By Kelly Ng //
In 2015, Omar Faruque Shipon started the Facebook page Bangladeshi migrant workers in Singapore as a personal repository for stories of fellow migrants working far away from home.
Five years on, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, his page has become a precious lifeline for the Bangladeshi community in Singapore, many of whom were quarantined due to the spread of infection within their cramped living quarters.
founder of “Bangladeshi Migrant Workers in Singapore”.
Photo credit: Omar Faruque Shipon
The 33-year-old Bangladeshi, who works in a shipyard as a senior safety coordinator, also lends a listening ear to workers who write in via his page.
With the help of friends in the medical and social services, Omar made multiple videos addressing workers’ burning questions about the virus. He later transitioned to a “live” platform and would see over a thousand workers tune in each time – perhaps seeking the much-needed, albeit virtual, assurance that they are not alone amidst a prolonged lockdown.
“People were spreading so many rumours (about COVID-19) online, causing so much panic. Everyone was worried. I tried to think about what I could give them from my position. I’m also a migrant worker, I cannot give them money and makan (food), but I can provide some clear information,” he said.
Some 64,000 Facebook users have since formed a virtual community around Omar’s page, which had about 12,000 followers in January.
He launched a singing competition over Facebook, which attracted 121 entries and lasted four rounds. The top three winners even walked away with some S$450 in prize money – not a huge sum, but certainly a perk for those grappling with uncertainty at work.
On 16 October 2020, Omar was awarded the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Award as winner of the People of Good category.
Photo credit: Omar Faruque Shipon
Omar’s story is but one of multiple tales of resilience that have emerged in a community that many consider stuck – in more ways than one – in the underbelly of Singaporean society.
Justin Paul, who manages non-profit organization HealthServe’s mental health programme for migrant workers, feels that such stories have largely been overshadowed by doomsday accounts, such as headlines highlighting suicides.
“While the migrant brothers are indeed victims of many systemic problems, the pandemic has actually shown that many of them are a lot more resilient than us,” Justin said.
The organisation, which was founded in 2006 first to meet the needs of the workers by providing physical healthcare, has expedited the rolling out of mental health initiatives due to COVID-19. It now offers three types of psychosocial support – tele-counselling, group counselling, and walk-in clinics.
Through his encounters with the workers, Justin said he has witnessed respectable displays of strength and peer support.
He recounted one such occasion where a worker who was grieving over his son’s death in Bangladesh reached out to another worker mourning the loss of his father.
“We have seen a lot of them step up to support one another and serve as ambassadors within their dorms for mental health and wellness,” he said.
Even as the pandemic draws greater attention to the migrant workers’ community and the systemic injustices they grapple with, Justin urges the larger community to see them as dignified individuals with a sense of agency and voice.
“What if we looked less at the fact that they are migrant workers, but more at them as sons and fathers?” he said.
We often focus on what is “wrong” with a person instead of what is “strong”. It’s time we championed hope and dignity across all sectors of our society, and even more so during this global pandemic.
We thank Omar and Justin for their generous time in making this piece possible, with photographs kindly provided by Omar.
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