HOME welcomes its new Board for the 2024-2026 term
On 2 June 2024, more than 60 HOME members and supporters came down for the organisation’s 20th Annual General Meeting. There was palpable excitement in the air, as HOME prepared to usher in a new Board for the 2024-2026 term.
HOME’s Executive Director Stephanie Chok led the proceedings, kickstarting with a brief summary of the key milestones achieved in the past year. Once the regular proceedings were approved, and the Annual Report 2023 and Audited Accounts officially adopted, we began the process of elections.
This year, we saw 10 candidates stand for the Board Election: David Puvan, Gusti Seruni, Gerard Ee, Grace Baey, Leon Perera, Ng Kok Hoe, Priscilla Chia, Ryan Chua, S Suraendher Kumarr, and Tan Heng Yeng. The candidates presented their individual speeches, introducing themselves to our members and affirming their dedication to uplifting migrant workers’ rights.
As HOME’s constitution allows up to 12 Board members, all candidates were thus eligible for Board candidacy once they were proposed and seconded by HOME members.
“I’m elated to welcome the new Board, who have all been actively involved in civil society and non-profit spaces in different capacities,” said Dr Chok. “It’s an exciting year for HOME, with us completing two decades, and I’m confident that the Board will take forward the good work we’ve achieved so far.”
Elected as the Board President is Dr Ng Kok Hoe, a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Case Insights Unit and Social Inclusion Project at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
“For twenty years, HOME has been doing groundbreaking advocacy and providing critical services in a very difficult space,” said Dr Ng. “This work protects the migrant worker community in Singapore, on which our society and economy depend heavily. The new Board looks forward to supporting and advancing this work in the coming years.”
Once again, congrats to the new Board!
INTRODUCING HOME’S NEW BOARD:
President: Ng Kok Hoe
Dr Ng Kok Hoe is Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Case Insights Unit at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. He also founded the Social Inclusion Project at LKYSPP in 2020, a research programme that analyses how public policies shape opportunities for participation. He led Singapore’s first nationwide street count of homelessness and is part of the team behind the Minimum Income Standards project. His research on income and housing security has been used to promote public discussion and policy change.
Vice-President: S Suraendher Kumarr
Kumarr has been a researcher at a community development organisation for four years. He is also a member of workers' rights group Workers Make Possible. Kumarr has been a HOME Board member since 2020 and was previously the Secretary for the 2022–2024 term. Kumarr has previously interned at HOME with the non-domestic migrant workers helpdesk and is a firm champion of migrant workers’ rights.
Treasurer: Leon Perera
Leon Perera has been a firm supporter of HOME’s work for many years and previously served as a Board member of HOME (2008-2013) and was also HOME’s Vice-President. Leon not only has extensive experience with different civil society organisations, he is currently the Chairman of a market research and consulting firm that he co-founded, as well as global ED of the parent company. Leon was a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament between 2016 and 2020 and an elected Member of Parliament between 2020 and 2023.
Vice-Treasurer: Ryan Chua
Ryan Chua currently serves as the Outreach Director at Objectifs, a non-profit visual arts centre. In addition to his role at Objectifs, Ryan is a freelance counsellor, bringing his expertise to support individuals in need. With a background in social work, he believes in advocating for the marginalised and voiceless in society. Through his involvement with Objectifs, he has helped to organise a fundraiser and events aimed at providing migrant workers with a platform to share their stories through the powerful medium of photography.
Secretary: Tan Heng Yeng
Tan Heng Yeng (she/her) works in Diversity & Inclusion and is a community organiser with SG Climate Rally, a youth-led climate justice movement in Singapore. In her experience as a creative programmer and facilitator, she has worked across spaces such as disability and neurodiversity, youth engagement and mentorship, mental health, migrant rights, and gender equity. Heng Yeng previously partnered with HOME to develop the Sister Guides outreach programme at National Gallery Singapore, and is excited to offer her skills in training and organisational and people development to support HOME.
Vice-Secretary: Grace Baey
Grace Baey is a photographer and filmmaker with an interest in harnessing storytelling for social impact. Grace is a familiar volunteer at HOME, and supported the team with visual documentation for the Parti Liyani case. Prior to working in the creative industry, Grace was a research associate at the Asia Research Institute specialising in labour migration and development.
Member: David Puvan
David Puvan is a social work graduate interested in the intersection of applied theatre and social work practice. He has organised theatre workshops at HOME’s shelter and is keen to develop theatre-based interventions among diverse marginalised populations in Singapore.
Member: Gerard Ee
Gerard Ee is a veteran community worker and guides community-building in low-income neighbourhoods. Gerard comes with more than 40 years of experience as a youth worker, family therapist, prison counsellor, community-builder and non-profit leader. As a Board member, he hopes to safeguard the mission of HOME and also lend his non-profit leadership experience to the organisation.
Member: Gusti Seruni
Gusti Seruni is the owner of Studio Seruni, where she makes beautiful embroidered jewelry. She is an active volunteer at HOME and played a major role in the Parti Liyani case. Gusti continues to volunteer as befriender at HOME’s Shelter and is also active at HOME’s helpdesks.
Member: Priscilla Chia
Priscilla Chia is a disputes lawyer. She has previously been involved in public interest litigation involving criminal justice issues and constitutional rights and has been supporting the work of HOME in various capacities.