The stories behind: After a week in Egypt overseeing aid to Gazans, a S’porean volunteer is trying to return to normal life without feeling guilty

VOLUNTEERING FOR THE SINGAPORE RED CROSS

Ms Ng first became attracted to volunteering when she was in high school and helped out during a newspaper donation drive organized by the school.

“I was the last one to leave,” she remembers. “I was loading the newspapers onto the trucks even after everyone had left. I don’t know why, but I enjoyed it.”

Amid several volunteer stints, he discovered the Singapore Red Cross after taking a boating license class in 2014.

Her sailing instructor had told her she could help with flood disasters and, hoping to put her new license to good use, she volunteered at the charity.

That was 10 years ago. Fast forward to 2024, Ms Ng said she and several volunteers were asked by the Singapore Red Cross to head to North Sinai to oversee the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Her parents, understandably concerned for their daughter’s safety, tried to dissuade her, but to no avail.

“I tried to assure them of Red Cross protocol… like being careful of my surroundings and (having) a ‘go bag’ prepared. Nothing can stop me,” he said.

Volunteering with the Singapore Police Force also helped him improve his situational awareness, he added.

The “go bag” is an emergency bag filled with essential items, such as documents and food, that volunteers can quickly grab and go in an urgent situation.

While in Egypt, the volunteers obtained supplies to pack several packages to be transported to Gaza through the land crossing, with the help of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society.

Ms Ng worked on the children’s and women’s packages, which met needs identified by Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers for women and children in Gaza.

Other volunteers on the trip helped with food packages, which included essential items such as beans, flour and rice.

“There were some things that were expected, like menstrual products. But we also took into account cultural and religious needs, like providing prayer stockings and hijabs (scarves and headscarves),” she said of the packages for women.

“We also had several considerations, such as whether the product should be reusable or disposable, because we had to balance price and also how practical it was.”

By sourcing items from Egypt, the team was able to reduce the cost of items by almost half, which meant they were able to deliver more packages and help more Palestinians.

GUILT IS NEVER ENOUGH

The Singapore Red Cross estimated the packages would help 45,000 people, or about 9,000 families, for five to seven days.

However, the organization’s executive director, Benjamin William, told media last week that this was a “drop in the ocean” compared to the 1.7 million people displaced by the ongoing war.

Ms Ng was visibly upset when I asked her what she thought about this, admitting that it was a guilt that many volunteers struggled to deal with when providing aid, especially as there is no end in sight to the conflict in Gaza.

“But if nothing is done at all, it could mean that a person would starve to death,” he continued. “That’s why we need awareness… and for people to contribute, donate and support relief efforts so we can help more people.”

She added that she and the other volunteers also felt frustrated while in Egypt because they could not get closer to the Gaza border and areas where needy refugees were staying.

However, they understood that this was for their safety and that several permits were needed to approach the border.

“I think we had to manage our expectations, because some things were out of our control. Of course, we wanted to be there, provide help in person and alleviate some of the struggles that Palestinians face, but it was not possible.

“If we were to suffer injuries, that could jeopardize future aid missions to Egypt and Gaza,” he said., adding that the ongoing war in Gaza is “volatile.” “What if no other volunteers want to go to Egypt or Gaza because we have put ourselves in danger and been injured?”

This was in stark contrast to her humanitarian aid trip to Laos, where she had been one of the first Singapore Red Cross volunteers to reach the disaster site.

“We spent two days traveling there with no idea which areas were dry and where we could stay,” he recalled.

During that trip, she had to be more active in ensuring sanitation and hygiene and alerting the Singapore Red Cross about the situation in Laos.

While the two trips could have been quite different, Ms Ng said she found comfort in having done the best she could and in thinking about the impact her efforts, however small, can have on people in times of crisis. .

“I started volunteering in person because I didn’t have money to donate, so I donate my time. Now I continue to donate my time because I find meaning in it,” she said.

What’s next for her? Ms Ng plans to focus on launching her business in June and becoming a volunteer trainer at the Singapore Red Cross to equip more volunteers with the skills needed to provide humanitarian aid in crisis situations.

She will also continue to volunteer with the Singapore Red Cross’s TransportAid service, which provides transport for elderly and disabled people to and from medical centres.

If given the opportunity, Ms Ng hopes to make another aid trip to Gaza if her skills can support the charity’s efforts.

As we concluded our interview, he asked if the article could include a donation link to the Singapore Red Cross’s efforts for Gaza.

“The more donations we have, the more needs we can meet,” he explained.

I wish I could be half as selfless as her.

To donate to Singapore Red Cross’s efforts for Gaza, visit redcross.sg/gazaresponse.