SINGAPORE - Ground-up initiatives play a key role in empowering and supporting vulnerable groups, and more support from the community is needed especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, said President Halimah Yacob in a Facebook post on Tuesday (July 6).

Earlier in the day, she had visited Safe Place, an initiative by Lakeside Family Services that aims to empower women and families who have unsupported pregnancies to make life-giving choices.

Since it started in February 2018, the initiative has served about 210 women.

Madam Halimah said in her post: "Motherhood is a challenging journey, but thanks to Safe Place, they were able to receive timely and holistic help, and have a support system to journey with them through the ups and downs of motherhood."

Apart from offering pregnant women and mothers with newborn babies a temporary place to stay, the initiative also offers case management and counselling services, as well as workshops on pregnancy and caregiving.

During her visit on Tuesday, Madam Halimah spoke to several beneficiaries, one of whom was Mindy (not her real name), 31.

Mindy joined Safe Place in January this year when she was seven months pregnant.

"I was unmarried and pregnant, and I needed support and guidance, so I came here," she said. "It's not stressful here. I really feel at home."

Safe Place currently houses eight mothers - its maximum capacity - in a colonial black-and-white bungalow.

The residents do not have to pay for their stay and can reside there for up to four months after giving birth.

Safe Place, which is self-funded, is run by seven staff, three of whom are social workers. There are also about 70 volunteers.

The initiative's co-founder and director Jennifer Heng, 46, said: "Besides being heartened when I see the mums themselves rise up, it gives me great joy to see how my staff, volunteers and sponsors desire to help. It makes me feel like everything I've done is worth it."