In June this year, one of the founders of Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), Mr Peter Joe Chia, passed on. MWS had the privilege of caring for him at MWS Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang in his last days.
The late Mr Chia and several like-minded men were moved to act on seeing the growing needs of the sick and elderly in Singapore, and seeded the idea of creating a charitable Methodist organisation to serve the community. MWS was established in 1981 and later welcomed six elderly sick at our first centre. We went on to serve hundreds of thousands of distressed families, the destitute, chronically sick and frail, socially isolated seniors, disadvantaged children and at-risk youths, regardless of their race and religion, for the next 40 years.
Pioneers, like the late Mr Peter Joe Chia, donors and volunteers who responded to the cause and supported the work of MWS have made and continue to leave a lasting impact on our beneficiaries’ lives. One such beneficiary who experienced a deep positive impact on her life is Madam Ong MZ, 42, a single mother of three young daughters.
At the start of her journey with MWS Family Development Programme in 2016, Madam Ong was living in a one-room rental flat, struggling to find employment because of her low educational qualifications, and coping with medical problems as well as caregiving duties. Under the programme’s debt and savings matching schemes, Madam Ong’s situation not only stabilised but she began to thrive, secured a full-time job and have greater confidence about the future. In 2018, she applied to purchase a three-room HDB flat. She is now self-reliant and no longer requires assistance.
“I never imagined that I would be able to buy my own home, but now I am a flat-owner. I am really proud of myself and grateful to MWS,” shares Madam Ong.
Another example is Mr Hamid, who was admitted to MWS Nursing Home – Yew Tee in April 2020. His severe medical issues led to weakness in the lower limbs, which in turn caused problems with coordination and balance. Mr Hamid needed heavy assistance in performing daily living activities. To address his mobility issues, the MWS Allied Health team designed a rehabilitative programme for the highly motivated Mr Hamid. Today, not only is he able to move about independently or take public transport on his own, he has also successfully reintegrated into the community. His quality of life and dignity have been greatly improved.
Your continual support empowers MWS to reach out to individuals like Madam Ong and Mr Hamid, who faced many complex issues but saw their lives changed when they received the help they needed. This Christmas, give generously to make a lasting impact on the lives of the beneficiaries we serve.
To donate or find out more, please visit mws.sg/leave-a-lasting-impact or scan the QR code.
By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photos and visuals courtesy of the MWS Communications Team