The Christian Outreach and Social Concerns Ministry (COSC) recently restarted computer classes at Kranji Dormitory on 29 August 2024, after a suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s classes concluded on 26 September 2024, marking a joyful occasion for our migrant brothers. Each attendee received a $30 supermarket voucher as encouragement, and those with over 90 percent attendance were awarded a Certificate of Attendance.
The response at Kranji Dormitory was positive, with about 25 students attending each session of the Basic Computer Class. Consistently, around eight volunteers assisted, and on certain days, observers were present. Volunteers who drove graciously offered pick-up services from Kranji MRT to the Dormitory, which is a distance away.
As a volunteer, I was amazed by the eagerness of our migrant brothers to learn and discover new “tricks” with a few clicks. While some had a little knowledge, others were completely new to computers.
These men, mainly from villages, work in a foreign land to provide a better life for their families back home. Through their hard work, they have inadvertently contributed to Singapore’s development and changing skyline.
Our aim is to reach out to them, befriend them and help upgrade their knowledge and skills through our computer classes, as a way to thank them and show our concern for their wellbeing and integration into our multi-racial society.
To further reward their unfailing attendance despite their hard days of work, we organised an outing at the end of each series of lessons, followed by a sumptuous dinner. Our most recent trip was to the Singapore River Cruise on Sunday, 6 October 2024, followed by dinner.
When we announced the trip, there was excited chatter among the attendees, with many nudging each other to register. Someone asked if their friends, who were not attending the class, could join the trip. There was more excitement when the answer was a yes, depending on the number of registrants and the boat’s passenger capacity.
They were thrilled about the trip as it would be their first. Despite being in Singapore, some for as long as 10 years, they had never had the opportunity to go on a Singapore River Cruise.
As we await the next round of classes, we pray that God will touch the hearts of more volunteers to befriend our migrant brothers, and perhaps, mentor some of them.
To find out how you can serve with the Wesley Migrant Ministry (WMM), check out the COSC webpage.
Photos by Loke Ai Mei
