Coalition of Help

TODAY Online

Monday • May 25, 2009

LIN YANQIN

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ALL three groups have been working towards advocating the rights and  improving the lives of migrant workers in Singapore — and now  they’ve banded together to further their cause.

Yesterday, Migrant Voices, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and  Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (Home) launched a coalition  — Solidarity for Migrant Workers — to pool resources and better  work towards their goals.

Given how each group is constantly battling funding and resource challenges,  the coalition will allow the three groups to tap each other’s expertise  and resources, and collaborate on large scale projects, said TWC2 committee  member Shelley Thio.

TWC2 almost had to shut down last year as the organisation had run low on  funds, Today earlier reported.

“We’re always short on funds and sometimes we don’t have  money to carry out initiatives. I think coming together will address that,” said Ms Thio.

The three groups already collaborate on some things — such as how the  men at Home’s shelter make use of TWC2’s free meals programme. On  its part, Home has set up a legal clinic and will be able to share such  expertise with other groups.

The groups will also be able to tap each others’ database of volunteers  to carry out research and advocacy projects which may be too big for one  group to handle.
 
 
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