Elderly Who Collected Cardboard in FB Post Said She Did It to Pass Time & Exercise

Remember how a certain politician once said that the elderly in Singapore collects cardboard not because they need the money to survive, but are doing it for “exercise” and to “pass time”?

Well, that dude might’ve known what he was talking about, at least for one elderly lady in Singapore.

Man Spotted Old & Frail Elderly Woman Collecting Cardboard Pieces

On 7 Dec 2020, Facebook user Vladimir Guevarra uploaded an image of an elderly woman collecting cardboard pieces at Tiong Bahru.

Not only did he thought her to be “too old” and “frail” to be doing such work, but he also witnessed a Porsche that almost knocked into her while reversing.

A Contrast Of Situations

Guevarra thought the contrasting situations too intriguing to leave alone.

On one hand, he pointed out, you have an affluent man driving a branded car.

On the other, you have a bent over, frail elderly lady, who was so invisible to the Porsche driver that even when he shouted, the driver didn’t notice.

If not for a lady, who he assumes to the man’s wife, who was coming out of a butcher shop nearby and noticing the situation, a huge incident could’ve occurred.

He also took note of how “big” the stack of cardboard pieces are, and wonders how much she’ll get from reselling them to a recycling shop.

When he stepped forward to check on the lady, he noted that she looked tired.

He ends off with suggesting that people keep a lookout for her, and hopes that social services in Singapore can approach her to see how they can help.

You can see his full post below:

Elderly Who Collected Cardboard in FB Post Said She Did It to Pass Time & Exercise

On 9 Dec 2020, Facebook page Mummy Yummy Singapore took to the social media platform to say that she’s found the elderly lady.

According to the post, they managed to find the elderly woman, Mdm Cha, after 2 days of scouting.

Apparently, Mdm Cha told them that she doesn’t need help from Singapore Social Organisations (SSOs) or agencies.

Her son has been taking care of her, including her finances, and she is allegedly visited by PM Lee’s staff often.

She does, however, get money from Silver Support every 3 months, which is handled for her by her son.

It was also elaborated that Mdm Cha collects cardboard, not for a living, but to pass time and exercise while earning a small income.

They had tried to talk Mdm Cha out of doing it to no avail, and eventually compromised by asking her to take better care when going about her collecting rounds.

“She has happily agreed she will look left, look right and look again to see if there’s any cars or lorries coming before moving off with the loads to ensure her safety while doing her stuffs and go home safely to her son daily.” – Mummy Yummy Singapore Facebook Post

Meanwhile, they’ve requested for a house visit to Mdm Cha’s home and are exploring the possibility of providing meals for her.

You can read their full post below:

Nonetheless, kudos to Guevarra for taking the time to try and understand, and keep a lookout for other people on the streets of Singapore.

Feature Image: Facebook (Mummy Yummy Singapore / Vladimir Guevarra)