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The mental health boost from volunteering
We are often flooded with self-care advice. What if helping others can make a difference?
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A volunteer helping to lead exercises for seniors outside an active ageing centre run by Allkin Singapore.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Steve Loh and Janna Wong
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My first stint as a volunteer came in 2004 where I was rapidly recruited by my doctor friends to respond to the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that killed over 200,000 people across multiple countries.
With no medical training other than an expired first aid certificate, I found myself in Sri Lanka, fumbling and tumbling to be of minimal assistance to a Singapore medical team that attended to the overwhelming numbers of injured. While I added no value to the medical care given to the survivors, I did find my small acts of simple service go a long way, whether it was simply helping with crowd control, getting a glass of water for a patient or sorting through boxes of medicines.
