One lady has made a huge difference in the lives of her physically challenged friends by the giving of her resources, skills, and most of all, friendship. We met with Ms S Roogmanny to find out how she does it.

What inspired you to start Friends of the Disabled Society?

Back in the 70s, while I was working in the Air Force, a colleague told me about one of her sisters who had a high fever, collapsed, and went into a coma. Although she eventually came out of the coma, she was stricken with some physical disabilities. Her sister was interested in the Bible. Knowing that I’m a Christian, my colleague requested me to visit her sister to study the Bible with her. Before that, I had never come into close contact with any disabled person before. I visited and studied God’s Word with this disabled lady over a period of time and eventually she became a Christian. I brought her to and from church, and also on outings. Deep down, I really enjoyed helping her. I felt that I could be a friend to those who are disabled.

When my 12 year contract with the Air Force was completed, I decided to embark on something I liked: working with disabled people. I was not sure if I could do the job or if I would like it as much as I thought. So with much apprehension, I took on a job in a “sheltered workshop” organization. It was a place where disabled people who are unable to find work in the job market can come and do piece-rated jobs for some companies. For example, simple packaging work. My job was to help and ensure that they got their job done on time.

Initially, I was not used to the new environment in the workshop. It was so overwhelming that I began questioning God as to why He had led me to such a place. Even so, I thought to give myself three months to see if I would adjust to this work. At the end of three months, I had built a bond with these people and I knew I did not want to leave. By the time I finally left, I had worked 16 years with the organization.

In 2000, Friends of the Disabled Society (FDS) was officially registered. Altogether, we had five ladies in the committee including myself, and we were all volunteers. We organized parties, get-togethers and other social activities for our disabled friends as well as made home visits to those who were severely disabled. A few years later, there was too much to do that could not be accomplished without a full time staff. The committee decided that I was most ideal to come in full time because of my passion for this work. After much prayer and consideration, I commenced my full time work with the society in 2004.

What does your work with FDS encompass?

Initially, we mainly organized social activities as mentioned. In my years with the “sheltered workshop” organization, I realized that what many of the disabled need is friendship. My observation is that the disabled did not require people to serve them during a party but they want friendship. The message to many able-bodied people is that you don’t just have to come, serve, and leave. But sit with them and get to know them. That is how the social interaction program was started. The main objective of any activity we organize is to allow rapport to be created between volunteers and our disabled friends.

As we were doing this, we realized that there was another need, which is visiting them at home, especially the home bound who are severely disabled. So we started to do home visitation, to get to know them and their families and render help whenever possible.

Presently, our main effort is the Skills Enrichment Program. I started to teach them to make gift products like photo frames, beaded greeting cards, key chains, bookmarks, earrings, and necklaces. Those who were interested came down to the center and slowly began to pick up different skills. The main problem I faced once they started to make the products was: “Where do I sell them?” That’s when I came to know about Social Innovation Park’s PATH (Pop and Art Talent Hub) Art Market. They gave us and many other talented people and organizations an avenue to sell handmade products at VivoCity shopping mall. This came as a great opportunity for the society to sell the handmade products of our disabled friends. Besides buying the materials (to make the products), developing new products, teaching them to our disabled Friends, and setting up the sales booth, my job also involves doing reports, administration work, fund raising projects, accompanying volunteers for the Home Visitation Program, and organizing and carrying out social interaction activities.

In recent years, do you think that Singapore’s infrastructure has improved to accommodate the physically disabled? Is it sufficient?

Definitely. Just to give you a small story: my sister’s first husband was a physically challenged person. He told me that back in the earlier years, it was nearly impossible for the disabled to find jobs, especially in big buildings – the entrance to such places will have staircases and the disabled in wheelchairs will not be able to go beyond a certain point, as there will be no ramps. Today there is definitely a lift everywhere, and ramps that provide easy accessibility for wheelchair bound people. Many buses are made accessible to wheelchair bound people too.

However, I think there can be more improvements. One of the things that has been troubling me lately is that there is no public transport subsidy for the disabled who are earning very minimal or no income. Hopefully, one day, this can be considered by our transport authorities and the disabled people will be able to receive transport subsidy. Other than that, I think the infrastructure in Singapore is much, much better than it used to be. Not only that, the thing that I like is that most schools have community involvement projects. It’s a very good idea because it exposes the students to disabled people, which will help to bring up a society that will be more conscious of them.

In your opinion, what are the felt needs of disabled people?

I wish I had a magic wand to wave around and every one of them can get a job and thereby earn an income for themselves, but it doesn’t happen that way. When I started doing this, I knew that deep in my heart, I wanted very much for them to learn some skills that will help them earn an income. So if you ask me what is their felt need – it is to get a job and support their own living. They are all in their own way struggling to earn a bit of money for themselves.

How do you keep motivated?

The disabled friends have been a great encouragement to me. Even in their condition, their positive outlook towards life and their attitude of not easily giving up in whatever they do is a great inspiration to me.

Sometimes during difficult times, I’ll start questioning God, and He in His own way will tell me that all things will be done in His own time. And that’s what I’m learning. The human being that I am, I see all the setbacks rather than the good things. There was a time when we’ve come to the stage of having nothing in our bank. Those are the months that I didn’t get my salary – which is okay because this is something that I decided I wanted to do. Yet, miraculously, things start to happen, for example, we received unexpected donations. You see when I started this work, there was a lot of prayer and seeking God, telling Him how strongly I needed His direction in my life. I’m at the stage where I know that this is the calling that I have. So I know it’s not my work, but more of God helping our special people.

If people are interested to help out, what type of volunteers are you looking for?

The sales that we’re doing in VivoCity is a permanent one, which is on the first and last weekend. We don’t have transport. More help in transportation would be great. And we need help in training our disabled friends. Recently, a group of SMU students came and taught our disabled friends how to create a blog and to open an online shop. It will be wonderful if more people with specialized skills could come forward to help to teach and share their skills with our disabled friends.

Ms S Roogmanny is a member of Moulmein Church of Christ and has been a Christian for the past thirty years. During her free time (which is very rare nowadays), she loves to try her hand at baking and experimenting with different recipes. She also enjoys taking care of her small garden, which she started outside her house.