Singapore—Activist Gilbert Goh has been raising awareness regarding the plight of Singapore’s homeless for some time now, but he has also underlined that their situation has become more difficult than ever, epecially due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Mr Goh recently encountered an elderly woman whom he called “probably our saddest rough sleeper case so far.”
In a Facebook post on Sunday (Jul 25), Mr Goh wrote about and shared the photos of the auntie whom he said “cut a pitiful spectacle” during the homeless outreach he and his team conducted the day before.
They met the woman, who survives by collecting and selling used tins, as she was pushing her trolley.
The auntie has many health issues, as can be gleaned from his post. He said that some volunteers even had to help her change her adult diapers.
“We have to help her stand up so that she can changed her pampers at the nearby tiolet all the while holding her hands as she ambled slowly along.”
The woman has a big corn under her left foot, a hardened layer of skin that can be very painful.
The volunteers also helped her apply ointment on the corn, which causes the auntie so much pain that she has to take pain relievers for it.
By the time they had met her at 11pm, she had not eaten yet, and Mr Goh and his team “bought her favourite roasted pork meal and she quickly tucked in hungrily.”
Perhaps moved by her suffering, they visited her again after helping other homeless people.
“We came back to her and decided to pass her some cash so she can get herself some nice proper meals for the week. We also help her bank in the money at the nearby ATM so that it is safely-kept,” he wrote.
But the team of volunteers want to go beyond one-time help, and committed to giving her $50 every week for her food and other necessities.
He then appealed to other Singaporeans who may want to help as well.
“If you have a empty room and wish to house her out of compassionate ground, please let us know – we can pay some rent for her to offset the cost.
She is probably our saddest rough sleeper case so far and her extreme ill-health makes her a vulnerable target not only to the elements but also COVID-19 viruses.
Do something good for Singapore.”
/TISG
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Gilbert Goh: Pockets of elderly population are being left behind