, the SDGs could and should serve as a guide to the next steps in Singapore’s social, environmental and even philanthropic evolution. Donors can create a greater impact with their giving by ensuring alignment with the SDGs.

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Introducing the SDGs

When it comes to the 3P’s, People has long been seen as the more important P as compared to Planet (let us not talk about Profit!).

Of the eight Millennium Development Goals established in 2000 by the UN, only one was environment-related. Even in the first-ever Global Philanthropy Report, published relatively recently in 2018 by the Hauser Institute for Civil Society (Johnson, 2018), education was the most popular cause of choice for foundations around the world, with 35% focusing on at least one aspect. Health and social welfare also featured largely as priorities. Only one region, Latin America, had environment and animals as a focus and even then, at only 23.8%.

The 17 SDGs, birthed in 2015 at COP 21 in Paris, catapulted the idea of sustainability into everyone’s consciousness in vivid colour. It illustrated that sustainability encompasses many facets of society as well as the natural environment, with an infinitely long-term view of providing for future generations.At first glance, many of the SDGs seem to talk about social aspects anyway, but the beauty of the SDGs is that each goal is inextricably linked to several others. For instance, an initiative ensuring that farmers get paid decent wages while tapping on technology to grow food that is organic and pesticide-free aligns to SDGs 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 12.

SDGs in Singapore

Delving deeper into the 169 targets of the SDGs, one realises that quite a few of them may not seem to apply to Singapore. As a highly developed and modern country with a high GDP, 100% literacy rate and no real primary industries like mining, forestry and agriculture, we can claim to have already met many of the SDGs’ targets.However, it is the spirit of the SDGs at which we should look, and it is then that we realise that there is definitely more that we could do.

Let us examine SDG 1, No Poverty. Singapore claims that the first two indicators do not apply as we have no poverty line, national or international (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2021). Yet, it is clear that cases of relative poverty still exist in Singapore (Ng, 2018). The problem can be simply explained by the high cost of living in Singapore (ECA International, 2021), our high Gini coefficient (World Population Review 2021) and the majority of the households having an income below the national average (Dayani, 2021) but the fact remains that the problem exists, and we need to address it within the Singaporean context.

Thankfully, besides the Government’s efforts to reduce social inequality (Lai, 2019), Singapore has had a long history of philanthropists (Ooi, 2019) who have seen to the needs of their country’s people through their generosity. Fast forward to today, and even the man on the street can be a philanthropist, with easy, direct access to many charity channels and donation portals online.

Everyone Has a Role

Ultimately, this democratisation of philanthropy is a good thing. Accomplishing the vision of “peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”, requires the concerted achievement of each and every SDG.

Given the intricate interconnectivity of the SDGs, tackling any project that aims to deal with them would be a daunting task if attempted alone. Just as social issues are complex problems requiring multifaceted approaches by multiple stakeholders, so it is with the SDGs.

The 17^th SDG, Partnership for the Goals, actually posits that we all have a role to play. Governments and agencies can only do so much. It is recognised that corporations and individuals alike all have responsibilities towards achieving the environmental growth and strengthening of Singapore (and the planet too, come to think of it). As the late philosopher McLuhan said: “There are no passengers on spaceship Earth. We are all crew.”

Eyes on the Prize

In the previous article of this series, we shared that everyone, whether individual, group or organisation, had reasons to give. It is important to avoid whitewashing or greenwas h ing (basically, paying only lip service about being philanthropic). Giving back to the community and/or the environment should not be about meeting reporting requirements or ingratiating oneself with the local people.

It can, admittedly, be tricky juggling one’s desire to do a particular act of charity with what said charity might actually want to achieve, or even what the eventual care recipients might really require. With over a decade championing philanthropy in Singapore, CFS deeply understands this need for balance between the desires and objectives of the donors, charities and care recipients. Yes, even if those care recipients are the flora and fauna around us. Visit here to find out how you can add value for People and Planet, today and tomorrow.

To learn more about CFS’s Corporate Sustainability efforts, please read more here.

To read the other 2 stories in the ‘Sustainable Philanthropy Matters’ series, please click below:

This article was written by Adam, a Principal Consultant with CFS and an experienced sustainability practitioner. He is an advocate for sustainable practices. His colleagues are still wondering how his monthly household utilities bill is only around $70.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CFS or its members.

References

Department of Statistics Singapore. 2021. Government of Singapore. Singapore. https://www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/sdg/goal-1
Ng, Cindy. 2018. Commentary: So this is what the face of poverty looks like. Channel News Asia. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/this-is-what-the-face-of-poverty-inequality-looks-like-804881
ECA International. 2021. Singapore drops in global Cost of Living rankings, but remains among top 10 most expensive locations. https://www.eca-international.com/news/june-2021/singapore-drops-in-global-cost-of-living-rankings
World Population Review. 2021. Gini Coefficient by Country. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/gini-coefficient-by-country
Dayani, Dinesh. 2021. What is Singapore’s Average Household Income And Why It Is Different From The Salaries We Earn? Dollars and Sense. https://dollarsandsense.sg/singapores-average-household-income-different-salaries-earn/
Lai, Lynnette. 2019. Parliament: Inequality has many causes and needs to be tackled practically, not ideologically, says Desmond Lee. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-inequality-has-many-causes-and-needs-to-be-tackled-practically-not-ideologically
Ooi, Yu-lin. 2019. Singapore’s Earliest Philanthropists 1819-1867. Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy. https://bschool.nus.edu.sg/acsep/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2019/08/PA-WP8-Singapores-Earliest-Philanthropists-1819-1867.pdf

Related Topics For You: ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND, DONOR STORIES, HEALTH, IMPROVING EMPLOYABILITY, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, MIGRANTS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT, NEWS, PROMOTING HEALTHCARE, STORIES OF IMPACT

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Stories Of Impact

Seniors Colabs learning journey #3: St Theresa’s Home – where horses and hawker centres help seniors feel at home

John Doe

While most people accept that ageing is inevitable, the prospect of spending their twilight years in a nursing home fills many with dread. It is not hard to imagine why. The mental associations are gloomy – sterile environments, impersonal care and intrusive communal living.

By tackling these stereotypes head-on, one local nursing home is determined to shift mindsets about residential aged care. Through its human-centred care philosophy, the management at St Theresa’s Home (formerly the Little Sisters of the Poor) firmly believes that as society progresses, nursing homes can be a conducive place for seniors to thrive as they age.

Empowering Seniors to Age Well

Wheelchair-bound individuals enjoying a day at the zoo

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A woman tenderly assisting another women lying in a bed, providing care and support to ensure their well-being.

Migrants Emergency Assistance and Support (MEANS) Community Impact Fund – Helping migrant worker in need

Early on a weekday morning, a group of Colabs participants from various sectors came to volunteer at an equine therapy session at St Theresa’s Home. Standing amidst the lush greenery, it was easy to forget that one was in a nursing home. Perched atop a hill, the sprawling estate’s pre-war architecture offers the warmth and charm of yesteryear, while providing shady nooks for gardening corners cared for by residents.

Joshua Chui, Deputy Director, took the team on his rounds. Calling out and responding to each resident by name, he stopped by Madam Rose (not her real name) and cheerfully asked why she was back on her wheelchair when she could walk the short distance previously. Mr Chui explained that residents are encouraged to carry out their activities of daily living as independently as possible. While there are set times for meals and baths, they are free to choose what to eat, when to begin and end their day, as well as what they want to do in between. Once a week, various groups of residents look forward to their breakfast outing to a nearby hawker centre.

A walk through the airy dormitories provided glimpses of the residents there. Photographs and personal knick-knacks were proudly displayed. The array of colourful bed linen reflected the residents’ individual tastes. Along the way, Colabs participants noticed that beds and wardrobes were thoughtfully angled away from each other, noting the home’s sensitivity towards the residents’ need for privacy.

Finally, at a quiet sheltered shed, two calm and stately horses stood ready for their ‘duties’. Their handlers and trainers from Equal Ark explained the workings and benefits of equine therapy for improving the psychological health of seniors. Working with the residents, Colabs participants were able to witness first-hand how interaction with the friendly animals lifted their countenance and spirits.

It was a thought-provoking morning for Colabs participants at St Theresa’s Home. The home’s commitment towards empowering seniors to live independently, while preserving each resident’s identity and dignity left a lasting impression. Their progressive approach, and vision for creating a community for seniors to age in a ‘home within a home’ encouraged and inspired everyone.

Colabs is a philanthropic initiative by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre. It drives collaboration by bringing together the public, private and social sectors to tackle complex social issues. It enables philanthropists, businesses, non-profits and sector experts to collectively build insights and co-create solutions for lasting change.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit dolor

John Doe

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road