Activist Gilbert Goh shared a story of an uncle that he met working at a hawker centre, collecting 10 cents entry fee at the entrance of the toilet as part of his job.
He shared that the uncle is earning roughly about $50 a month and struggling to survive.
Some days he sleeps in the streets around Waterloo Street, although it isn’t clear if he is homeless.
Here is the full story:
“This skinny-to-bone elderly helps to look after a public tiolet by collecting 10 cents for every entry once weekly so that he can earn $50/monthly in order to survive.
I saw him once sleeping rough at Waterloo Street and gave him our bedding aid so he can rest better. It’s unsure if he is totally homeless as sometimes they sleep rough for a temporary season due to personal reasons.
He loiters around the hawker centre frequently and usually he is one of our regular food aid recipient whenever we are there.
He would sit at one corner waiting for some stranger to bless him with food or small cash.
He told me that he couldn’t work much nowadays due to his weak heart and he does look very skinny and frail.
We will place him on our $100/monthly elderly support scheme so that he has something to fall back on.
We also encourage readers to buy an extra meal whenever you are eating at a hawker centre patronised by many elders so that you can bless a hungry one out there.
You will surely make their day – including yours!
Do something good for Singapore – a charity movement to alleviate the hardships of displaced elderly Singaporeans.”
Image source: Gilbert Goh on Facebook