Singapore Sikhs handle 12,000 veg meals weekly during pandemic

By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |

Every week, the Singapore Sikh community prepares and delivers 12,000 hot vegetarian meals to vulnerable groups in Singapore as part of its Langgar (Free Kitchen) Outreach Programme (LOP).

The LOP, which has been running out of the seven Sikh Gurdwaras in Singapore for several years now, stepped up its efforts in March this year to feed more individuals and families made vulnerable by the pandemic.

Despite the gurdwaras being closed to the public during this period, a small group of volunteers and staff gather daily to cook and distribute packed meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner – all while observing strict safe distancing measures.

Langgar is the cornerstone of the Sikh faith and outreach as can be seen all around the world, noted a former Sikh lawmaker.

“Whenever there is a pandemic, natural or man-made disaster, the Sikh community is always among the first to respond through langgar by feeding others,” said former Member of Parliament Mr Inderjit Singh in a statement.

“I am glad that through this important way we are able to play a role in helping the society in Singapore during this challenging time.”

Inderjit is also the Chairman of the Coordinating Council of Sikh Institutions (CCSI).

They join fellow Sikhs around the world – from Wolverhampton to New York to New Delhi – who are serving free meals to the needy in this trying times.

In addition, on April 29, the community launched #SGSewa – a task force supported by the CCSI.

Made up of a group of volunteers, the ground-up initiative aims to provide assistance to vulnerable individuals in the community and beyond in the following areas – counselling and emotional support for abuse or mental health issues; provision of food, groceries and financial assistance; helping people who have been retrenched with job search; supporting families whose children face may be facing disruption to their education; as well as providing legal and medical assistance.

The task force will also assist in directing these individuals to established government or community support schemes, the statement added.

In the first three days of #SGSewa’s launch alone, the task force received hundreds of queries on its hotline from people facing diverse challenges, including retrenchments and lost incomes, domestic abuse, and medical issues.

More than a hundred callers were foreign students who had been evicted by their landlords.

These students, mostly Indian nationals, have requested assistance on a range of issues. The #SGSewa taskforce has been working closely with the Indian High Commission to refer students who seek repatriation as well as accommodation and other issues, according to the statement.

On its own, the taskforce has also teamed up with local doctors in the community to provide free medical assistance to some of these foreign students as well distributed 150 dry-ration packages to them, as they are financially-strapped.

“The #SGSewa taskforce has made a key decision of not turning away anyone who needs help. Our volunteers have been working tirelessly around the clock answering calls on the hotline and linking callers with other organisations such as the Indian High Commission.

“We are also sourcing temporary accommodation for those who need it and even speaking to some of their family members overseas,” said Inderjit, who also heads the taskforce.

Going forward, the taskforce expects to team up with other professionals and community organisations to support more vulnerable groups including providing support to migrant workers in dormitories.