Donating snacks and 800 IKEA mugs to migrant workers

The majority of Singapore’s new COVID-19 cases are coming from foreign worker dormitories.

As the government strengthens efforts to contain the spread among migrant worker communities, many NGOs are also stepping up to take care of their general well-being.

One such group is ItsRainingRaincoats, which posted on Facebook about meeting a simple need the workers had on Apr 24.

ItsRainingRaincoats has been engaging migrant workers since before the COVID-19 situation. More recently, they have been providing data cards and even cartons of milk to the workers.

They said: “One of our long term supporting donors sent cartons of creamy milk to these workers last week. When my volunteer saw the photos, she spotted something strange. The men were drinking the milk straight from the carton.”

After speaking to the workers, the volunteer realised that they did not have mugs to drink from. The team quickly swung into action to address that need.

“We never sit idle when we spot a need. We immediately activated a team of donors. They were super enterprising,” wrote ItsRainingRaincoats in their post that was shared over 400 times.

Their efforts soon paid off, as furniture giant IKEA agreed to donate 800 mugs, and a food outlet that had to close during this time also sent cartons of snacks to the foreign workers.

The simple gesture won the praise of many online, with some even encouraging their friends to donate or volunteer with the cause.

COVID-19 has brought many disruptions to people’s lives, but it is encouraging to see that even in these challenging times, we still look out for each other’s needs. If you’re interested in giving to or helping ItsRainingRaincoats, check out their latest initiatives here.