It is with pleasure that I present HOME’s first newsletter.

    It has been 5 years since HOME was established and we think it is time that
     we communicate with our donors, volunteers and supporter the impact of our work and the beneficiaries who have been touched by our services. 5 years may seem like a short time but it has been a roller coaster ride for us. When we first started HOME, we only had 2 full time staff to run HOME's entire operations. Now, our staff strength has expanded to 6 full time staff and one part time staff. In addition to running shelters, help desks and education programmes for the workers, we have also established a legal desk with the assistance of our pro bono lawyers to provide free legal advice and services for our beneficiaries. Our pro bono panel of lawyers also represent the workers we assist in court.

The opening of our new resource centre at 11 Everitt Road North will expand our capabilities as we embark upon education programmes, campaigns and research projects in our pursuit of the betterment of the lives of migrants in Singapore.

Thank you all for the support you have given us.
Here's to another 5 good years!!

We commemorated this significant event in our history with a celebration at the Botanic Gardens. We were honoured to have His Excellency Nopadol Gunavibool from the Royal Thai Embassy to grace our event with his presence. The Thai embassy has provided very strong support for our work and has made cash and in kind donations to us. They have also shown an active interest in the welfare of their nationals whenever we refer cases to them for assistance. We are grateful for the strong relationship which we have forged with them over the years.

The residents of the women's shelter performed a short skit which told of the sufferings and exploitation that many women migrant domestic workers face during the course of their employment in Singapore. In addition to song and dance performances, we invited 3 women migrant workers and 1 male construction worker to share with us their stories, lives and experiences in Singapore. The celebrations ended with a picnic by the Botanic Gardens Swan Lake.

On 25 October, 100 migrant domestic workers from the Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Sri Lanka attended the HIV-AIDS education workshop organised in collaboration with Solidaritas Migran Scalabrini (SMS), a domestic worker grassroots organisation based in the Philippines and Indonesia, Standard Chartered Bank and the Health Promotion Board.

The participants were taught basic facts about HIV/AIDS and techniques to reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The workshop was conducted, facilitated and attended by HOME’s and SMS’s domestic worker members.

In October, 5 National University of Singapore students brought 20 of our men shelter residents to East Coast Park for a full day of games, activities sports. Our residents were also encouraged to express their thoughts about life in Singapore through art.

suffered physical and verbal abuse from her employer during her work period of over a year in Singapore. She was pushed, slapped and scolded severely whenever she committed any mistake. Her ordeal did not just stop at physical and verbal abuse, she was also humiliated and made to endure other indignities. The following is an account from Lita, who is currently staying at our shelter:

"She (the employer) brought out a big luggage and asked me to follow her inside the room. She told me to go inside the luggage. I started to cry, I didn't want to go inside but she pushed me inside. I don't have the strength so she forced me into the luggage and zipped it. But she couldn't zip it completely. She opened it again and told me to change my position, then she pushed me in and zipped up the luggage again. After that she left the room and locked it from the outside for 2-3 minutes before coming to get me again. Then, she tied my hands and feet with a piece of blue cloth. She locked the door again and I kept on crying, screaming and praying to God. I hopped to the door and tried to open it. Luckily, I managed to open the door as the door was not locked properly.”

Fortunately for Lita, a neighbor heard her call for help and assisted her by calling the police.


has been working in Singapore for over a year and barely made enough to recover the $8000 he had paid to an agent for an opportunity to work here. Not only did his employer owe him salary, he was also not given regular work to do to earn sufficient income. Korshed was not willing to bring his complaint up to the authorities for fear of being forcefully repatriated. A few of his colleagues had been sent home in this way when they demanded for their salary. He did not want a similar fate to befall him. However, he reasoned to himself that he couldn't go on for months without pay too. In the end, he decided to lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Manpower and arrangements were made for the employer to re-pay the worker in installments. This time, instead of forceful deportation, the employer and his agents cornered Korshed and assaulted him. He was punched, pushed to the ground and ended up bloodying his elbows and knees.

He came to HOME for help and we accompanied him to the police to lodge a report and to the hospital for treatment. His case is currently being investigated.

This event is held to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which will feature testimonials from HOME’s women residents who were victims of exploitation and abuse. Click here to find out more about this UNDP initiative – Court of Women.

Please email us to request for invitation, thank you.

In commemoration of UN Human Rights Day and International Migrants' Day, HOME and SMS will hold its second National Domestic Worker Assembly for domestic workers to discuss issues concerning workers' rights, labour rights, health issues and well being.

Please RSVP to attend, thank you.

To be held at the Botanic Gardens, this picnic is organized to commemorate the work of migrants from all over the world.

Please RSVP to attend, thank you.

In collaboration with our Solidarity partner Migrant Voices (MV), an exhibition featuring the narratives of migrant workers will be featured.

Please email us to express your interest and we will notify you of further event details, thank you.