S’poreans Donated SingapoRediscover Vouchers to 620 Migrants Who Went on S’pore Flyer Trip

It’s not controversial to suggest that we could treat migrant workers in Singapore a little better, as illustrated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As evidenced by a short film made by an Indian migrant worker last year, these workers have to endure long hours of work for little in return.

After sending money back home and taking care of their essential monthly expenses such as food, they barely have anything for themselves.

This means that all the attractions we routinely visit for leisure, are beyond their reach.

But thanks to some Singaporeans, hundreds of these workers have been given an opportunity to visit one for free.

S’poreans Donated SingapoRediscover Vouchers to 620 Migrants Who Went on S’pore Flyer Trip

620 migrant workers were treated to a ride on the Singapore Flyer on Sunday (31 Jan), thanks to Singaporeans who donated tickets redeemed with their SingapoRediscover vouchers.

According to The Straits Times, 4,307 tickets have been donated by members of the public.

Another 2,871 tickets were donated by an institutional donor in a joint initiative organised by ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR), Klook, and Singapore Flyer.

IRR is a non-profit organisation that “aims to improve the lives of migrant workers in Singapore and build bridges to strengthen their integration into our broader community”.

It made arrangements with employers for the trips, and its volunteers ensured that safe distancing measures were adhered to. Each ride was capped at eight people.

It said that while the drive was very popular among migrant workers here, less than 1% of the one million migrant workers in Singapore had the chance to ride the Flyer.

But those who were given the opportunity were certainly grateful for the experience.

“Sometimes it’s very stressful to be stuck in the dormitory… We are thankful to Singaporeans, the Singapore Government and our company for this opportunity to go out to feel happy and de-stress”, one worker, Mr Saravanan, said.

Some Employers Reluctant to Allow Employees Out

Some employers are reluctant to let their workers visit the Flyer, however, citing health concerns.

Some workers have even had their trips cancelled by their employer due to project deadlines.

IRR founder Dipa Swaminathan said the organisation is working on this issue.

“We work alongside MOM and other stakeholders to ensure safe distancing measures during these trips so we hope that employers will be more sympathetic and feel reassured to allow their workers on some of these trips we are taking great pains to organise.”

If you’d like to donate tickets using your SingaporeRediscovers vouchers, you can still do so!

All you have to do is head to this site and purchase a ticket, which costs $35 each.

If you’re planning to donate your tickets, you should do so before 30 June, when the vouchers expire.

Featured Image: Pavel Ilyukhin / Shutterstock.com