Campaign Story

Updated Campaign as at 6 April 2021:

Campaign Story

Who we are

Established on 6 April 2020, the COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition (CMSC) is a fully volunteer-run group-up initiative that started as a collaborative effort between a few smaller migrant workers supporting groups, together with other like-minded volunteers, to meet the needs of our migrant friends affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, we also actively engage their dorm operators and employers, the relevant Ministries as well as the wider public, so that the issues can be dealt with through a multi-sector perspective. The effort is a highly collective one, and we believe that everyone has a part to play.

What we do

In the earlier period of Covid-19, we aimed to meet the immediate supply, mental wellness and learning engagement, as well as casework needs of our migrant friends, on an intensive but collective basis – working together with all stakeholders and partners as well. Presently, we have shifted to a more sustainable long-term approach to provide more ground engagement interaction with the workers, continue with our online mental wellness and learning engagement support, continue to provide legal and casework support, as well as that we are stepping up our efforts to give talks in the community as well as to give behind-the-scenes feedback where we can to issues that we see in the community. The needs are far from over and we sincerely hope that all will continue to step forward to help us, so that we can continue to the extent we can, to help improve the needs of those around us. Together, we can do our part.

What we are raising funds for

We continue to appreciate all funds, resources and volunteer efforts that come in and use the same only towards the following purposes:

• Ground Engagement Activities – Last year, we had focused more heavily on providing adequate meals and supplies. We have since moved to providing more ground engagement activities with those workers that we can reach to. On most public holidays, we organise ground engagement activities to connect with the migrant workers and to keep them company as well as remind that they are cared for, while many of them continue to stay still inside the dormitories. For example, we have conducted open top bus tours with some workers during the Christmas period -and we had dumpling wrapping sessions with the workers over the Chinese New Year period.

• Health and Wellness Activities – We continue to look into the health and wellness, especially mental health needs of the workers. In this regard, for example, we are recently assisting to spread the government’s message on the Covid-19 vaccination. At the same time, we regularly produce various posters, such as in relation to how to deal with stress, depression and grief. It is a difficult time for the workers and we also continue to connect to them through our WePals and WeTalk programmes.

• Legal and Casework – We continue to take in some legal and casework cases, and meanwhile, also have been trying to raise much awareness of the safety of workers, especially in relation to certain workplace accidents that may be faced.

• Ground / Policy Feedback and Community Awareness – At the same time, we continue to collect worker, employer and operator feedback to discreetly share with the relevant authorities for the improvement of the entire community. We also look forward to the expansion of more awareness talks in the community to dispel many misconceptions and improve the understanding of migrant workers’ needs and that of their employers and operators as well.

To know more on any of the above or to get involved, do visit our local-facing website at www.cmscsg.com or migrant-facing website at www.sgmigrant.com or to email us at sgmigrantcoalition@gmail.com

How will the funds be used

The proceeds of this fundraiser will be received by Ray of Hope to be paid out for CSMC’s ground engagement work, health and wellness work, legal and casework, along with feedback and awareness efforts.

For the avoidance of doubt, no money is given to any of our volunteers or the migrant worker groups that we may be engaged with for any personal purposes.

Where to find updates

For timely updates on CMSC activities and urgent calls for volunteers, activity support and resources, please follow visit our local friend facing website at www.cmscsg.com , migrant worker friend facing website at http://www.sgmigrant.com, or to follow us on any of the following social media platforms :

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SG.CMSC

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cmsc_sg/

Telegram – https://t.me/CMSC_SG

How to get in touch for donations in kind

Please write to us at sgmigrantcoalition@gmail.com if you would like to offer donations in kind or help out in other ways.

About CMSC

CMSC is fully volunteer-run migrant worker support group that is made up of both local and migrant worker volunteers. In addition, it focuses on taking a multi-sector approach in engaging not just the workers, but also the dorm operators/employers, as well as the wider Singaporean local community. We also actively partner the relevant governmental stakeholders, our corporate donors and the other migrant workers non-governmental organisations to do what we can for the migrant worker needs.

Do visit us at www.cmscsg.com for more information about us, and to get involved. Thank you !

About Ray of Hope

100% of your donations to Ray of Hope go to people in need. We do not take a cut from the funds. We even cover 3rd party credit card charges that other crowdfunding platforms deduct from your donation for campaigns.

100% of all campaigns are also fully verified, so you know your funds goes to real people with real needs.

We take donor accountability very seriously – with yearly audited accounts and strong governance in place to ensure that your donations is properly channeled to the beneficiaries.

Ray of Hope is a registered charity and a member of the National Council of Social Services.

Further Notes

The Coalition has raised around $110,076.03 offline so far. Ray of Hope has verified with the campaign creator, CMSC on the purpose of the fundraising and that the funds used will be used in line with the purposes set out in this campaign.

Inspiration behind the coalition logo:

Inspired by the DANGER – KEEP OUT! signs commonly found at Singapore’s construction sites, the CMSC logo follows the same spray-painted stencil look in red to indicate the urgency and seriousness of the situation, while also being a help. Instead of the four official languages, English, Tamil and Bengali are used in the logo to better relate to our main target audience – our migrant friends. The CMSC letter type is formed by circles – the common factor between the logos of the members in this coalition.

OLD CAMPAIGN:

Who we are

Established on 6 Apr 2020, the Covid-19 Migrant Support Coalition (CMSC) started as a collaborative effort between several smaller groups and individual volunteers. The volunteers came together to share resources and help to meet the needs of our migrant friends affected by the Circuit Breaker measures.

What we do

We raise funds and organise resources to facilitate the provision of basic needs and essentials to our migrant friends in dormitories across Singapore during the Circuit breaker.

As the impact of COVID-19 is expected to last for a prolonged period, the CMSC also plans and manages programmes for our migrant friends’ mental and emotional wellness. The intention is to engage them meaningfully during the Circuit Breaker measures.

What we are raising funds for

We aim to raise $1,000,000 to support the coalition taskforce’s various initiatives. The taskforce provides for our migrant friends’ immediate and medium term needs, as well as other evolving needs during the Circuit Breaker measures in the following ways:

1. Immediate Needs

Provide meals & basic necessities to our migrant friends who have limited or no access to these resources. Providing immediate assistance where required. Funds are used for the bulk procurement of these items as well as the logistics involved.

• Ground operations: We work closely with both government agencies and private sector partners in logistics. Also have permits to operate a large warehouse space and mobilise volunteers.
• Project Reassurance: Where we sent out teams of translators, caseworkers and medical personnel (in partnership with HealthServe) to provide PPE to factory-converted dormitories.
• Majulah Belanja: We have launched a platform to match potential donors with requests from dormitory operators (anything from food to washing machines and board games) to help support and encourage their workers through the COVID-19 season by granting wishes to boost morale.

1. Mental Health and Engagement

Design and implement programmes for our migrant friends to spend their time meaningfully during this period for their mental and physical well-being. Funds are used to produce posters and other material produced in vernacular languages that dorm operators, hospital staff and managers of other quarantine/isolation facilities request for to support workers in responding to COVID-19. Some highlights include:

• com: Our key engagement portal, currently translated in Bengali and Tamil, where our posters and mental health and engagement handbook are located.
• Relaxation classes in collaboration with Art of Living– Instructors from the “Art of Living” collaborate with us to bring participants through stretches, deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.
• WePals Befriender programme– A platform to develop relationships between MWs and volunteer befrienders. Befrienders will undergo an adapted psychological first aid training and will be trained in referring workers to further counselling services at HealthServe and/or case work management if required. Migrant workers can sign up at https://m.me/sgWePals

We have been systematically expanding our capabilities each week as we project a multi fold increase in the requests for support with the extended Circuit Breaker to 1 June, as well as with the introduction of new measures such as requiring all foreign workers in dormitories to be placed on stay-home notices until 18 May.

We have obtained government-approved permits to mobilise volunteers during the Circuit Breaker period and to manage a large warehouse space. Therefore, we have paused all personal donations in-kind from 16 Apr and moved to bulk procurement and packing so as to maximise our efficiency in delivering the items to the migrant friends upon each request, as well as to stretch each dollar value to procure more items and reduce cost in delivery coordination.

To help our migrant friends cope with the stay-home notice period, we will be expanding our reach to provide items such as storable dry food, personal hygiene products, cleaning products and medical supplies, for those who have limited to no access to these resources.

We expect that the needs of our migrant friends to continuously evolve as the COVID-19 situation develops. Your donations will allow us to sustain the provision of the above services, in addition to any new initiatives required to address future needs.

How will the funds be used

The proceeds of this fundraiser will be received by Ray of Hope to be paid out for CSMC’s supplies work as well as to create and manage programmes for our migrant friends in Singapore affected by the Circuit breaker measures. The funds will therefore: a) meet their immediate needs such as food, sanitary products, daily essential items or accommodation, as overseen by the Immediate Needs team; and b) promote mental and physical well-being, as overseen by the Meaningful Occupational Engagement team.

Where to find updates

For timely updates on CMSC activities and urgent calls for resources, follow any of our coalition members’ social media platforms and our new Telegram channel: t.me/CMSC_SG

How to get in touch for donations in kind

Please write to us at sgmigrantcoalition@gmail.com if you would like to offer donations in kind or help out in other ways.

About the Campaign

The Coalition has raised around $32k offline so far. Ray of Hope has verified with the Coalition on the purpose of the fundraising and how the funds will be used, as set out in this Campaign.

Inspiration behind the coalition logo:

Inspired by the DANGER – KEEP OUT! signs commonly found at Singapore’s construction sites, the CMSC logo follows the same spray-painted stencil look in red to indicate the urgency and seriousness of the situation, while also being a help. Instead of the four official languages, English, Tamil and Bengali are used in the logo to better relate to our main target audience – our migrant friends. The CMSC letter type is formed by circles – the common factor between the logos of the members in this coalition.