Of joys and heartbreak, why my time at Migrant x Me is bittersweet

“I can see my family members anytime I want.”

That’s a privilege I was not aware of until I was introduced to the migrant workers scene in Singapore during a pilot learning journey with Migrant x Me back in September 2018.

Migrant x Me is a social enterprise that conducts learning journeys and workshops to raise awareness for the migrant worker community in Singapore. That learning journey changed the way I view migrant workers. Three months later, I joined the organisation as a social media marketing volunteer and eventually became the in-charge for the social media marketing.

As of December 2019, we have about 33 volunteers in the team. We have quarterly volunteer meetings where we spend the night sharing what different teams have been up to, play some games but also learn different aspects of the migrant workers scene in Singapore such as the laws involving them.

I am always humbled, inspired and motivated by the passion of the team and how much they feel for the migrant workers. It is never from a place of obligation nor pity, but rather from empathy and love. We have had thousands of participants and it is always heartening to hear testimonies on how hearts are transformed, even in the smallest ways.

But the experience can also be bittersweet. I was constantly exposed to heartbreaking stories about migrant workers and have met workers who have not seen their families for almost a decade. I’ve seen injured workers climbing up the stairs. I’ve also been updated with the news of a worker’s death – and it breaks my heart.

That was definitely one of the more challenging aspects of volunteering. My heart always ached at the stories I hear, the people I meet. I had to constantly remind myself not to get numb or desensitised.

I also had to struggle with time management. Apart from Migrant x Me, I was co-directing WKWSCI’s annual drama production, Paparazzi 2019, all while juggling my responsibilities as a student, a daughter, a sister and a friend.

At the height of everything, I found myself doing work at every possible hour and it was exhausting. I had to learn how to pace myself so as to not short change the different commitments I had.

Before committing to an organisation, it’ll be good to reevaluate the reasons why you want to volunteer. And do you have the physical and mental capacity to take up something else?

If you are not in a place where you can commit to volunteering long term, there are so many other things you can do to make the world a better place, such as simply being nice to the people around you.

Smile at the migrant worker who works hard to keep your neighbourhood estate clean. Give up your seat on the train to the elderly or a pregnant lady. There isn’t a need for big actions to make society a better place.

It all starts with small acts of kindness. ∎