‘I understand what it feels like to be excluded’: SMU grad started project to befriend migrant workers
Masliana started the initiative to care for migrant workers confined to their dorms during the pandemic.
SMU graduate Masliana Noormasliana Noorazman started Project Candela to bridge the gap between migrant workers and the wider community in Singapore. In 2021, Noormasliana faced exclusion and microaggressions during her internship, which made her empathize with the plight of migrant workers. She teamed up with fellow students to host Zoom chats with workers and reached out to ItsRainingRaincoats, a charity that fosters connections between migrant workers and Singapore residents.
Over three sessions, she and her peers checked in on the mental health of migrant workers and discussed their cultures. Masliana later expanded the initiative into Project Candela under SMU's Rotaract Club, aiming to foster connections between migrant workers and the community. Her passion for social causes began during her time at Temasek Polytechnic, where she tutored children from lower-income families.
Masliana's research on migrant workers' wishes and the right to rest, as well as her sensitivity training for volunteers, has helped the initiative forge connections with around 200 migrant workers and 100 volunteers over the past six years. She hopes to eventually launch a non-profit organization to advocate for the migrant worker community.
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