Contributing back to community

I arrived in Singapore with my husband in August 2008. My profession in the UK was Guidance/Counselor. I had 18 years of experience working with young adults helping them make career decisions and overcome a variety of personal problems. After my initial settling in period I decided that I needed to do something more fulfilling with my time by becoming a volunteer. I researched the different volunteering opportunities available in Singapore. A friend of mine told me about HOME where she had been volunteering in the office. She arranged for me and a few others to come and meet the staff and volunteers.

We were extremely fortunate that the President of HOME Bridget Tan took time out of her busy schedule to meet with us to explain how and why the Organisation was formed also its aims. She talked about the plight of the migrant workers in Singapore and how HOME helped them. I was impressed by her commitment and energy. The stories she relayed about what the men and women at the shelters had suffered touched me so much that I signed up to become a volunteer there and then. That was almost two years ago.

I work at the Women’s Shelter alongside other Counselors to provide the women with a Counseling Service. We undertake Group Counseling with the new women and one- to- one sessions with those that need it. I have worked with women from the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Myanmar helping them to come to terms with what happened to them and other problems that cause them emotional pain. The work is challenging but always rewarding.

As a Volunteer I feel I am giving back to the Community in which I live but that is only a small part. I have gained much more from the work than I have given. The women at the Shelter came to Singapore in order to provide a better life for their families. I am constantly amazed at the resilience of their spirit and the strength of their faith which enables them to smile even though they have suffered so much. In addition they taught me to dance, sing and find joy in being with others. Together with the staff, other volunteers, men and women in the shelters I have gained a family of brothers and sisters sharing a common goal of improving the life of migrant workers in Singapore.

Volunteering at HOME has enriched my life both personally and professionally. Would I recommend that others get involved?  YES what is stopping you?

Ann Bowyer, Volunteer Counselor

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