A home renovation is something many of us look forward to.
Painstakingly going through all kinds of household items, deciding what to keep and what to throw out, adding new coats of paint and cleaning away… we’ve all been there.
But, ever wondered what it is like to clean and rehabilitate the homes of other people in the spirit of community service?
Taking on this responsibility is one such youth – Koh Pi Rong, 20, who has been volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Singapore since secondary school.
Beginning in 2004, Habitat for Humanity Singapore has been actively building homes in the Asia-Pacific region and rehabilitating flats for vulnerable families in Singapore. Improving living conditions, restoring dignity to homes, and providing a safe place forms a key mission of the organisation.
His Foray into Volunteering During School Days
It goes back to Pi Rong’s days in Duman High School when he was introduced to Habitat for Humanity Singapore via an associated school chapter.
He reflects on how volunteering gives a greater perspective of Singapore for a youth like him – that there are people out there who need help and what youths like him can do to make our society a better place.
And it can be a life changing experience when you start to volunteer.
He recognises how Singaporeans are quite sheltered and “for some of them, it can be even their first time stepping into a rental flat, let alone rehabilitating a rental flat.”
While volunteering, he found that he could do the job well, having learnt all the basics of how to paint, clean, mop, remove and replace furniture, and more.
He also helps in spotting signs of infestations and ropes in fumigation and pest control experts to tackle the problem.
Explaining further, he adds, “Dust and bed bugs affect home occupants’ health. They can cause skin and respiratory issues and, in some cases, affect a person’s mental well-being.”
The groups he serves come from a range of backgrounds, which includes isolated elderly, the disabled or low-income families who can’t afford home repairs. They may not have the strength or be physically in shape to carry out their own home repairs.
Though it was a lot of sweat and effort put into rehabilitating homes, he didn’t mind so. He found it fulfilling to see houses transform – “from something that had a lot of dust, dirt, and messiness, to becoming something that is very clean, and a livable house.”
Uplifting Spirits With Fresh Paint and a Clean Home
Today, Pi Rong is one of Habitat for Humanity Singapore’s HomeWorks Champion volunteers, contributing his time in a leadership role.
It gives him more responsibilities like overseeing an entire home restoration project, managing volunteers, and meeting the expectations of homeowners.
But before getting into it, he devotes some time to engaging the homeowners, and getting to know them. It gives him an understanding of what they need and meaningfully engage them to achieve the desired outcomes.
Lifting spirits along the way doesn’t hurt too.
He tells of a homeowner called Uncle Cheong who was living alone and down in spirit when he first met him. His brother had just passed away and Uncle Cheong had a medical condition that required a knee amputation.
Uncle Cheong was trapped in a home with a severe bed bug infestation.
Taking 4 sessions to clean up the home, including providing a new bed and wardrobe, Uncle Cheong’s mood visibly improved and he began interacting with the volunteers. They learnt roasted chicken with char siew was a favorite of his.
At the end, Uncle Cheong was thankful to Pi Rong’s team for the help they rendered and spoke of how he was now able to sleep peacefully every night without any bed bugs lurking around.
In return, Pi Rong felt pleased helping Uncle Cheong get rid of the infestation problem, explaining, “To know you’ve made a change in someone’s house, which in turn brings a change to their life, that is quite impactful for me.”
This year in May, Pi Rong was also part of a 125-member crew who voluntarily set out to paint the homes of residents in Lavender in an event called A Brush With Kindness. Organised by Habitat for Humanity Singapore, over 27 disadvantaged families benefitted from this labor of love.
Overcoming Challenges While on the Job
An initial fear Pi Rong had was having to lead and instruct fellow volunteers who were much older than him.
“It was daunting, and I couldn’t really get used to it at first,” he explains. However, as a volunteer lead, safety comes first. Over time, he wasn’t afraid to call fellow volunteers out when he saw them get into unsafe situations, like incorrectly using ladders.
Staying well hydrated, making sure there is enough ventilation where they operate and going out to take breathers when needed are always encouraged. Personal protective equipment like gloves, goggles and masks are required and worn by volunteers.
Along the way, he sometimes meets with uncooperative homeowners, which may lead to incomplete home restorations.
However, most homeowners are more than happy when Habitat for Humanity Singapore volunteers come to support them.
“When you give their house walls a fresh coat of paint, the house will look more brighter than before. To see new furniture, new walls, homeowners are thrilled and really pleased with the end results,” he explains.
Pi Rong is quite happy to continue volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Singapore and hopes to do more such as fundraising for the charity in time to come. “If time permits, I’d also like to do volunteer tutoring for children and teenagers”, he adds.
At Habitat for Humanity Singapore, volunteers are crucial to sustaining efforts in providing safe and decent housing for vulnerable families and the elderly.
You can help spark change in homes and improve lives by supporting Habitat for Humanity Singapore. Rally your friends, colleagues, or family, or sign up as an individual to be a volunteer or donate today.
All photo credits: Habitat for Humanity Singapore
