Facebook Instagram YouTube Telegram Linkedin |

Duration | 1:47

Organisation | Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore)

Migrant workers express their emotions through art

Tzu Chi Singapore had collaborated with 3Pumpkins and local artist Jimmy Ong to launch the “Stay Home Quilt” project. Sponsored by Maybank Singapore, the project aimed to invite 550 migrant workers to express their thoughts and feelings through art. Under the guidance of volunteers, the migrant workers managed to sew their own stories creatively through needles and threads. Despite not speaking the same language, the participants were able to overcome the language barrier and become closer to each other after the event. 

Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre had collaborated with a local art organization to launch the “Stay Home Quilt” art project, which allows migrant workers who are temporarily staying in Singapore Sports Hub to express their feelings through art. 

Lim Choon Choon|Manager of Tzu Chi HYC
Through organizing a simple and practical sewing activity, we hope to give them something different to do for them to pass time. It also gives us an opportunity to interact with them at the dormitory, to find out how they are doing during this pandemic. 

The participants were all male, mostly without any sewing experience. However, under the guidance of volunteers, the migrant workers were soon focused in sewing.  

Thangavelu Rajasekaran|Migrant Worker
I dedicate this to my daughter, Moshika. She is very cute and very pretty, she always brings joy at home, (and) makes other people happy. 

Muhammad Azan bin Jaafar | Dormitory Administrator - Singapore Sports Hub
They express their feelings through arts which is a very touching thing because the services that you all provide is from the heart, and spending the time to do charity work because of the migrant workers.

Launched in July, a total of 50 participations were recorded over 2 sewing sessions. Not only had they overcome the language barrier during the sessions, people were brought closer to each other too.

Read more