For my third engagement activity, I was able to interview Awlad, another migrant worker currently working in Singapore. While one may assume that his perspective and the knowledge he can provide would be similar to Mahafuz, I learnt that that is not the case whatsoever. This is largely due to the fact that all individuals have different takes/opinions on certain situations, and they handle adversity differently. As an example, Mahafuz has a cousin brother with who he lives. Therefore, whenever he is sad, angry or helpless, he can talk to one of his own family members. Meanwhile, Awlad is a passionate singer. He likes to sing as it reminds him of his motherland, Bangladesh, and he enjoys spreading kindness and making others happy. Thus, I felt that it was necessary to interview a variety of dorm workers who have had similar experiences, as the way they deal with these situations can allow one to truly understand the impact of the pandemic.
When interviewing Awlad, to keep consistency, and be able to compare answers, I asked roughly the same questions I asked Mahafuz, as listed below:
- Have you ever experienced something like the covid 19 pandemic in the dormitories before?
- Is there a way to deal with infections/diseases in dormitories?
- How were dorm brothers updated/informed of the coronavirus?
- How did dorm workers have to change their behaviour? What restrictions were put in place?
- Is there a manager/supervisor you could easily talk to if you had any problem?
- Was there a lot of worry in the dorms during the outbreak? Rumours and gossip?
- What support were you given by the government? Mental health support?
- How did organisations such as MWC, AGWO help you?
- How have your lives changed due to the coronavirus? What challenges do you face?
- How have you been impacted by the coronavirus, not meeting family for a long time?
- Have you been able to do normal tasks, sending money, spending time with friends, supporting family?
Similar to Mahafuz, Awlad was able to answer the questions without hesitation. Additionally, while mentioning the role of NGOs throughout the conversation, he had utmost praise for the Singaporean Government, while not mentioning any of the initiatives taken by the Government, which aroused slight suspicion. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to connect with Awlad on a personal level, recognise the challenges that he faced, and how he persevered againdt the odds.
Attached is our discussion on record:
16th of July, 2021: