Duration | 1:19
Organisation | Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore)
Licensed drivers engaged to deliver goods
During the Circuit Breaker period in Singapore that runs from 7 April to 1 June, people across the country are asked to stay at home and reduce outings. However, Tzu Chi Singapore is still providing various charitable aids and services amid a pandemic, such as delivering fabrics for making masks, providing laptops and Chromebooks to students from low income families to to help with their home based learning etc., all these would not be possible without reliable logistics services.
Therefore, Tzu Chi Singapore recruited Tzu Chi volunteers and care recipients with taxi license to help out with the delivery tasks. At the same time, it is hoped that this Singapore version of cash-for-work relief programme can help subsidize taxi drivers whose income are affected by the pandemic.
To ease the impact of the pandemic on the taxi industry, Starting April, Singapore government has loosen its regulations on this industry for six months to allow taxi drivers to deliver meals and provide logistic services.
Khoo Jyh Hao - HOD of Charity Development Department:
Some of our care recipients are taxi drivers. Since Tzu Chi needs logistic services, we adopt such a way as a Singaporean version of cash-for-work relief to help them sail through this pandemic.
Care recipients who work as drivers have also signed up to be our drivers. Through such unconventional job arrangement, the drivers can help with transporting items such as face masks, laptops etc. during the Circuit Breaker.
Ong Boh Huat - care recipient:
It is good to have extra income, especially when economy is bad right now, it is definitely helpful to us. It has been a happy experience (working together with Tzu Chi), because I can help people. It is good to see people showing love to each other.
A timely integration of resources and services is the way to solve problems that arise amid a pandemic.
