We often walk past them, the uncles and aunties who sit in wheelchairs or on cardboard sheets at pedestrian walkways, or beside convenience stores.
Community Heroes : We visit tissue-paper peddlers weekly to offer support. Their stories changed our lives
The very first peddler we spoke to, Uncle Jasni, had a tumultuous history with alcohol and cigarettes. Since then, we have expanded from just one residential district, Clementi, to conducting weekly walkabouts in 12, including Bedok, Hougang and Toa Payoh. What began as curiosity about why someone might sit outdoors and sell tissue-paper packets led to a deep exploration of the diverse needs and inner world of these peddlers — from their financial or healthcare anxieties to feelings of isolation.
We sometimes find out that a peddler is hospitalised through another peddler and visit them knowing that they live alone and have lost contact with their family members. I began to see that my journey was not just about my own story, but to treasure the diverse forms of strength and courage that exist in the most vulnerable.
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