From the time we have had residential Homes for the children; we have had volunteers working closely with us. Strong ties with volunteers are an integral part of any successful running Home. Homes cannot exist in isolation of the community that they are located in. The need for our Homes and our residents to interact with volunteers especially with those within the community is important for the social development of our children.

“I’d like to lighten the burden of the Home staff who are overloaded by helping to play with and each the children.” – Jayamani

In SHELTER< we have seen volunteers with various giftings. At different times and occasions, we have had teachers coming to teach the children faithfully, handymen helping with repairs and maintenance, music teachers giving piano lessons or singing. Students who spend their evenings playing games with the kids, groups who provide lunch and so on. Some volunteers help on an ad hoc basis, while some commit consistently and for an extended period of time.

We encourage all or volunteers who are serious in their commitment to the children in our Homes to take personal interest in the development of our children. A volunteer who helps a child in his or her reading is not only playing the role of a tutor, but more importantly contributing to the child’s future development. By reaching a child how to read, the child stands a chance to gain proper integration and survival in today’s society.

“I want to involve the children with the intricacies of art and craft as much as I am involved in the by interacting with them personally.” – Mr S.T.Khoo

This year itself, we are grateful to have had volunteers who faithfully helped in the setting up of our playroom and those who helped organize our inventory in SHELTER 1. Over in SHELTER 2, we have had volunteer who organized a study tour to a newspaper printing plant and a pewter factory. We also had a volunteer who came regularly every evening at 4pm to teach the boys English in SHELTER 3. These are things done for us which are both helpful and educational for the kids and we are truly grateful to them.