Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
Complete social isolation, loss of income and discrimination - it was this dangerous trifecta that re-triggered Mr Sani’s depression and caused a deep downward spiral for him during Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ period last year.
After his parents passed away, Mr Saini lost all contact with his siblings. He had been living on his own in his one-room rental flat since 2016. Before the pandemic hit, working at the ports for cargo vessels kept Mr Saini in healthier shape and helped to better manage his mental health.
But when the pandemic stopped vessels from coming in, Mr Saini was soon let go from his job. His employment prospects, mental health and living conditions took a turn for the worse, all at the same time.
“My depression came back during Covid when I couldn’t find a proper job because of my size. I couldn’t go out and I couldn’t work,” said Mr Saini.
Security jobs were in high demand at the height of the pandemic. Even though Mr Saini seized the opportunity to apply for a license to work in security, he felt discouraged by the discrimination he experienced.
“I applied for security jobs… but some places don’t want to hire me because of my body size. Imagine when you go to work for 1 or 2 hours and suddenly the management asks you to go back. What do you do? I cannot make noise, I cannot fight,” recounted Mr Saini.
Stuck at home all day, Mr Saini’s weight started ballooning from 130kg in pre-covid times to 240kg during ‘circuit breaker’. Gout in his legs flared up, affecting his ability to walk.
“Because of my leg, I cannot move around. Previously when I stayed in Bedok, the rubbish chute was inside the house but now it’s outside (at the lift lobby). I cannot go out so I just started throwing things inside,” he admitted.
The mess of food packets grew, leaving Mr Saini a small empty corner of the floor to sleep on. Cockroaches roaming at night made it difficult to sleep & his health deteriorated so much that he was constantly in and out of the hospital.
With the help of his medical social worker from the hospital, Mr Saini was referred to Project HomeWorks to finally end his downward spiral.
It was a particularly intense session for our 5 volunteers, who battled hoards of cockroaches under the mounds of food packaging. Five hours and a few cans of Baygon spray later, half the entire living space had been completely cleared and transformed.
After years of sleeping on the floor, Mr Saini finally got his wish: a proper mattress and reinforced bed frame that was sponsored by the Central CDC.
Deeply motivated by the complete transformation of his house, Mr Saini said he never wants the state of his house to ever go back to the mess it used to be in.
“When you help me clean my house, at least I can go back to square one. In the new year, I hope I can get a new job, a better life and carry on my normal life with work. That’s all I need,” he said.
Mr Saini was one of the homeowners who received an Agape Blanket under our Sew Much Love initiative. Knowing the many hands that went into making the blanket he received, Mr Saini said he was thankful for all the love and support he could feel from this simple gift.
Sew Much Love is a new, all-year-long initiative by Habitat Singapore to co-create Agape Blankets with our supporters. We invite you to contribute a design a quilt patch that will be used to complete more Agape Blankets as a gesture of care for seniors and vulnerable individuals like Mr Saini to fight against this pandemic-driven social isolation.
All you need are tools readily available at home or on your phone. You'll be bringing warmth, comfort and hope through this practical and heartfelt gift. Click on the image to get started!
- Mr Saini, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
“Back when I was still the boss, I was always downstairs cooking, drinking and smoking with friends. To suddenly go from that to being stuck at home, it was difficult for me. And the house condition slowly became worse,” said 63-year-old Uncle Ong.
Vulnerability is a slippery slope and the home environment almost always reflects the physical and emotional turmoil the homeowner is facing. In Uncle Ong's case, the tipping point was losing his independence and capability to primarily provide for his wife and children who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
In his prime, Uncle Ong was a successful, self-made man who supported his family of 5 by starting his own noodle stall 33 years ago. He was independent from his own family at a young age and jobs were hard to come by when he first got married in the 1980s.
“It was very hard back then. I didn't have a stable job until I decided to start my own business in 1988,” he shared.
In his business heydays, Uncle Ong’s noodle stall had earned a reputation and his earnings could comfortably provide for the family. After 2 decades of entrepreneurial success, Uncle Ong was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and he underwent a major operation to resect his large intestines.
“After that my whole life changed. My business was my life but I couldn’t work anymore. Walking is so painful,” shared Uncle Ong. 11 years later, he still feels the pain where 2 stoma bags are attached to his abdomen and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
“I had to hand my business over to my younger brother, who gives me about $500-600 every month. For my family’s sake, sometimes I still go down to work for about 2-3 hours. I’d try to earn an extra $60-$80, which is better than nothing,” said Uncle Ong.
Uncle Ong’s business was also his family’s lifeline. Even until today, Uncle Ong continues to be the main caregiver of 3 family members diagnosed with intellectual disabilities - his wife, younger son & more recently his grand-daughter.
Uncle Ong’s eldest son had skipped university to start working after his National Service and picked up the monthly bills like utilities and the $180 medical cost for Uncle Ong’s stoma bags. The pressure to support his family eventually led to him getting into trouble with the law.
“When people are sick, their temper is bad. It’s painful to walk, I couldn’t eat without someone helping me. I was always in a bad mood. My son was a good boy but I think I gave him too much stress. I could only afford to buy the food to feed the 4 of us at home. He must have found other ways to earn extra money,” said Uncle Ong.
As the only able-bodied person in the house left, Uncle Ong’s health condition made it impossible for him to manage the state of his house. It was only after his eldest son's recent release from prison that things started to look up again for them.
Thankfully, Uncle Ong's eldest son was recently released from prison this February and had taken on the task of decluttering & cleaning up of the family home. At the same time, Uncle Ong’s social worker from their nearby Family Service Centre kickstarted the referral process for their home to be rehabilitated by Project HomeWorks.
Earlier this month, youth volunteers from the NTU Welfare Services Club partnered us to clean and repaint the bedroom walls, while Habitat Singapore provided brand new bed frames and mattresses for the family.
With help of our volunteers, it only took half a day to turn the family's bedrooms into a brighter, more comfortable space.
Every home improvement gives families a better chance for a stronger future. We hope this Project HomeWorks session will Uncle Ong's family a second chance at a safe and healthy home for years to come
- Mr Ong, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
In many of the hoarding cases that Habitat for Humanity Singapore comes across, the accumulation of things in the house is usually triggered by emotional or psychological episodes of a person’s life and the items almost always have emotional attachments.
For Mdm Lai, the items she had accumulated in her house started after her husband passed away over 30 years ago. Widowed in her 40s, Mdm Lai found herself living alone in their 3-room flat in Toa Payoh while her daughter and the rest of her family were back in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur.
“When my husband died, then I started working as a cleaner, because I didn’t have much of an education. Since I started working, I didn’t really stop,” Mdm Lai shared.
“After I finish work, I wouldn’t go home immediately. I’d go out to eat and walk around. I’ll just see things that I would buy (like) clothes, bags, towels.”
Gesturing to show how she crawled on top of everything to get around the house, Mdm Lai said the saving grace of having a cluttered house was the items would break her fall whenever she lost her balance.
As her eyesight and arthritis worsened with age, the state of her house also spiralled out of control.
“There were just too many things & I didn’t have the ability to clear it all alone. I would go to work, come home and just leave whatever I bought.
When Project HomeWorks volunteers arrived at her house for the first time in January, they recalled piles of items covering the entire floor of the house.
“It was a struggle just to enter the house. The door couldn’t fully open,” said volunteer Mr Chan. Another fellow volunteer Eric described the pile to be about 60cm high and discovered bugs he had never seen before in his life.
“All these years I’ve stayed here, (my neighbours) didn’t know I had so many things in my house,” Mdm Lai shared. The state of her house went undetected as she made sure never to leave her windows or door open.
It was only after her arthritis became severe enough that she had to stop working 3 months ago and she confided to a neighbour who linked her up with a social worker from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC).
After years of keeping to herself, it took a lot of coaxing over several sessions by Habitat Singapore staff to build enough trust for Mdm Lai to grow comfortable with the decluttering process.
During the 6th session with Mdm Lai, Habitat Singapore invited the very first group of volunteers back to come back & witness the slow transformation of the house.
In January when they first started, our volunteer Eric shared that their strategy was to clear enough to make a pathway from the door to the bedroom and kitchen at the back. Today, Mdm Lai has not only reclaimed space in her home but also her happiness.
“I think today we’ve achieved a milestone. She now has a reading or relax room where she can go down memory lane (with her photo albums),” Eric added.
“I think the most delightful thing is to see her become more cheerful from our first session. Initially she was reluctant to let us in but (now) she’s very happy to be able to move around and enjoy her space,” added Mr Chan.
Sitting in her newly created reading room, surrounded by photo albums & framed pictures of her wedding day, Mdm Lai said: I’ve also dreamt of my house being this clean. The biggest change has been you coming to help. If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
- Mdm Lai, Beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
This December will be my eleventh year in Singapore. I moved here from Jakarta with my family when I was 14 because my father had to be relocated for work. Ever since then, I attended school in Singapore before starting my current job here.
It did feel weird at first. I found it hard adjusting to a new way of life, but it was also interesting to learn about the culture in a different country, like how people worked and studied. I got used to it after a while and – surprisingly – adapted quite well in school.
Being active in sports definitely made it easier to make new friends. I was in the badminton club in primary one back in Jakarta. I’ve always liked watching soccer, too, so when I came to Singapore, I took it up as a CCA and competed in the school team.
When I went to Republic Polytechnic, I took up a Diploma in Sports Coaching because I thought I’d have a career in sports. That was the direction I was set on; but, because I’m not Singaporean, it was very difficult for me to get a job.
I’d go for job interviews and get offered a position, but whenever I applied for an Employment Pass (EP), my application got rejected. I don’t know why. Singapore never offers an explanation as to why they reject your EP application.
I was unemployed for two years, but luckily, a friend who is based in Jakarta but worked for Habitat for Humanity Singapore recommended me a job. It was an area of work that I wasn’t used to, but I took it as an opportunity to learn and try something new.
I waited for four months before my EP was approved, but I finally got it! Today, I’m a Programme Executive at Habitat Singapore. I’m in-charge of Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that helps rehabilitate the homes of vulnerable elderly and low-income families.
Coming from Jakarta where you do see a lot of poverty, I always had this image of Singapore being a very clean and prosperous country. But behind that picture-perfect façade, there are actually so many underprivileged people who need our help.
My first Project HomeWorks session involved a three-room rental flat at Chai Chee. That house was owned by two brothers who were already in their old age. It was in a really bad state; you could smell the stench from the house the moment you stepped out of the lift.
The house was infested with bed bugs. Because the brothers were not in a good place financially, they couldn’t afford proper beds. They slept on the floor where they got bitten badly by bed bugs. We did five rounds of fumigation before all the bed bugs were killed.
I felt very relieved after that session was over. Facing such harsh conditions in your old age can be really hard on you, but they didn’t have to worry about bed bugs anymore and could finally sleep peacefully at night. They could also finally enjoy their retirement.
It’s always been a joy for me to help people. I think it’s influence from my parents. Back in Jakarta, they served the church. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a preacher. They always took time to visit and help church members, especially those who were sick.
I’m very inspired by them. Which is why when I reflect upon the two years where I couldn’t get a job in sports, I thought that maybe God simply wanted me to serve, not just my people, but everyone in society, and Habitat Singapore lets me do that.
No, the people I’ve helped through Project HomeWorks never really say anything once a session is over. Some of them were abandoned by their kids and have lived alone in poorly maintained rental flats for so long, they don’t know how to react to such acts of kindness.
But you can tell they are happy once we’ve cleaned up their houses just by looking at the expression on their faces. They don’t even have to say anything much; just a simple thank you and seeing them smile is enough to push me to do the work that I do.
- Andrew Setiawan, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
I guess I’m a successful product of the Community Involvement Project (CIP) system put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (laughs). Somehow, those 24-hour community service requirements in school sowed a seed somewhere that sprouted in me.
CIP gave me various opportunities to volunteer. In secondary school, I was part of physio sessions at a rehab centre for elderly. In junior college, I volunteered at Ling Kwang Home where I performed some magic for the old folks.
When I went to university, most of my co-curricular activities (CCA) were related to community somehow. I volunteered with the Salvation Army and delivered food to the elderly living in Chin Swee Road. I was only 22 then.
Through these experiences, I was certain that I wanted to make the world a better place when I grew up, especially for the elderly. My grandmother raised me since I was young and after she passed on, I wanted to see old people live their remaining lives in dignity.
Today, I work at Habitat for Humanity, a housing charity that helps clean up the homes of the vulnerable in society – including the elderly – through an initiative called Project HomeWorks. My job is to coordinate any youth involvement with the organisation.
One of my responsibilities is to look after our long-term youth volunteers from campus chapters. These chapters basically function like mini Habitat for Humanity offices but are run by students, so these kids are responsible for their own house-cleaning operations.
I mentor appointed student leaders so that they can better guide their respective chapters and ultimately grow as individuals. It’s important to do this because while my passion lies in aiding old people, it’s important to rally the young ones to help achieve this goal.
It’s really just part of our mission! Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity’s objective is to not just build homes but also bring people from all walks of life together to build communities and hope.
It is such a beautiful picture when people of different races, religions, age groups and professions are united by the common desire to see dignity restored for another. It just so happens that in Habitat Singapore, youths comprise half of our volunteers.
Of course there are challenges to mentoring youths. Firstly, they're kids! So like most parents, there's only so much handholding I can do – limited by the fact that I only have two hands and my own baby girl to take care of after office hours.
Secondly, there must be a fine balance between holding their hands and actually giving them space to make mistakes, learn and grow. I reflect on experiences with them hoping that they’d come out as adults better equipped to deal with the challenges of the world.
What have I learned through guiding these youths? For someone who is pretty impatient, I’m surprisingly able to stretch myself and use every opportunity as platforms for learning and growth. Don’t tell my daughter this; but, she gets less leeway than them. (laughs)
I also learned that they’re not too different from adults. The challenges they face are often the same challenges that we as working professionals face, just that they have the benefit of making mistakes with much lower stakes.
One of my most memorable batches of youth volunteers was from Hwa Chong Institution. I had the privilege of working closely with very brilliant boys to start a campus chapter. It was almost like running a start-up – I got a very solid team in place together.
Alas, as the chapter was launched, two of the key leaders had to drop out. They were running for student council, and it was a requirement that they only have one CCA. The team was extremely disappointed and demoralised by their decision to leave.
I still recall sitting all of them down at a Kopitiam in Chinatown after one of their Project HomeWorks sessions, talking things out and making sure the team was able to come to terms with what happened. Honest feelings, tears and handshakes were all exchanged.
Mentoring a team of people isn’t always just about looking at the forest or big picture. It often means diving deep into looking after each of these trees and spending time with them. Only then can you have a mere glimpse into the best ways to let them bear fruit.
It’s an added bonus being able to see the transformation in some of them as a result of the time spent volunteering with us too. I still keep in touch with some of them and catch up when I happen to have meetings at their current colleges.
Many of them look back at their time as campus chapter leaders as experiences that have shaped their objectives in life. Most of them have also entered courses of study that can directly serve communities.
Looking back upon my journey at Habitat Singapore thus far, I can say that I find joy in getting to work with so many inspirational youths. It is truly humbling to merely be the grease needed to get their engines going.
And seeing all the work that various youths have done and are currently doing out there, I can safely say that youths are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are already the leaders of today.
- Victor Goh, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who they are; things that were just very difficult.
My ability to cope is also a result of my upbringing. My parents brought me up to be pretty independent. Anything an average person can do, I can do even better. You’d think it’s over-proving or over-compensating, but I believe it’s self-deception that stems from insecurity.
In the past, I didn’t want to be seen as needing help. I held onto my pride really tightly. Whenever someone offered to help, it would leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. But now, the physical work has finally started to take a toll on my left hand.
I use my left hand for everything. There’s a wear and tear issue that’s making it harder to work with heavier equipment. But now, I’ve allowed myself to be more vulnerable.
Instead of putting up a strong front and insisting to continue doing all the heavier works to appear normal, I’ve come to embrace the fact that it’s ok to admit that I need help. So I have wonderful colleagues and volunteers who check on me and assist me when they feel I need help at work.
It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? The world always teaches us to be strong, but when you embrace your weaknesses and shortcomings, you get to witness the beauty of human kindness.
I guess I’m still a work in progress. Maybe one day I would be more at peace and wander around without the artificial arm and not care about anyone staring. Perhaps one day I can fully embrace the person whom God made me instead of hiding it from the world.
- Sim Chunhui, Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Singapore
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I think I’ve always had that mindset because of my handicap. I wear an artificial arm because my right arm ends below my elbow. I was born that way. Some people notice it on their own; some people barely notice it.
I spent many years trying to camouflage it. It’s one of those things that made me wrestle with my faith for a very long time. Why God? Of all the people out there, why me? All my friends are fine, so why me?
When I was younger, I remember strangers always coming up to me on the streets and asking why my arm is like this. It was a bit too much attention for a kid I guess, so my parents would make me wear long-sleeve dresses. That was their way of shielding me.
I think the turning point for me was when I started leaning more into my faith. I was looking for a church to belong to. When I found my current one, I started attending religious classes and slowly learned about God.
I learn that God is caring and that God loves me. And if God loves me, God wouldn’t have just created me recklessly. I was created with a clear purpose in mind. That revelation really switched my life view around.
When I started exploring my faith, I was also kind of at the crossroads. I had been working in the conventions line for 10 years and was finishing my part-time university degree at PSB Academy. Where should I go next? Did I really want to stay in the corporate world?
I enjoyed my job but I saw how everything was really about dollars and cents. I spent my whole life working and the work ends up putting more money in the pockets of people on top who already have money, not the people who have been working so hard for the organisation.
In 2011, I took time off from work to become a full-time student, and went to Perth to finish off the final semester of my university studies. When I was there, I prayed and prayed. One day, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t like God was talking to me in a booming voice or anything like that, but it was a moment of absolute clarity.
I looked back upon my life and realised that it had been so good. I had a good education; good family; good parents; supportive boyfriend-now-husband. The direction moving forward was clear – just give back. Give back to society, give back to the community.
As soon as I came back to Singapore, I made a hit list of NGOs that I could maybe try volunteering with first. That’s how I found out about Habitat for Humanity and their programme Project HomeWorks. Project HomeWorks is a local home clean-up that Habitat Singapore does for vulnerable Singaporeans. Some of them don’t have the financial resources to do a proper clean-up when their houses are in a really bad shape. That’s where Project HomeWorks comes in.
My first few volunteering experiences with Habitat Singapore were quite confronting. It was my first time stepping into one-room rental flat areas; first time having so much direct contact with vulnerable persons living on the margins of society; first time cleaning houses that weren’t mine.
I remember being shocked at a house that hadn’t been cleaned for 20 years. Just the window grill alone took me three hours to clean and get the dust off.
I volunteered for a year, and when there were still no openings to work there full-time, I wrote in to Teck Meng, Habitat Singapore’s National Director. I asked if there were any opportunities to serve. Fast-forward to today, I’m now the Programme Manager for Project HomeWorks.
I’ve been with the organisation for seven years, so of course there have been challenges. I think one case that really affected me in my earlier years involved a conflict with a homeowner. I got into a tussle with an uncle over his housemate’s mattress.
I wasn’t aware that the housemate had given this mattress to him so I didn’t understand why he was so possessive over it. It was infested with bedbugs and I wanted to throw it away and replace it with the new one that we had bought him, but the uncle accused me of being a liar and cheat.
When I went back home that day, I was very upset. I felt like I was trying to help this uncle but he behaved in such a harsh and discouraging manner. I started thinking about how I gave up my stable job to work here and ended up facing all kinds of things.
But in the same way I was able to find peace with my arm, it was God’s love for me that made me follow through with this job. I’ve learnt even bad experiences are worthwhile because it allows me to experience God’s comfort and strength when He walks me through the valleys of life. It helps me to think and reflect deeper on my faith.
Trials and challenges force you to grow. Look at all the kindest people in the world. It’s not as though their lives ran smoothly. They probably went through bad experiences that moulded them into who th