SINGAPORE: As night falls across Singapore, a small group of volunteers begins its work.
About once a week, befrienders from Homeless Hearts of Singapore venture around the island, reaching out to people who sleep rough and are often overlooked.
Their efforts come amid growing attention on rough sleeping, particularly on social media.
Volunteers say simplified narratives often overlook the complex reasons people end up on the streets, and undermine long-term efforts to build trust with this community.
According to the group’s volunteer head and outreach coordinator Derek Lim, rough sleeping is often due to family or relationship issues.
“They do share that they feel lonely and by befriending them, we are creating a source of support, which comes in the form of friendships and emotional support,” he said.
Reaching out, however, is not always straightforward.
Mr Lim said younger rough sleepers can be harder to find as they frequently move between temporary arrangements such as friends’ homes or hostels.
Older individuals may be easier to identify, but helping them can still take time if they are not ready to accept assistance.
“If it's just not being ready for help, then we won't force so we'll continue to befriend them and journey with them, which might take a long time," said Mr Lim.
"But it's also okay, because at the end of the day, it is about the friendships, about accepting them for where they are at now,”
These outreach sessions often stretch into the early hours of the morning.
Volunteers revisit known locations and keep a lookout for new rough sleepers, offering support that ranges from small gestures such as a slice of cake to celebrate a birthday, to more targeted assistance such as financial or employment aid.
One rough sleeper, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, said he left home nearly two years ago.
“I constantly fought with my wife, then she threatened to divorce me, so I started sleeping downstairs,” he said in Mandarin.
Another, who spoke under the pseudonym Lucas, lost his family home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medical conditions such as vertigo made it difficult for him to hold down full-time work, but he has since found part-time employment that suits his needs – a step towards securing his own flat again.
“I don't actually need help … I'm working part-time, enough money to eat. I can sleep here, under shelter. Raining, no problem,” he said.
“Like today, by right (my dinner) is just the noodles only, but my manager offered to cook beef and extra stuff for me. Work properly (and) people will respect you, even when you are homeless.”
Volunteers say dignity is important and can be easily eroded when rough sleepers are reported to authorities or filmed without consent.
Many fear being recognised and do not want their families or employers to know about their circumstances.
They urge members of the public who want to help to do so through established organisations and proper channels.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua, who regularly joins these outreach walks, said trust-building takes time.
“Rough sleeping engagement is not the easiest piece of work to do, because (when) our volunteer groups (are) on the ground … they need to make sure that they have some sense of familiarity with each individual rough sleeper.
“And over time, say a matter of months or sometimes even a couple of years, form that relationship and form that sense of trust,” he added.
The outreach efforts come as new figures show a slight decline in rough sleeping in Singapore.
A total of 496 rough sleepers were counted during a single-night street count on Jul 18, 2025, down from 530 in 2022 – a 6.4 per cent decrease, according to a report released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) last Friday (Jan 9).
MSF also announced a S$450,000 (US$349,896) fund to support community organisations tackling homelessness, with applications opening on Apr 1.
Those interested in joining such outreach efforts can find more information on Homeless Hearts of Singapore’s website.
Continue reading...
About once a week, befrienders from Homeless Hearts of Singapore venture around the island, reaching out to people who sleep rough and are often overlooked.
Their efforts come amid growing attention on rough sleeping, particularly on social media.
Volunteers say simplified narratives often overlook the complex reasons people end up on the streets, and undermine long-term efforts to build trust with this community.
According to the group’s volunteer head and outreach coordinator Derek Lim, rough sleeping is often due to family or relationship issues.
“They do share that they feel lonely and by befriending them, we are creating a source of support, which comes in the form of friendships and emotional support,” he said.
Reaching out, however, is not always straightforward.
Mr Lim said younger rough sleepers can be harder to find as they frequently move between temporary arrangements such as friends’ homes or hostels.
Older individuals may be easier to identify, but helping them can still take time if they are not ready to accept assistance.
“If it's just not being ready for help, then we won't force so we'll continue to befriend them and journey with them, which might take a long time," said Mr Lim.
"But it's also okay, because at the end of the day, it is about the friendships, about accepting them for where they are at now,”
These outreach sessions often stretch into the early hours of the morning.
Volunteers revisit known locations and keep a lookout for new rough sleepers, offering support that ranges from small gestures such as a slice of cake to celebrate a birthday, to more targeted assistance such as financial or employment aid.
Related:
HOLDING ON TO DIGNITY
One rough sleeper, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, said he left home nearly two years ago.
“I constantly fought with my wife, then she threatened to divorce me, so I started sleeping downstairs,” he said in Mandarin.
Another, who spoke under the pseudonym Lucas, lost his family home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medical conditions such as vertigo made it difficult for him to hold down full-time work, but he has since found part-time employment that suits his needs – a step towards securing his own flat again.
“I don't actually need help … I'm working part-time, enough money to eat. I can sleep here, under shelter. Raining, no problem,” he said.
“Like today, by right (my dinner) is just the noodles only, but my manager offered to cook beef and extra stuff for me. Work properly (and) people will respect you, even when you are homeless.”
Volunteers say dignity is important and can be easily eroded when rough sleepers are reported to authorities or filmed without consent.
Many fear being recognised and do not want their families or employers to know about their circumstances.
They urge members of the public who want to help to do so through established organisations and proper channels.
Related:
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua, who regularly joins these outreach walks, said trust-building takes time.
“Rough sleeping engagement is not the easiest piece of work to do, because (when) our volunteer groups (are) on the ground … they need to make sure that they have some sense of familiarity with each individual rough sleeper.
“And over time, say a matter of months or sometimes even a couple of years, form that relationship and form that sense of trust,” he added.
The outreach efforts come as new figures show a slight decline in rough sleeping in Singapore.
A total of 496 rough sleepers were counted during a single-night street count on Jul 18, 2025, down from 530 in 2022 – a 6.4 per cent decrease, according to a report released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) last Friday (Jan 9).
MSF also announced a S$450,000 (US$349,896) fund to support community organisations tackling homelessness, with applications opening on Apr 1.
Those interested in joining such outreach efforts can find more information on Homeless Hearts of Singapore’s website.
Continue reading...