New fund gets S$1m committed capital to help migrant workers in Singapore

SINGAPORE-BASED venture philanthropy organisation LEAP201 has received committed capital of S$1 million for its newly set up fund to support migrant workers in Singapore during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, it said on Thursday.

The fund's anchor donors are conglomerate Kewalram Chanrai Group and United Overseas Bank. Other individual donors include Michael Lien, founder of LEAP201.

The fund looks to identify underfunded gaps in migrant workers support and provide assistance in key areas such as emergency financial relief, mental health support and legal aid.

Through the fund, LEAP201 will collaborate with migrant worker organisations (MWOs) that support these workers.

LEAP201 is in discussions with a number of MWOs but said it welcomes proposals from other organisations that are helping migrant workers through post-Covid-19 projects.

After discussions and submission of proposals, LEAP201 will evaluate - based on the focus, impact and reach of the proposals - and disburse grants of S$30,000 to S$50,000 over the next six quarters.

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The organisation said the committed capital of S$1 million would help cover project grants in the next 18 months.

Mr Lien acknowledged the good work currently being done by the local community, such as providing meals and masks for migrant workers.

He also said "we need to look at the next stage, and address the structural challenges of a recession".

"In a few months, when the current food and health challenges for migrant workers have hopefully settled, we would then need to address the potential retrenchment of some migrant workers who have outstanding loans they took out to come to Singapore."

LEAP201 said it welcomes discussions and partnerships with organisations looking to further their commitment to the migrant worker cause in 2021.

Potential donors to the fund or organisations interested to get involved can write to LEAP201's executive director, Nozomi Witherspoon, at nozomi.witherspoon@leap201.org.