How to continue helping our migrant worker friends

The new norm for most of us: working from home with naggy, messy spouses and shrieking kids; whipping out phones to do our part for SafeEntry; and not being able to fly to Bangkok just for the weekend.

If you think that this is sian enough for you, our migrant worker friends are having it a lot worse.

So, stop whining about yourself and start helping someone instead.

Follow Itsrainingraincoats on Facebook

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What started off as a one-woman operation to spread a little kindness to migrant workers caught in the rain has evolved into a bigger initiative that now involves volunteers from all over Singapore and that has almost 30,000 followers on FB.

From time to time, Itsrainingraincoats highlights ways in which anyone can help. For instance, there was a recent call for used electric kettles and for smartphone donations for workers quarantined in dorms.

For more details, click here

Teach basic conversational English

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Itsrainingraincoats has also started the Mad Wish programme which links up volunteers with migrant workers who hope to learn and improve their English writing and speaking skills.

There is a practical reason behind this: most safety instructions and warnings at work sites here are in English. Volunteers will spend an hour weekly coaching their assigned student remotely through Whatsapp, Skype, Facetime and Google Hangouts or on the good ol’ phone.

For more details, click here

Feed someone four meals at $10

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Help Transient Workers Count Too to help migrant workers who have been injured or abused by their employers, or who have lost their jobs. You can donate as little as $10 which will sponsor four meals (admit it: your weekend brunch costs a lot more than that) or as much as $250 (or the price of your latest running gear) and more to house an injured or jobless worker for a month.

For more details, click here

“Matchmake” your donations in kind

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Contributing items that nobody really needs or wants only creates more clutter and wastage.

To prevent such situations, Majulah Belanja is a site that posts specific requests from migrant workers – wish lists include everyday essentials like beverages, eggs, toiletries and masks – so you know what they really need.

There is also another “Offer-Help” list that lets you list what you can donate. Once a request is “met”, an emoticon pops up beside it. Due to hygiene reasons, the folks behind this non-profit initiative, which is made up of groups like Citizen Adventures, Migrant x Me, Singapore Migrant Friends and Itsrainingraincoats, will decline used clothing.

For more details, click here

Eat a Kiasi Bao

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Now even baos have to wear masks. Or, at least, the ones at Chinese restaurant chain Yum Cha do. Their Kiasi Bao (though the friendly lady on the line told us these are also called Kiasu Bao) are shaped to look like faces with masks. At $2.50 each, they are filled with low-sugar lotus paste.

All sales proceeds go to the Covid-19 Migrant Support Coalition’s efforts to provide migrant workers with basic essentials.

For more details, click here

Buy a worker a nice cold drink

Yes, it’s as simple as that. The next time you see migrant workers toiling away in the hot sun, dabao some iced beverages or cold fruit for them as a gesture of appreciation. But for food safety reasons, be sure to get bottled or canned drinks and sealed fruit or snacks so they can consume these later during their breaks.

And don’t be chaokuan and give them half-eaten food or expired drinks.

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.