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For the first time in months, nine migrant workers staying in a temporary dormitory in Bukit Batok had the opportunity to head to a nearby park and meet and mingle with local residents of the neighborhood.
As part of a Welcome In My Backyard (Wimby) pilot initiative, the mixed group of about 25 people participated in a series of activities yesterday, which included dance training, games and a joint walk through Bukit Batok Nature Park.
Members of Team Nila, a group of sports volunteers, also participated in the day’s activities.
Wimby is a volunteer-led campaign that aims to encourage Singaporeans to be more welcoming to migrant workers.
Those who participated yesterday were recovered Covid-19 patients or had tested negative for Covid-19 in the past 14 days.
They all live in a temporary dormitory at the former Bukit Batok Primary School in Jalan Jurong Kechil.
It is one of at least 30 unused state properties that were converted into temporary accommodation for migrant workers as part of efforts to reduce density in dormitories and slow the spread of Covid-19.
Some of these sites are no longer in use because workers have returned to existing dormitories or moved to new, quick-build dormitories with improved living standards.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Park Board and the Singapore Land Authority have approved the activities to be carried out in the park.
Currently, migrant workers are still largely restricted to their workplaces and bedrooms, or places approved as recreation centers.
These measures are part of the efforts to control the spread of Covid-19 among the population.
Wimby’s co-leader Nicholas Oh, 24, who recently graduated from University College London, said the campaign looks forward to working with relevant agencies and other non-governmental organizations to explore how more recreational options can be provided to migrant workers, and noted that months of movement restrictions have had a negative impact on the mental health of some of them.
At a separate event in Kranji yesterday, Deputy Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said the MOM is conducting “very strict and strict” scenario planning on how movement restrictions for migrant workers can be eased, And it’s in the midst of issuing contact tracing devices to the dorm rooms.
The first step is to ensure that recreational centers can cater to most of the workers’ needs, he told reporters, adding that up to 50 percent of migrant workers here can now visit these centers to buy essential items. or send funds.
“In turn, we will see how we can open ourselves up,” said Dr. Tan.
Oh also said that Wimby aims to facilitate interaction and building positive relationships between local residents and migrant workers.
While yesterday’s event was a pilot initiative, Wimby hopes to expand its reach to communities in other developments where migrant workers have been relocated.
The ultimate hope is to involve local residents as volunteers through these outreach efforts and to host regular community events in their neighborhoods, Oh added.
Bukit Batok resident John Tan, 35, said he appreciated the opportunity to chat and play with Ubaram Ramesh, 35, an Indian national who works in the construction and process sectors in Singapore.
“I was able to learn more about his experience during Covid-19,” said Tan, who is interested in joining or organizing similar events in the future.
“I am relieved and very happy,” Mr. Ramesh said of the opportunity to be outdoors again after nearly seven months of not being able to go out for non-work reasons.
Simon Tevaraj, 30, another Indian national who installs fiber optic cables, also said he was happy to be away.
He hopes that traffic restrictions can eventually be relaxed so that he can see his brother and uncle, who also work in Singapore.
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