Model ID: 1aa7a322-c932-4cea-a01a-7f3733a95ab3
Sitecore Context Id: 1aa7a322-c932-4cea-a01a-7f3733a95ab3;
Since the start of COVID-19, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) have been doing our part to help migrant workers through this challenging period. As the situation evolves, MWC has also been increasing and expanding its assistance to the migrant community. This is done with the help of the MWC Grassroots Network, which comprises some 5,000 Grassroots Ambassadors who are migrant workers themselves. Some of these assistance include educating migrant workers on COVID-19 and the precautionary measures; searching and placing stranded Malaysian Work Permit holders with temporary housing; distributing essential supplies like masks, hand sanitisers and toiletries; as well as fundraising to help affected migrant workers.
Most recently, with the circuit breaker measures in place, the MWC has supported the inter-agency taskforce to provide support to migrant workers and dormitory operators. Leveraging the MWC Grassroots Network, which has Ambassadors in all large purpose-built dormitories (PBDs), MWC has been able to provide timely ground feedback to the taskforce so that issues and problems can be rectified quickly.
Focusing efforts on migrant workers in smaller, factory-converted dormitories
Moving forward, MWC will be focusing their efforts to help affected migrant workers residing in the smaller migrant worker housing facilities and factory-converted dormitories (FCDs) while still assisting Government colleagues in the larger PBDs. There are over 1,100 FCDs and other smaller migrant worker housing facilities in Singapore for about 120,000 migrant workers in total.
As compared to PBDs, FCDs may lack the resources to implement proper precautionary measures. Given their more urgent needs, MWC will be directing resources and help towards the migrant workers in FCDs first, prioritising those dormitories where confirmed COVID-19 cases might arise.
Since the circuit breaker was announced, all dormitories have come under stricter movement controls. As such, MWC has quickly kick-started initiatives to distribute reusable masks, hand sanitisers, bath soap bars and laundry soap bars to better protect migrant workers who might not be able to go out and purchase essential items during this circuit breaker period. Working with the Dormitory Association of Singapore Limited (DASL) and MOM, MWC has completed the distribution of 370,000 reusable masks to all migrant workers living in the dormitories across Singapore.
Distributing care packs to migrant workers in factory-converted dormitories
To kick-start the latest efforts to help migrant workers in FCDs, MWC will be distributing essential supplies in care packs to these workers over the next few weeks to ensure that they can continue to maintain their personal care and hygiene even during this circuit breaker period. For dormitories with confirmed cases of COVID-19, they will be given priority.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng was at the MWC Recreation Club today to help with the first batch of care packs distribution earlier this morning, where 43 FCD operators were presented with care packs that will benefit some 10,600 residents. He also extended his appreciation to the dormitory operators for their hard work during this crucial period and encouraged them to press on as MWC will be by their side to support them in looking after the migrant workers.
MWC has partnered Temasek Foundation to distribute a 500ml bottle of hand sanitiser as part of these essential items to every migrant worker in FCDs. Over the span of a week, more than 300 volunteers from the NTUC, NTUC-affiliated unions and associations, as well as corporate volunteer Harry’s Singapore came together to help mix, bottle and pack over 60,000 bottles of hand sanitisers. The exercise will continue until enough bottles are produced for every migrant worker in the FCDs to have their own bottle.
With the contributions in kind from the public and the donations to the “Migrants We Care” fundraising campaign, MWC has also managed to procure bath soap bars and laundry soap bars to be included in the care pack for every FCD resident.
In addition to the reusable mask that has been distributed to every FCD resident, MWC will be providing an additional reusable mask along with two disposable masks per worker as part of the latest distribution exercise. Thus, each worker will receive an additional reusable mask, two disposable masks, a bottle of 500ml hand sanitiser, a bath soap bar, and a laundry soap bar.
Looking forward, MWC is concurrently working on acquiring additional toiletries like shaving and oral hygiene kits in large enough quantities and will be releasing more details on this in the coming days.
# # #
