It was 9am in the morning (12 June 2011) Hougang Constituency Committee (HGCC)’s welfare committee mobilised more than 10 volunteers from Hougang Women Support Network (HWSN) this day to help 2 Hougang needy families to clean their homes.
Team 1 :*:
The Welfare Committee termed the mobilization project as ‘后港爱心总动员’. The group of enthusiastic volunteers turned up early in the morning at this 1-room HDB rental flat, only to be greeted by a strange foul smell, and a grim sight. It was a small flat fully heaped with things, clothing and food from the living room, to the bedroom and the kitchen. The dwellers were 1 elderly lady, 70, with her younger sister, 60 and daughter, 46. And they were owners of 2 little dogs, despite the mess in the house.
Undaunted, the team set to work immediately, together with their MP Yaw Shin Leong who also decided to spend his Sunday together with the team for this altruistic cause. This family had been complained by their neighbours for the fire hazardous conditions in the house.
After much persuasion, they finally allowed the volunteers to clear away their unwanted stuff, from bags to clothing; most were given, bought or picked up from the streets. The team’s ‘horror’ slowly unveiled as they opened cabinets after cabinets and it reached a peak when the fridge was opened. It contained bags and bags of rotten fishes, meat and other vegetables that had been kept too long. The Town Council also gave their support by sending their team to help with the clearance of the junk, which included expired foodstuff and rotten food. They had to mobilize at least 8 ‘wheeled green bins’ to clear the junk.
Despite the ‘threat’ of huge creepy crawlers that fly - cockroaches (the pest control termed them as ‘American cockroaches, a mature breed of roaches), lizards, fleas, flies and all sorts of insects reacting to the invasion of their space, the team of volunteers worked relentlessly and stoically at the task on hand, to clean up the house so that the family can have a better home to sleep in at night. This is an underprivileged home, the family was on Public Assistance Welfare Scheme, and most of the foodstuffs were items given by welfare groups. However, a lack of ability to manage the household had resulted in lots of foodstuff going to rot. The 3 ladies were uneducated and unemployed. And the daughter’s husband was away in remand.
The team finally ended their operation at around 5pm. It was like a full day’s work. Most of the youthful volunteers had never experienced such humongous amount of junk, dirt and decaying food. At the end of the day, it was a fulfilling experience, to see the flat transformed into a clean, and spacious living space. The 3 dwellers looked relieved, and happy. They had long forgotten they had a sofa seater in their flat. Finally, that is a place that can be called ‘Home’.
Team 2
Team 2 started their operation at another 3 room flat in Hougang at midday. This flat was in much better condition then the other unit.
However, the bedroom was in such a state, that the owner, Mdm A, had found herself getting rashes and eczema outbreaks. She stayed alone and had difficulty clearing the junk from the bedroom herself.
The 2nd team worked relentlessly as well. The group had to persuade Mdm A to part with her ‘treasures’. As old habit of hoarding dies hard, her hoarding mentality prevented the volunteers from getting rid of the junk as she repeatedly tried to bring back the junk that were cleared.
Finally, after 5 hours of hardwork of scrubbing and clearing and cleaning, the team concluded their operation with a satisfied Mdm A. She was so pleased with the result that she ‘referred’ another neighbor who needed assistance with the house cleaning to the team.
This is likely to be the beginning of Hougang Home Cleaning Operation.
Message from the HGCC Welfare Committee (HWC)– Hey We Care.
If you are keen to volunteer with us, do write to us at [email protected].
Team 1 :*:
The Welfare Committee termed the mobilization project as ‘后港爱心总动员’. The group of enthusiastic volunteers turned up early in the morning at this 1-room HDB rental flat, only to be greeted by a strange foul smell, and a grim sight. It was a small flat fully heaped with things, clothing and food from the living room, to the bedroom and the kitchen. The dwellers were 1 elderly lady, 70, with her younger sister, 60 and daughter, 46. And they were owners of 2 little dogs, despite the mess in the house.
Undaunted, the team set to work immediately, together with their MP Yaw Shin Leong who also decided to spend his Sunday together with the team for this altruistic cause. This family had been complained by their neighbours for the fire hazardous conditions in the house.
After much persuasion, they finally allowed the volunteers to clear away their unwanted stuff, from bags to clothing; most were given, bought or picked up from the streets. The team’s ‘horror’ slowly unveiled as they opened cabinets after cabinets and it reached a peak when the fridge was opened. It contained bags and bags of rotten fishes, meat and other vegetables that had been kept too long. The Town Council also gave their support by sending their team to help with the clearance of the junk, which included expired foodstuff and rotten food. They had to mobilize at least 8 ‘wheeled green bins’ to clear the junk.
Despite the ‘threat’ of huge creepy crawlers that fly - cockroaches (the pest control termed them as ‘American cockroaches, a mature breed of roaches), lizards, fleas, flies and all sorts of insects reacting to the invasion of their space, the team of volunteers worked relentlessly and stoically at the task on hand, to clean up the house so that the family can have a better home to sleep in at night. This is an underprivileged home, the family was on Public Assistance Welfare Scheme, and most of the foodstuffs were items given by welfare groups. However, a lack of ability to manage the household had resulted in lots of foodstuff going to rot. The 3 ladies were uneducated and unemployed. And the daughter’s husband was away in remand.
The team finally ended their operation at around 5pm. It was like a full day’s work. Most of the youthful volunteers had never experienced such humongous amount of junk, dirt and decaying food. At the end of the day, it was a fulfilling experience, to see the flat transformed into a clean, and spacious living space. The 3 dwellers looked relieved, and happy. They had long forgotten they had a sofa seater in their flat. Finally, that is a place that can be called ‘Home’.
Team 2
Team 2 started their operation at another 3 room flat in Hougang at midday. This flat was in much better condition then the other unit.
However, the bedroom was in such a state, that the owner, Mdm A, had found herself getting rashes and eczema outbreaks. She stayed alone and had difficulty clearing the junk from the bedroom herself.
The 2nd team worked relentlessly as well. The group had to persuade Mdm A to part with her ‘treasures’. As old habit of hoarding dies hard, her hoarding mentality prevented the volunteers from getting rid of the junk as she repeatedly tried to bring back the junk that were cleared.
Finally, after 5 hours of hardwork of scrubbing and clearing and cleaning, the team concluded their operation with a satisfied Mdm A. She was so pleased with the result that she ‘referred’ another neighbor who needed assistance with the house cleaning to the team.
This is likely to be the beginning of Hougang Home Cleaning Operation.
Message from the HGCC Welfare Committee (HWC)– Hey We Care.
If you are keen to volunteer with us, do write to us at [email protected].
