An online fundraising campaign launched by the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) on Giving.sg aims to raise SS$35,000 in support of a migrant worker who sustained work-related spinal and pelvic injury.
HOME said in a statement on the campaign page that the migrant worker, Lwin was instructed by his employer on 23 September this year to fix the ceiling of his condo unit without providing Lwin with any safety harness or equipment.
“Lwin lost balance and fell from the ladder about 3m height. The fall fractured his spine and pelvis,” HOME said.
The organisation noted that Lwin had to undergo surgery the next day to insert a steel rod in his spine, which will be permanent.
Lwin faces difficulty in walking, even when assisted by crutches, and grapples with incontinence and uncontrollable bowel movements as a result of his injury.
“The doctor said that he will not be able to recover fully or resume his previous work. The hospital wanted to transfer him to the community hospital for rehabilitation, but his employer refused to pay,” said HOME.
Lwin’s employer did not purchase insurance for him and has absconded, leaving him without recourse
Lwin was then referred to HOME, following which the organisation helped him to file a report to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
“But to our horror, we later realised that his employer did not purchase insurance for him,” HOME noted. “By law, employers are required to buy insurance. Now his employer has absconded, leaving Lwin without recourse.”
“Without the insurance coverage which his employer failed to purchase, and with his employer also out of the picture, Lwin faces the rest of his life permanently disabled, and with no compensation,” said HOME.
According to HOME, the amount raised aims to help Lwin and his family to tide over the “difficult transition” and to alleviate his expenses for rehabilitation, repatriation and care when he returns home.
The campaign has raised a total of S$11,450 from 181 donors at the time of writing.
