Tag Archives: HOME

HOME Kartini

HOME Indonesian Helpdesk

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By Novia Arluma

A group of volunteers from Indonesia, better known as HOME KARTINI, have been active with HOME for a long time already. In August 2015 the HOME INDONESIAN HELPDESK was formed. Several domestic worker volunteers were prepared to be a front line of case worker volunteers to do outreach, and get closer with the community of Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore.

The volunteers were given a basic training and became involved in forum discussions and other workshops in order to support their duty as they prepared to assist their fellow domestic workers in trouble. Then, in December 2015 the new office for the Indonesian Helpdesk was opened at Grandlink Square.

From there our team officially started to run the Indonesian helpdesk. We meet every Sunday on our day off and we are dedicating our day off to run the HELPDESK. We started to spread our contact details via social media. We wanted everyone out there that needed help regarding working issues to know they could contact us. We give consultations and advice, solutions for their problems.

Our important mission is: To give simple sosialitation and to educate our fellow domestic workers to KNOW YOUR RIGHTS as domestic workers. And for that purpose, we are aware that, before we can give answers to any questions, we have to learn more. We have to gain more knowledge  about the rules & regulations for domestic workers in Singapore.

We have noticed that today, more domestic workers are aware about their rights. And they will contact us to tell about the working conditions in their employer’s house. If something is not right, they ask for advice on what to do before they take the next step.

I myself can receive three or four calls or messages every day. And that’s not including my team members! We have become aware that learning by doing is the best way to learn. We have to keep learning and be up-to-date with the regulations for domestic workers. And, as a specialised Indonesian team, we are not only focused on learning about Singapore law, we have to learn about Indonesian laws for migrant domestic workers as well. HOME gives us the freedom to explore our knowledge by joining discussions and become connected with Indonesian NGO’s around the country which are focused on migrant workers issues.

HOME is not only a HOME for migrant workers who needs help.
But ..
HOME is a place to grow our spirit ..
Spirit to learn ..
Spirit to help others ..
Spirit to fight for our rights ..
Spirit to treat everyone as our sisters & brothers ..
We are HOME
We are family …

The INDONESIAN HELPDESK team is a part off HOME KARTINI FAMILY, together with the HOME Academy 3, HOME KARTINI sport, and HOME KARTINI musical and dance. So, aside from our duties as the HOME helpdesk team, our team members also have to work together with HOME KARTINI FAMILY in some programs. And of course we work together with all HOME volunteer as we are HOME FAMILY!

The HOME Indonesian Helpdesk is open every Sunday from 10 to 6pm

It is located at :

Grandlink Square, 511 Guillemard Road #01-06, Singapore 399849

Domestic Worker hotline: +1800-797 7977 / +65 6341 5525

 

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Give a Good Gift this Christmas

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Give a Good Gift this Christmas: Support a migrant worker!

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Christmas is coming and at this time of giving we ask you to consider those who work so hard during the year and are spending the festive season away from their families. Singapore depends on the migrant workers who come here to clean, build and maintain our country. Show your appreciation for them this festive season by giving a ‘Good Gift’ via HOME.

For a small amount you can make a crucial difference to the lives of migrant workers in Singapore. You can support domestic workers in our shelter, enable a domestic worker to participate in a vocational or educational course or make a general donation to the work of HOME.

Christmas Gift Options:

bnr_pix_ms_shelter

HOME Shelter

– $50 will pay for a domestic worker to stay in our shelter for a week.
– $200 will pay for a domestic worker to stay in our shelter for a month.

Sponsor a domestic worker in HOME shelter , and mention in the comment field how you would like your gift spend.

academy

HOME Academy – become a sponsor!

Support domestic workers who use their time off to attend vocational and educational courses at the HOME Academy.
– $20 buys an English course book for a student. These are urgently needed for next semester!
– $50 helps support a student attending a sewing or baking course
– $100 helps support students attending elderly care and beauty therapy courses.

Sponsor HOME Academy , and mention in the comment field how you would like your donation spend.

Make a recurring Donation

HOME depends on the generous support of members of the public in order to carry out our work and provide support services for migrant workers. If you would like to make a longer-term contribution, please make a recurring donation   .

Thank you for your support! A little goes a long a way and the migrant workers of Singapore appreciate your kindness. Have a happy festive season and best wishes for 2015 from the team at HOME.

 

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Running for HOME

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Last Sunday, Jeanilyn Bermudez laced up her running shoes to take on the 42.195km of the 2014 Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. And as she has done for the past few years, she dedicated her run to the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME).

With her winsome smile and wrinkle-free face, Bermudez’s youthful and energetic appearance belies her almost 50 years. Originally from the Nueva Vizcaya province in the Philippines, she arrived in Singapore in 1984 at the age of 19 to work as a Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW). Economic hardship forced her to shelve dreams of going to study at university. As the second eldest of six siblings living in poverty and a single mother to three children, her family has long looked to her to help provide for them.

“I never kept a penny for myself,” she says. “Everything I made I sent straight back home to the Philippines.”

Bermudez’s desire to give back to the community extends to her adopted home in Singapore. She has been volunteering to help other foreign workers since 1990 and has been working with HOME for almost six years. At HOME, she has listened and been moved by workers’ stories of physical and emotional abuse, salary withholdings and interminable working hours. Stories rife with suffering and alienation.

“My heart aches listening to such horrible treatment,” she explains. “But HOME is a blessing for them.”

So to increase awareness for the organization, Bermudez is dedicating this year’s marathon run to HOME. In 2012, her second marathon, Bermudez used her run to fundraise for HOME. She proudly handed over to the money raised in an official celebration ceremony upon completion of the race. That year, she also managed to improve her time from just over seven hours the year before to an impressive five and a half.

To train for the marathon, Bermudez builds her endurance by running, biking and even just taking the dog for very long walks. She is a little nervous for the run this year as she concedes she hasn’t trained quite as much for this race as she has in previous years.

After she finished her race on Sunday, Bermudez headed to the Harbourfront to perform a musical in commemoration of HOME’s ten year anniversary.

Bermudez pledges to continue supporting those who need her help and hopes that her success will serve as inspiration.

“All my dreams are coming true and all my goals are being achieved. It can be done,” she says with a smile that lights up the room.