Leaving with a heavy heart and newfound hope

A few days ago we bid farewell to GL, an easy-going, amicable Chinese brother from Yangzhou, Jiangsu. Before leaving, GL generously bought snacks and drinks for the staff and the migrant brothers and sisters at the Geylang drop-in centre, many of whom address him affectionately as “大哥” (big brother). We saw him off […]

One phone call away, miles apart

“手机不能用，又没法出去，能不急吗?” (“I can’t use my phone nor go out — how can I not worry?”) Frustratingly, Wang’s employer was largely unresponsive. As a result, Wang was unable to secure a swab test before his flight, a necessary prerequisite for him to board the plane, and had not received his promised salary since April.  […]

HealthServe’s Rental Aid Programme

Ali* was introduced to HealthServe by his friend and is currently receiving assistance from HealthServe. He is a Special Pass holder receiving aid from our food & rental program. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ali* worked in the Construction sector. He came to Singapore about 10 years ago, after hearing many good things about […]

A New Opportunity

After completing pre-university education, D* first came to Singapore in 2007 to work. As the oldest child in his family, he sacrificed higher education and instead worked so that his family could afford to send his two younger siblings to university. Now, he also earns money to support his parents and his three-year-old […]

Mr A – Rental Programme

HealthServe with the support of Barclays has been helping migrant workers who are unable to pay their rents because of various reasons. In the last few months there has been an increase in the number of brothers who come to HealthServe applying for aid. With our rental programme we can support special pass […]

An Old Friend- Mr Shah

Mr Shah is a Bangladeshi construction worker who first came to Singapore in 1997. He came to our Geylang clinic on Tuesday for chills but he tells us it’s not his first time there. In fact, he’s “come a lot of times” since his first visit to our clinic more than 10 years […]

Best Friends Day – Found Family

In my first meeting with Hasan, we had been speaking for around fifteen minutes when he had to cut his interview short. He had received a phone call, one so important he picked up right after seeing the caller ID. “I have emergency,” he said. I wondered momentarily if it was about the […]

Leaving Singapore in hopes to return again

AS arrived in Singapore in April 2019, with the same hopes as many other migrant brothers – to better provide for his family.  However in his time as a construction worker here, he claims that his employer borrowed $1,000 from him on two different occasions, stating that the company needed his money to […]

Second Chances: Jahangir’s efforts to pick himself back up

Jahangir was highlighted in a staff email as being a particularly helpful brother to HealthServe. He is very proficient in English and is very good in interpreting for others. He also believes in HealthServe’s mission, and thus encourages a lot of brothers in similar situations to approach HealthServe instead of engaging a lawyer. […]

Saying goodbye to an old friend, S

“Come, try this!” Sudipta, one of our caseworkers, said as she extended a tin of Bangladeshi sweets to everyone in the office. “He brought it for us.” – S, beaming in his bright purple shirt, was previously a migrant brother who sought help from HealthServe. Waving ‘hello’ to all of us, he seemed […]

Leaving with New Friends and Fond memories

“I cannot pick one happy moment [at HealthServe], all are happy moments.”    A few days ago, we bid farewell to one of our dearest brothers, S.    Before coming to Singapore, S was studying in university back in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, when the financial crisis hit, he was forced out of school. He then heard […]

International Women’s Day – YE

This #InternationalWomensDay, let’s show appreciation to the women who leave their homes to work for their families. In this feature, written by HealthServe Communications and Engagement Intern, Lavelle, we follow the story of YE, a migrant sister with HealthServe who has both moved and inspired her since the day she started her internship […]

Memories, the biggest takeaway

在康侍最开心的时刻就是康侍组织我们全部一起去郊外游玩。去植物园、动物园、去星耀机场、滨海湾花园。在郊外旅行的情况下我们能忘记一切的烦恼。这就是最大的收获。当你一个人沉静下来回想你的处境的话，可能是焦虑、悲伤。(My happiest memory in HealthServe is when they organised outings for us. When we go to places like Botanic Gardens, the Zoo, Jewel Airport, and Gardens by the Bay – outings like these help us forget our worries. Those are our biggest takeaways. When we’re alone and sullen, thinking about the situation we’re […]

Integrative Imtiaz, our Volunteer Translator

Imtiaz is a volunteer translator in HealthServe since a year ago. Born in Bangladesh, he spent 25 years growing up and studying there before coming to Singapore for further education and work. He describes his encounter with HealthServe as one that is fortuitous. One day on the street he met a man who […]

Bridging Communities with ZJ

我们的威海市去年说是中国宜居城市之一！(Our WeiHai city is ranked one of the top liveable cities in China last year!)” Coming from WeiHai city in Shandong province, ZJ describes his hometown with pride. Located next to the sea, it is a picturesque city filled with mountains and beaches. For 10 years, ZJ worked in a fishing rod manufacturing […]