Far From Home: Migrant workers in Malaysia make their mark by giving back to society, helping fellow countrymen

In Singapore, Indah Yosevina and Raman Saravanan are just two of the many migrant workers who enjoy taking their time off to plan or take part in society projects. &nbsp,

Indah, a home contractor from Indonesia who has been employed in Singapore for more than six years, organizes various initiatives to help both the immigrant community and the wider Singaporean community.

The 41-year-old has organized a number of exercise and educational groups to empower other domestic staff from Indonesia as chairman of the Indonesian Family Network ( IFN), an organization made up of fellow Indonesian home employees.

Beyond that, Indah has spearheaded blood donation pulls and volunteer work in Singapore to supply meals for those in need. &nbsp,

According to Indah, the show’s annual blood donation travel, which takes place every three weeks since 2016 attracts around 40 Indonesian home workers each day. &nbsp,

She told CNA, adding that the program is accessible to migrant workers of different nationalities when well.” We manage it ourselves, we write a email to the bloodstream bank, make an appointment to get a date and obtain people,” she continued. &nbsp,

Indah has likewise organized volunteer projects for migrant workers at the Singapore-based donation Willing Hearts, which serves the elderly, disabled, and low-income people. &nbsp,

The program is offered on Sundays once a month, and those interested can sign up through IFN’s social media accounts. &nbsp,

Indah was elected as the network’s chairman in January 2025 after joining the organization in 2021 to take part in its singing group. &nbsp,

Since joining the channel, she has grown in her enthusiasm for working, and even prior to that, she had taken up both” The Story Behind Smile” and” Migrant Writers of Singapore” initiatives. Both of which aim to bring attention to the life of immigrant workers in the nation. &nbsp,

When asked how she juggles her daily work with her society work, she responded,” For me personally, I like doing working work, I like doing good points on my off days.” &nbsp,

In addition to volunteering, Singapore’s migrant workers have also made a name for themselves through their favorite sports. &nbsp,

A team of migrant workers led by 43-year-old Raman Saravanan finished second at the annual Century Race held by the Singapore Dragon Boat Association on February 23.

According to Saravanan, the team consisted of general workers on construction sites, drivers, safety coordinators, and safety personnel. &nbsp,

My job was to organize the team, while my friends managed to book the coach, set up training sessions, and secure the necessary equipment. Saravanan, who has worked in Singapore for over 20 years, told CNA. &nbsp,

Saravanan was determined to make sure that his team, which trains once a week, was well-prepared for the race despite his busy schedule as a safety coordinator at a construction site. He even obtained funding from the neighborhood charity ItsRainingRaincoats in order to help them.

Some of my teammates worked on Sundays and worked nights, which made it difficult for them to attend training during the day, Saravanan, who is from India, told CNA.” We made the most of the time we had together,” Saravanan said. &nbsp,

Saravanan was moved by how the journey had cultivated the bond of cohesion among his migrant friends. &nbsp,

” Some of my friends who work on construction sites provided food and flags to share, to encourage us to paddle faster,” said one of my friends.