Singapore-Weekends usually see him hanging out with his friends in a park near the church where Ruth Gabriel is attending, but on Sunday (June 19th) she visited the carnival instead. rice field.
On her holiday, a 50-year-old child, along with a friend, attended an event at the Bible House on Armenia Street.
There were lucky draws, Zumba sessions, several game booths, a photography corner, and some of the 200 domestic helpers who appeared to celebrate International Domestic Workers’ Day took the best poses.
Participants also received dinner and snacks.
After working in Singapore for 14 years, Gabriel spent $ 20 on a flea market selling new and beloved items such as clothes, books and accessories.
She was happy with her carry. She is a new purse, bag, clothes, and a new pouch to give to her niece on her next trip to the Philippines.
“The items were very cheap,” she said.
The proceeds will be used for future events organized by the Domestic Workers Outreach Alliance (Adeo), which organized the carnival.
Adeo is an initiative under the Hope Initiative Alliance (HIA), a non-profit organization that supports a variety of communities, including migrant workers and people with disabilities.
Some of the flea market items were collected by Big At Heart, a non-profit organization that is one of the partners who worked with HIA to host the event.
Mrs. Crisanta Gikin, who has been working in Singapore for 16 years, was all smiling.
“I’m relaxed and happy to see so many domestic workers, especially (two years after the pandemic), I’m happy to see everyone get together,” said a 42-year-old Filipino helper. rice field.
An honorary guest, Mayor of Central Singapore, Dennis Poor, spoke at the event.
She shared about helping the two household chores who were part of her family.
One of them was an Indonesian helper who took care of Poor’s mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She took care of her for 13 years until her mother died a few years ago.
“She took care of my mother as if she were her own. Without her, I wouldn’t be able to stand here,” Poor said.
