This feature was first published in Journeys Summer 2019.

This article was written by eighth grade students Adi V. and Rebecca F.

The annual Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) picnic, held in January, was a celebration of foreign domestic workers in Singapore. The middle school Roots & Shoots club teamed up with middle school Social Justice Council to organize the picnic. The response from Singapore American School community and club members this year was inspiring. The picnic was filled with laughter, enjoyment, and friendship!

Service club members and SAS teachers arrived at the picnic early on a Saturday morning. Some brought their families and dogs as well. Most importantly, they brought along a feast of delicious food and drinks. There were generous food donations from SAS teachers, SAS families, and Hoe Brothers Catering.

Sixty women from countries like Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines joined as the guests of honor. These amazing women have faced various forms of social injustice, including emotional and physical abuse as well as exploitation. The goal of the picnic was to create positive new memories for everyone. A sunny day at East Coast Park with food, good company, and lots of dancing helped achieve this goal. The women had an amazing time bonding with each other and the SAS community.

All the time spent by club members planning and organizing the picnic was worthwhile as the women smiled and laughed throughout the morning. In the weeks leading up to the picnic, SAS service club members handwrote notes for the women to share encouragement and love. Thanks to generous donations, Singtel top-up phone cards were gifted to the women along with each note so they could keep in touch with their family and friends.

It was also a pleasure to work with the HOME organization and their amazing volunteers who bring these women together, provide safety and support, and look out for their welfare. Thanks to the tireless effort of the HOME volunteers and partnering community members, there is hope the women staying in the shelter will have bright futures.

With the support of the SAS community, we were able to spread a message of hope and justice. The goal of the service club members now is to continue working alongside HOME to support foreign domestic workers in Singapore who face troubling times. Please visit the HOME website (https://www.home.org.sg/) or contact the Roots & Shoots club to learn more ways to get involved.