31 October 2021

ACMI, a non-profit organisation that serves migrants in Singapore, and UGAT Foundation (UGAT), a non-profit organisation that provides counselling and educational programmes to the marginalised today announced a collaboration that will give migrant workers access to UGAT’s counselling facilities and mental wellness programs in their native languages.

“The pandemic has wrought havoc not only physically but also in peoples’ minds and hearts. People who have called in and messaged in on our crisis line indicated elevated anxiety where worries led to depression and confusion to helplessness. Fortunately, with technology, we were still able to address these gaps in human contact and support many through virtual online sessions,” said Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, SJ, UGAT Foundation.

“Mental wellness is a big issue these days and with the pandemic, migrants have really felt the depth of hopelessness and despair many more folds. As foreigners, there are language and cultural barriers and that makes it even more challenging for them. By providing counselling and helpline services in different languages, it helps to bridge this gap and seek early intervention,” said Jacob Soo, Executive Director.

In response to the growing need for psycho-emotional support, UGAT and ACMI partnered to offer free online counselling for migrants in Singapore. Together, they developed “SGot Kita, Kabayan!” a designated free helpline for individuals and migrant workers residing in Singapore. Additionally, free online counselling services will also be offered to couples and families. These services will initially be offered to Filipinos in Singapore and later to migrant workers from Myanmar, Vietnam, China, and India in their native languages at different phases. The areas of mental health and wellness that will be covered include:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Resilience

• Dealing with Grief and Loss

• Self-Awareness

• Stress Management

• Emotional Intelligence & Social Intelligence

• Relationship Management

• Adulting

The service will be made available from 31 October 2021, 9pm. The helpline service is open on Monday – Sunday, 9pm – 12am. Free counselling services may be accessed by migrants in Singapore through the following:

SGot Kita, Kabayan! Helpline UGAT-ACMI Free Counseling Services
UGAT’s SGot Kita, Kabayan Helpline are available for (Filipino) migrants in Singapore. SGot Kita, Kabayan is a designated free online helpline developed specifically for migrants in Singapore. UGAT has counsellors who speak various languages and dialects in the Philippines, such as Tagalog, Cebuano, Bicolano, Bisaya, and Hiligaynon, for those clients who are more comfortable sharing in their own language.

About ACMI

ACMI, commissioned by the Archdiocese to serve all migrants in Singapore – welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating them into our community – regardless of socioeconomic status and religion. Our ministry includes Skills Development, Case Management, Outreach & Engagement and Formation. For more information, please visit www.acmi.org.sg, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube

About UGAT Foundation

UGAT Foundation Inc., an apostolate for grassroot families, has been conducting its ministry through psychological interventions and family systemic approaches since 1992. The foundation has worked closely with various Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and Government Organizations (GOs) by offering personal and group guidance and counseling for the disadvantaged sectors of the Philippine society.

The organization began as an advocacy to address the emotional and social problems of the poor and marginalized in a systematic way which later expanded to provide psycho-spiritual interventions. These interventions are counseling, values formation with enrichment and curative services. Seminars and workshops on Basic and advance trainings for counselors and therapists on a variety of counseling and family intervention techniques, seminar-workshops on therapeutic techniques used in difficult cases, and leadership programs for organizations are among the Foundation’s service offerings.

UGAT’s online counselling and psycho-emotional intervention services are supported by more than 50 volunteer Psychologists, Mental Health professionals, and Counsellors trained to do online counselling and group facilitation.

For more information, please visit facebook.com/ugatfoundationinc
Media Contact: ACMI: Grace Chow grace.chow@catholic.org.sg | Mary Njo mary.njo@catholic.org.sg, UGAT Foundation: Kim Regine Lim klim@ateneo.edu