'Build bridges, not walls': The Singapore volunteers on a mission to help with Gaza relief efforts

SINGAPORE: Privilege and responsibility – that was how three Singapore volunteers described their mission in Cairo to help with Gaza relief efforts.

They were part of a Singapore Red Cross (SRC) team that flew to Egypt last week. It is the first time the organisation has sent civilian volunteers in its ongoing relief operations for Gaza.

Volunteers worked with the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) to pack hundreds of parcels containing basic food items such as rice, pasta, flour, salt, oil, tuna, tomato paste, biscuits and jam. These parcels were then transported to Gaza in trucks. 

The team also sourced and procured items for the food packs, with these items expected to support more than 9,000 families for five to seven days.

Speaking to CNA from Cairo shortly before returning to Singapore on Monday (Apr 29), team leader Nadim van der Ros said it was a "very sobering" experience for the team.

"One pack will keep one family sustained for one week … we managed to pack 500 of these packs and if you extrapolate that out, that’s going to impact close to 2,000 people," he said, describing it as a drop in the ocean in terms of the supplies that are needed.

"They obviously need more to sustain them during this crisis as well,” added Mr van der Ros. “So I do think that builds in a sudden urgency to the work that we do here.”

For two other volunteers - Mr Don Chow and Ms Tracy Koh - their mission in the Middle East has taught them many lessons.

"BUILDING BRIDGES, NOT WALLS"

Mr Chow, who was a regional sales director for an IT company, flew to Egypt before the main team of eight to prepare for their arrival. 

He will also remain in Cairo for another two weeks to continue liaising with the ERC, even though the rest of the team has returned to Singapore.

The 55-year-old became a regular blood donor 10 years ago and later began volunteering with SRC while taking up several courses, including psychological first aid.

Having participated in week-long humanitarian missions to Pakistan and India, Cairo was his first long-term deployment. 

It is all about “building bridges, not walls” when he is there, Mr Chow said.

“It’s very important that we are able to have that connection there (with the ERC) to facilitate our work,” he explained. 

Mr van der Ros said it was “our responsibility to help”. Singapore fosters a spirit of giving and shows what a community can be when people take care of each other, he added.

“So it’s only natural that we want to bring that help to other communities as well,” he explained.

Having been on two other overseas missions with SRC – both in Sri Lanka – he is aware of the help required.

“I don’t really focus so much on the danger aspect of it. I think the important thing to remember is that it is about helping vulnerable communities," he said.

Ms Koh is one of the youngest volunteers in the team at 28 years old. 

But Mr van der Ros described her as a “veteran”, given that she has been volunteering with SRC since she was nine. She has been on humanitarian trips to the Philippines and Indonesia.

Despite the language barrier between the Egyptian and Singapore volunteers, they managed to connect over a common purpose.

“The universal language comes from the heart and a simple smile,” Ms Koh said.

FAMILY SUPPORT

All three volunteers readily put their hands up to help with relief efforts, crediting their families for supporting them and helping to make arrangements at home.

For Mr Chow, who cares for his father with dementia, it meant setting up a support network while he is away for a month.

“When I received the request (to go) … the first person I had to check with was my wife. It was with her support that I agreed to this mission, then we started planning out the rest of the logistics of how to make sure everything was okay when I’m not there,” he explained.

Besides his wife, his two sons also supported his decision to go.

“Having family support is so important. I discussed this with the family … everyone is very supportive of what I’m doing. I’m very blessed because the whole family feels that this is really a privilege that I’m able to serve.

“To be able to do something to help people is a privilege to us.”

This is SRC's third tranche of support for Gaza, where more than 1.7 million people have been displaced by the Israel-Hamas war. 

With things evolving quickly on the ground and news reports coming from Gaza every day, the situation is “a bit of a rollercoaster ride”, said Mr van der Ros.

However, the volunteers were well-trained in disaster response and were able to think on their feet. 

He said they were supported by a larger team that is on 24-hour standby, ready to pull them out if required.

“We update them on a regular basis and if they don’t hear from us … then they trigger the necessary responses,” he explained.

Ms Koh said that communication with her family was key.

“They are not sure of the situation here, so they have this assumption that everywhere is just dangerous, it’s like a war-torn place. 

“So I do reassure them that’s not the case at all, and I do update them that we’re safe here, and we actually have a team of specialists based in Singapore who are constantly being updated on our progress.”

Mr Chow said understanding the culture in the Middle East was important for forging relationships and friendships for future missions.

In the longer term, he hopes to “create something” that would help women's health and hygiene in Gaza.

The priority at the moment, however, is food, with the United Nations saying about 577,000 people in Gaza are facing imminent famine.

When asked if they would want to return for another mission, the unequivocal answer was yes.

“I think the universal (feeling) among the team is that in a situation like this, one week is not long. There’s this feeling of leaving work unfinished behind," said Mr van der Ros.

“My aspiration – and I think the team’s aspiration – (is) that we see more of these missions to be able to assist the vulnerable communities.”

But returning to help will depend on the ERC, given the complex and dynamic situation in the region.

Ms Koh said: “Being able to serve together as one, it really shows that … humanity is in our hands.”