In celebration of Deepavali, the Migrant Workers’ Centre, together with the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB), jointly held the second “Migrant Workers Give Back” event at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple today, 14 November. 35 Indians and Bangladeshi workers, who are union members of the Singapore Industrial & Services Employees’ Union (SISEU) and Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Employees’ Union (SMEEU), took the opportunity to bring 30 residents from Sasco Senior Citizens Home to the temple. All of them took part in various activities to celebrate Deepavali, including a Rangoli Art activity together with renowned Art Therapist Mrs Vijaya Mohan.
Mrs Vijaya Mohan, who holds records in the Singapore Book of Records and the Guinness Book of Records for creating the largest Rangoli Art piece, has been actively involved in many community outreach activities with her Rangoli artwork, including a 50,000 art piece which was revealed in October at Kolam Ayer Community Club.
Besides taking part in the Rangoli Art activity, the participants at the event were also treated to two song and two dance performances put up by students from Pure Heart Recreation Centre and Saraswathy Kindergarten, a subsidiary of HEB. They enjoyed a sumptuous lunch thereafter with compliments from the temple.
Guests from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Hindu Advisory Board, HEB, SISEU and SMEEU, led by SMEEU General Secretary, Eileen Yeo Chor Gek and HEB Chairman Jayachandran joined volunteers and residents in the various activities at the event.
The MWC and HEB held the event with the purpose of allowing both Hindu and non-Hindu migrant workers to commemorate this important festival by doing their part to giveback to their adopted community, the SASCO Senior Citizen’s Home. With active participation from local volunteers, the organisers also hoped to show how Singaporeans and migrant workers can come together successfully to work towards meaningful social causes.
Mr Arockiasamy John Britto, an Indian nationale working with landscaping company, Ho Eng Huat Construction Pte Ltd, was delighted to take part in the event, he said “When MWC contacted my supervisor, I immediately volunteered as I have always wanted to volunteer but didn’t know through which channel. Now I am aware that I can give my free time to volunteer activities through MWC, I am very happy to do so. I am also currently contributing $35 of my salary to help the elderly through a voluntary organisation.”
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang said, “The MWC is encouraged by the increasing number of locals who are coming forward to volunteer and work with migrant workers. We believe such activities will help to bridge the gap between migrant workers and locals. We strongly believe that working together towards a common social objective is one of the best ways to foster better understanding and greater acceptance between Singaporeans and migrant workers.”
Concurrent to the temple activities, the MWC and 20 migrant workers from the Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers’ Union (SMMWU) also took part in a spring cleaning and landscaping activities for the Ramakrishna Mission Singapore (Boy’s Home).
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