This made my day: Singaporean sells possessions to set up orphanage in Philippines

What would you do for charity? For this elderly man in Singapore, it meant selling all his possessions to set up an orphanage thousands of kilometres away.

Thomas Wee, 84, is the founder of Willing Hearts Orphanage in the Philippines.

His journey to help others in need began over a decade ago when his former foreign domestic helper, Maria Teresa, asked him for food and unwanted clothes to send to back to her home country.

His curiosity was piqued after she started asking for more, so Wee and his wife decided to visit Teresa's hometown in Bulacan personally.

They were shocked when they "saw orphans and hungry children everywhere", said Colours Global in a TikTok video shared on Wednesday (Oct 4).

"Uncle Thomas couldn't ignore what he saw. So, he sold away everything. His hotel businesses, cars and even his house."

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@coloursglobal/video/7285669528141335810?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7252157227077830162[/embed]

Together with Teresa, Wee set up Willing Hearts Orphanage in 2008. Now, it houses over 30 children aged between four and 12, and also provides financial aid to support their education.

"People called me crazy. But isn't it crazier if we sat on our wealth while others slept and even die in poverty?" Wee asked.

To continue funding the charity, Wee is running St Isidore Centre, a thrift shop at Block 120 Potong Pasir Avenue 1. There, he collects and sells pre-loved items, and channels all of its proceeds to the orphanage.

Colours Global's TikTok video has since garnered over 51,000 views, and several netizens said they were inspired by Wee's story of doing good.

"This uncle is making Singaporeans proud," one of them said.

"What an amazing man you are," added another.

In a 2021 interview with OGS, Wee shared that besides helping the orphanage in the Philippines, donated items from his thrift store also goes to a shelter in Batam, Indonesia.

"The funniest joke is, people always tell you, 'I will donate if I strike 4D tonight', said Wee.

"Deeds are better than words."

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chingshijie@asiaone.com