25-year-old goes the distance to befriend migrant workers

25-year-old travels to Bangladesh as part of outreach efforts to meet families of migrant workers working here

Ms Isabel Phua started Migrant x Me, a social enterprise based in Singapore that aims to educate the public here about the migrant worker community. The organisation wants to reach out to young people aged 13 to 35 to debunk stereotypes about the communit
Ms Isabel Phua started Migrant x Me, a social enterprise based in Singapore that aims to educate the public here about the migrant worker community. The organisation wants to reach out to young people aged 13 to 35 to debunk stereotypes about the community and raise awareness of the issues they face. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Ms Phua visited Mr Martin Hart, who was a migrant worker in Singapore for five years, in Bangladesh in December.
Ms Phua visited Mr Martin Hart, who was a migrant worker in Singapore for five years, in Bangladesh in December. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ISABEL PHUA
Secondary school students on a learning journey with volunteers from Migrant x Me.
Secondary school students on a learning journey with volunteers from Migrant x Me. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ISABEL PHUA
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Unlike some people who spent the recent year-end holidays at overseas resorts, Ms Isabel Phua and her six friends opted to travel to Bangladesh to visit the villages where families of some migrant workers in Singapore reside.

For 10 days last month, they travelled to different parts of the country - from the capital, Dhaka City, to Tangail and Narayanganj, districts in the middle of Bangladesh. They also visited Dinajpur, which is in the north of the country.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 06, 2020, with the headline 25-year-old goes the distance to befriend migrant workers. Subscribe