Homeless Hearts of Singapore Creates Online Platform To Help House Malaysians Affected By The Lockdown
When Malaysia’s lockdown was announced, it came swiftly and abruptly, leaving little to no time for Malaysians working in Singapore to make plans for the next 2 weeks.
Although some companies have stepped in to help accommodate affected staff, not all Malaysians were that lucky.
Some have even taken to sleeping at the MRT station as they did not have time to make proper arrangements.
Malaysians spotted camping out at Kranji MRT station
Source
Volunteer group steps in to help
Thankfully, social welfare group Homeless Hearts of Singapore has stepped in to render assistance to the Malaysians affected.
The group, whose mission according to their Facebook page is “to provide personal care for the homeless on through physical and relational support; and to inspire, educate and advocate to the public for the cause of homelessness”, is made up of volunteers and is open to all regardless of race, language or religion.
Singaporeans can sign up to temporarily house Malaysians
Local residents can now sign up to host Malaysians affected by the lockdown using an online form created by the group.
The platform aims to connect willing Singaporean hosts with Malaysians displaced by the lockdown order. It is not for those seeking to rent out their rooms for 2 weeks for monetary compensation — which is illegal.
Participants simply need to fill up a short questionnaire sharing basic details and their preferences.
To date, more than 20 Singaporeans, Malaysians and even a Vietnamese have volunteered to host.
Guidelines for personal safety before opening your home
Although opening your home to a displaced person may be a good deed, personal safety still comes first.
Hence, volunteers are strongly advised to:
- Host Malaysians of the same gender.
- Take full-faced photos of the guest.
- Note down the passport numbers of the guest.
- Verify their backgrounds with the company/school guests claim to be working/studying at.
If in doubt, volunteers should NOT host, for their own safety.
Instead, they can refer the guest to Homeless Hearts of Singapore, who will help check them out.
Taking care of our neighbours in times of crisis
It is heartwarming to know that we are capable of selflessness in times of crisis.
The Covid-19 pandemic is not one nation’s war. It requires the efforts of everyone across the globe. We need to help one another out and get through this together.
As it was announced last night that the lockdown might be extended, kindness to our neighbours is needed more than ever. If you want to volunteer to help out, you can sign up here.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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