RCMC recently hosted a talk by Ms Lynette Lim of Hagar Singapore. Hagar Singapore is a registered charity in Singapore and part of an international organisation with 27 years of experience in fighting against human trafficking, slavery and abuse. Committed to the recovery and economic empowerment of marginalised women and children, HAGAR provides recovery services and empowerment to survivors to help them start a new life and reduce their risk of re-exploitation. In the process, HAGAR works closely with MOM and MHA; co-chairs of the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons in Singapore to provide recovery care for victims of human trafficking. Since 2014, HAGAR has provided training to more than 4,000 Singapore frontline policemen on topics related to human trafficking and victim identification. Its key values are respect, integrity, compassion and excellence.

 

HAGAR has an international presence. In Afghanistan in particular, HAGAR has been working there for more than a decade (since 2008), and is providing emergency relief to displaced families affected by the current humanitarian crisis. Based on their rapid needs assessments, an estimated SGD700,000 is needed to help provide food, healthcare and critical assistance over the next 3 months; 100% of proceeds will go directly towards implementing the relief activities.

 

The talk was very well attended; members were highly engaged and showed great concern for this area of work, and Ms Lynette shared insights that were both heartbreaking and heartening.