Panel dialogue with Auntie June and Uncle Willie

Our seminar class was given a rare but very useful opportunity to meet a panel of people who had helped us immensely with understanding what our project is about and how we can best help these individuals and overcome the challenges we face as the project ensues.

They were a few significant issues that had been highlighted by each one of them. Uncle Willy, told us that the stiff government policies were rather un-empathetic to his needs. Due to the governement’s lack of help, he is unable to have enough after paying his water bills, even with the social worker’s help. His limited policies leads to him having high levels of stress.

Even though he consulted the help of a social worker, this social worker only helps the needy PA’s but they do help him even though he desperately needs the help. He feels that the government does not recognize his struggles. He has also been helping his other less fortunate neighbours. Which is why he would like to have the extra help, as the living standards in Singapore is too high.

Auntie June’s story is slightly different. She is married with three children. She has medical issues such as anemia, diabetes and asthma, her husband is also very unwell, and barely brings home a thousand dollars every month. She has trouble providing for her two daughters who are still in school. She too has applied to social workers and the CDA. They claim that she has an older son who is working and can provide for them, they even suggested that she brings her son to the court and sue him, so that he will give her some money. She does not want animosity from him and does not want to do this.

She too feel that the government does not look at the plight of the people who are actually suffering, as they do not have a complete picture, having not visited the homes of these people. The people who get these subsidies are not living very difficult lives.

She therefore feels that there has to be changes in the system and the government bodies need to change. She feels that there has to be a balance between what is fair and what is flexible.

Prof Mohan told us that this campaign is meant to open up the floor to empathy and emotional changes amongst Singaporeans so that they will be motivated to move and try to help. He claims that the main aim of the project is to empower these under privileged people.