“Don’t give up… we are waiting for you. Come back home safe.” – Sathish’s mother.

By brother Sathish, as recounted to HealthServe (in Tamil, but translated to English) a year after sustaining a serious workplace injury 

For many of us, workplace health and safety are taken for granted, and in the event of an unfortunate incident, we expect to receive fair protection and compensation. However, for many low-wage migrant workers, this is often not the case. Hear from brother Sathish, whose life took a drastic turn after a workplace injury. 

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In July 2023, I got to work as usual, attended my meetings, and while I was working, the work equipment suddenly exploded.  

I don’t really know what happened in that second. When I got out, my hands, face, many parts were burned.  

It was a miracle that I survived the explosion, it must have been God-given luck.  

They took me back to my dormitory and gave me a room to myself. For the five days I was in that room, I didn’t receive any proper medical treatment, just normal remedies like those back in India. I couldn’t eat because my lips were burned, and they didn’t give me food. I couldn’t take it as I was in a lot of pain – the wound had started to swell up like a boil. 

I became incredibly distressed; I didn’t know what to do.  

Some people around me told me, “Don’t stay back here for the company, go to the hospital, it’s your health.”  

So I finally went to the hospital. The people at the hospital asked me what happened and when I told them about the accident, it became a case in the company.  

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After I was discharged, my employer sat me down and tried to settle the situation. He said, “I’ll offer you a sum of money, go straight to the airport from here, don’t come to the company anymore.”   

I didn’t accept it. 

After I went back to my hostel room, the company owner and their employees came to my room and persuaded me to sign a document. In return, they told me that they will give me and my family money. The owner tried to ask for my forgiveness, acknowledging their wrongdoings. But when I think about how they left me to fend for myself, I felt so wronged. If something had happened to me, who would face my family? I don’t have a father, only a mother and my younger brother. In the end, I refused to accept his apology and turned their offer away.  

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I experienced so much emotional and mental turmoil within this one year. I’ve cried and been worried a lot more than I have been happy.  

During those five years when I was working, my company actually liked me a lot. But the moment they faced a problem, they tossed me aside. They told the other employees not to talk to me so I couldn’t confide in anyone and would just stay in my room alone most of the time. Whenever my mother called, I couldn’t tell her the truth either – I didn’t want to worry her.  

But eventually, my mother found out. My employer had sent someone to my home in India and offered my mother cash. I told her not to worry and ended the conversation.  

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During this time, Miss E from MOM would visit to check on me. She introduced me to HealthServe. I didn’t have anyone to immediately speak or cry to, but if I call HealthServe, I can talk to them any time for free and they’ll listen and console me. They helped me out so much during this time, especially sister Durga. When she talked to me, she treated me like I was her own brother. She talked to me a lot and would motivate me to keep going.  

“Many times, when I have been sad, HealthServe has taken me out to places that help relax  my mind. Not even my company has helped me as much as HealthServe. They’ve asked me about my expenses, if I need a haircut or even daily necessities. If I tell them I don’t have something, they’ll immediately arrange to get it for me. 

Little by little, I was healing.  

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“Life is like this. You can stay resilient, don’t dwell on the sadness” 

I had endured all of this and was not in a good place, but I started to feel that I shouldn’t stay like this. If I stayed depressed, I wouldn’t be able to go to work.  Without an income, I wouldn’t be able to take care of my family.  

My mother gave me strength. She told me “No matter what, we’ll manage. Don’t give up, patiently take care of the situation, and come back home, we are waiting for you. Come back home safe.”  

I listened to her and followed what she said.   

Now that the assessment is complete, and things have settled down, I feel a bit more light-hearted. I’ve decided to go home – I haven’t seen my mother in five years. I will be a bit happier at home. 

I offer my sincere thanks to HealthServe for looking out for me. They’ve given me a lot of help. I will never forget the kindness that was shown to me during this trying time.

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It took Sathish almost a year to receive due compensation for his workplace injury, while healing. He is only one of the many migrant workers in Singapore whose life was turned upside down following an unfortunate workplace accident. By law, employers must cover affected employees’ medical leave wages, expenses related to the accident, as well as their food and accommodation* but not all do so. In addition, systemic barriers such as power differences, cultural and language barriers, contribute to some not receiving proper and timely treatment, leaving them to suffer in silence.  

To support them during this particularly vulnerable time, HealthServe steps in to provide essential services, including medical care, counselling, casework, and social support.  

To support HealthServe’s efforts in uplifting distressed migrant workers, consider volunteering with us or pledging a donation that would go towards our services and programmes.