As night settles across Singapore, a small group of volunteers begins its regular outreach work. About once a week, befrienders from Homeless Hearts of Singapore head out late at night, moving across different parts of the island to check on people who sleep rough. These are individuals who are often overlooked during the day and misunderstood online.
The outreach efforts come at a time when rough sleeping has gained more attention, especially on social media. Volunteers say that many online discussions reduce the issue to simple explanations, ignoring the deeper and more personal reasons why people end up sleeping outdoors. Such views, they say, can make it harder to build trust with those they are trying to help.
Building trust through consistent presence
According to volunteer head and outreach coordinator Derek Lim, family and relationship issues are often behind rough sleeping. “They do share that they feel lonely and by befriending them, we are creating a source of support, which comes in the form of friendships and emotional support,” he said.
Mr Lim explained that reaching out is not always easy. Younger rough sleepers tend to move between temporary places such as friends’ homes or hostels, making them harder to locate. Older individuals may be easier to find but may not be ready to accept help.
“If it’s just not being ready for help, then we will not force so we will continue to befriend them and journey with them, which might take a long time,” he said. “But it’s also okay, because at the end of the day, it is about the friendships, about accepting them for where they are at now.”
Stories from the ground
One rough sleeper, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, said he left home nearly two years ago after frequent arguments with his wife. “I constantly fought with my wife, then she threatened to divorce me, so I started sleeping downstairs,” he said.
Another individual, using the name Lucas, lost his family home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical issues such as vertigo made full-time work difficult, but he has since found part-time employment. “I do not actually need help … I am working part-time, enough money to eat,” he said. “Work properly, and people will respect you, even when you are homeless.”
Respect and dignity
Volunteers stressed that dignity matters and can be easily lost when rough sleepers are reported to authorities or filmed without consent. Many fear being recognised and do not want their families or employers to know about their situation.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua, who joins outreach walks, said trust takes time to build. “Over time, say a matter of months or sometimes even a couple of years, form that relationship and form that sense of trust,” he said.
Recent figures show 496 rough sleepers were counted in July 2025, down from 530 in 2022, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development. The ministry has also announced a S$450,000 fund to support community organisations working on homelessness.
