Vhence’s Story: Stronger After Every Storm — Rebuilding With the Right Tools and a Supportive Community

My boat is now moving in the right direction, and my advice is to choose the path that brings you joy. We may face storms, but if we learn to dance with the wind, we can keep moving forward.

- Vhence

My name is Florence, but most people call me Vhence. I have been working in Singapore for 13 years.

Before arriving in Singapore, my life fell apart after my husband and I decided to separate. I was heartbroken and jobless, and I turned to drinking to escape the pain. Eventually, I realised I had to fight for myself. Applying to work in Singapore became a way to start over and rebuild my life.

When I first arrived in 2012, I found it very hard to adjust to my new environment. During my first two weeks at the agency’s dormitory, I felt lost and mistreated. The agency made us follow strict rules and punished us with more chores if we didn’t follow them. They shouted instructions at us while teaching us to clean, and made us scrub floors with our hands and rags, without proper tools. We had no rest and got lunch only at 2pm, with just vegetables and no meat. Phones were not allowed. Arguments and fights often broke out between workers of different nationalities because of misunderstanding and stress.

When I finally started working for my employer, I found the work manageable because I already knew how to do housework, cook, and care for children. Most importantly, I was lucky to have kind and understanding employers who treated me properly.

While volunteering at the HOME Helpdesk, I met another domestic worker who took up running to raise funds for the organisation and I was very inspired by her. I wanted to help too through sports. That was how I discovered Race2Share, a sport-for-impact organisation that uses sports to drive positive change. The organisation gives foreign migrant workers the chance to be active and confident through sports like cycling, swimming, running, and dragon boating.

I joined their dragon boat team, made up mostly of foreign domestic workers. About 80% of our crew are domestic workers. I am now the coxswain, the one who steers and commands the boat.

Every Sunday, I wake up at 5:20am to get to my training session by 7:45am. We warm up and train from 9am to 1pm. That is how I spend my day off. It’s tiring, but I love it. Dragon boating is my happy place. It gives me discipline, strength, and purpose. It reminds me that even as domestic workers, we can achieve great things; we can compete internationally, pursue our passion, and inspire others.

Through this sport, I found my confidence and direction again. My dream is to represent the Philippines in an international race one day.

My boat is now moving in the right direction, and my advice is to choose the path that brings you joy. We may face storms, but if we learn to dance with the wind, we can keep moving forward.