Helping Joy keeps kampung spirit alive
Hoarding, while identified as a result of a mental condition, can also be caused by other factors unknown to anyone looking in from the outside.
And hoarders often fall into a spiral and their living conditions become so dire, they need a village to help them regain their foothold in life.
Singapore charity Helping Joy has volunteers to do just that – help hoarders declutter.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee on June 9 shared a Facebook post in which he highlighted the work done by Helping Joy and several other partners in cleaning up a flat.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the flat at Block 613 in Clementi West Street 2 belonged to a 68-year-old man whose hoarding had filled his flat with clutter.
The man fell and had to be hospitalised.
Mr Lee joined the volunteers to clean up the flat – removing the junk, scrubbing the furniture and giving the walls a fresh coat of paint.
"He had been hoarding things in his flat for many years but he had recently suffered a fall. There were also flammable liquids in the flat, and electrical sockets were at risk of being overloaded. There was little space to walk or sit," wrote Mr Lee.
The Ministry of National Development Municipal Services Office, and Housing & Development Board helped in the decluttering and joined Helping Joy to sort out the items with the homeowner. The West Coast PA Residents Network helped to haul away the unwanted items.
"It took many hours to declutter and makeover a flat that had been hoarded with things for many years. Not to mention the visits and coordination meetings before the work started. The many hands which worked together made a difference, and the flat was transformed," added Mr Lee.
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