Have you ever stopped to think about the life stories of the many migrant workers here in Singapore? Perhaps you wanna take a five-minute break from whatever you’re doing right now and listen to Subramani Santhilkumar’s journey. Originally hailing from Naamakkal in Tamil Nadu, India, he left behind his wife and two children at the encouragement of his parents and came to Singapore for a chance to earn a higher salary to give his family a better life.
He’s now been here for 15 years.
‘My father took care of me since young. I made a little sacrifice to bring them to a better place at this old age and keep them peaceful,’ he explains.
His one year supply of happiness comes from his 15 days of annual leave — he goes back home to spend time with his family, especially his kids, who struggle to understand why they only get 15 days with their father each year. It’s a huge sacrifice, he admits. ‘There are no words to express how lonely it feels. When you experience it, it is so horrible.’
On the impact of migrant workers’ efforts on Singapore’s ever-evolving landscape, he humbly says: ‘It won’t happen with just a migrant worker. No one achieves anything alone. The local workers and the foreign workers created something because of everyone’s effort.’
With International Migrants Day coming up on December 18, a simple smile or greeting to the migrant workers in your neighbourhood can go a long way. Like how this Singaporean mum and her family’s friendship with the construction crew in her area blossomed over the course of a year.
