Cover ItsRainingRaincoats supports migrant workers across Singapore. Photo: Suhaimi Abdullah/NurPhoto via Getty Images
ItsRainingRaincoats supports migrant workers across Singapore. Photo: Suhaimi Abdullah/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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A chance encounter in a storm set lawyer Dipa Swaminathan on a path that would transform migrant support in Singapore. Ten years on, ItsRainingRaincoats has become a lifeline of dignity, solidarity, and hope—and marks the milestone with a gala that puts workers centre stage
On July 26, a section of Tanjong Katong South Road suddenly gave way, creating a three-metre-deep sinkhole. In a stroke of misfortune, it swallowed a car with its driver still inside. The driver was saved within minutes by seven migrant workers, who improvised with a nylon rope from their worksite. Tossing it into the pit, they pulled her to safety in under five minutes.
Led by Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, the men were formally recognised with the Friends of ACE (FACE) coin from the Ministry of Manpower, a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Community Lifesaver Award, and a year’s worth of mobile data and goodie bags comprising household essentials. While their bravery was widely commended, many members of the public felt the recognition fell short of the risk they had taken.
That was when non-profit organisation It’s Raining Raincoats (IRR) stepped in, launching a fundraiser that raised S$72,241—surpassing its target by more than S$2,000.
Once again, It’s Raining Raincoats (IRR) rallied the community—hosting an appreciation event with the children’s parents at its inspIRRe store, and raising nearly S$58,000 through a public fundraiser.
These acts of courage and solidarity capture the heart of IRR’s mission. Founded in 2015 by lawyer Dipa Swaminathan, the charity has since become a cornerstone of migrant welfare and integration in Singapore. On September 21, it marks its 10th anniversary with a gala, themed ‘From Rain to Radiance — Celebrating a Decade of Impact’, to raise funds for its upcoming initiatives.
In case you missed it: ItsRainingRaincoats founder Dipa Swaminathan reveals how and why she started a charity for migrant workers in Singapore
We first shared the story of IRR’s beginnings in our November 2023 cover story with Swaminathan, and it deserves to be told again.
In 2014, on a stormy day, she stopped to help two drenched migrant workers, bringing them home for food, clothes, and shelter. Months later, one of them—Murugan—attempted suicide after his wages were withheld. With no one else to call, the police turned to Swaminathan. At the Institute of Mental Health, where he had been sent, she found him broken and despondent. Determined to intervene, she fought for his employer to be held accountable. Within a week, his back pay was released and the charges against him dropped. Murugan eventually returned home, but the experience left an indelible mark on her.
That “aha moment” was quickly followed by another. Seeing workers clad in garbage bags for rain protection while their supervisor stood dry under an umbrella, she demanded their employer act. Days later, the same men were in yellow raincoats.
Those early acts of compassion soon gained momentum. Murugan’s story was featured on The People of Singapore Facebook page and caught the attention of the Singapore Kindness Movement, which invited her to lead a 2015 Kindness Day SG project to distribute raincoats to workers.
From that single raincoat, ItsRainingRaincoats has since grown into a nationwide movement. As it marks its tenth anniversary, Swaminathan reflects on how far it has come—and how much more there is to do.
Above Dipa Swaminathan, founder of ItsRainingRaincoats. Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow
Dipa Swaminathan, founder of ItsRainingRaincoats. Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow
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“When we first spoke in 2023, it was on the back end of the pandemic. There was a swell of support and a surge of awareness. We had a lot of support in terms of funding, volunteer interests and resources. Now, I feel like it’s drying up a little as the popular perception is that everything is okay with the migrant workers.”
She stresses that the underlying problems have never gone away. “A lot of the current issues… are still relevant discussion points, such as their transport and pay scales. Those issues, and a lot of the daily struggles they face—we still need help [in assisting them with those]. As donations dry up, the work doesn’t dry up.”
That is why the 10th anniversary carries such weight. “There has to be renewed interest around this cause. There are still close to 1 million migrant workers in Singapore. They are still the ones who build our homes, prune our trees, build our highways and maintain them and do all our work. We can’t survive without them. But they don’t really have a bargaining chip… Often they’ve taken huge loans, so they can’t even go back. They’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. But as an evolved first world country with a conscience, we have to do what is morally right to treat them well. This has to be constantly reinforced.”
That conviction will take centre stage at the upcoming gala, where each table will seat a migrant worker to spark direct conversations, and a runway segment will pair workers with volunteers in a powerful symbol of integration. “There’s now an outpouring of support from companies, schools, even preschools,” says Swaminathan. “That wasn’t the case 11 years ago. To see that shift alone makes the last decade feel incredibly well spent.”
Migrant workers on a visit to the Singapore Flyer with ItsRainingRaincoats
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For those unfamiliar with the breadth of IRR’s work today, its programmes also extend far beyond crisis response. The inspIRRe store, Singapore’s first free shop for migrant workers, offers donated toiletries, electronics, and essentials. There are laptop donation drives, Makan with Migrant Workers, distributions of unsold food from Starbucks outlets, and access to dental and vision care. Through the Madwish programme, workers also receive free English lessons.
For 41-year-old Magesh Sundaram, the lessons helped him gain confidence at work. He first encountered IRR when the group provided raincoats for his team, and during the lockdown when they called every few days to check in. “When they started the lockdown, I think if IRR didn’t help, we would suffer. We wouldn’t be able to go out, and [instead], always stay in the dormitory,” he says. “They took a risk, arranged a bus, and went to tourist attractions like Marina Bay. They helped us then, and we still keep in touch with them.”
Having worked in Singapore for 18 years, Sundaram has seen IRR evolve. “In the past, if any accidents were to happen, I couldn’t talk to my boss. I was scared that he wouldn’t be happy. With ItsRainingRaincoats now, we have the confidence to do so as they help us. We feel like one family. We don’t feel alone in Singapore now.”
That sense of support is echoed by Maruthamuthu Muruutavel, who first connected with IRR on Facebook. He recalls instances where the organisation provided financial assistance in times of crisis—$10,000 for the bereaved family of a worker who had died by suicide, and fundraising to support another who suffered a heart attack on the job.”
Dental assistance is also provided to migrant workers
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The 10th anniversary gala will spotlight those connections, bringing migrant workers and the wider community together.
For Swaminathan, IRR’s true achievement lies in the relationships it has nurtured. “There are a lot of human connections that have been created through this, with migrant workers, volunteers, journalists. It’s a whole ecosystem that we’ve created… it was a human thread that has woven around Singapore to build a social security net for these migrant workers. That is so beautiful because it shows the power of the community to get together and build something very organically to sustain its weakest.”
She frames the legacy in simple but enduring terms: “The legacy we hope for is to have built bridges of engagement between Singaporeans and residents of Singapore on the one side, and our migrant workers that stand the test of time.”
And for the workers themselves, the vision for the future is clear. As 26-year-old Vellaisamy Venkateswaren puts it: “Believe in ourselves. Be confident. Aim for your big dreams.” With the help of organisations like IRR, those dreams feel possible.
Join It’s Raining Raincoats on September 21 for its 10th Anniversary Gala—a luncheon that honours the resilience of Singapore’s migrant workers and the community that stands beside them.
Secure a table, lend your support through the auction, or make a contribution that will continue IRR’s work in uplifting nearly a million migrant workers who help shape the city we call home. Head to the ItsRainingRaincoats website for more information.
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Credits
Photography: ItsRainingRaincoats
Nafeesa Saini is the Features Editor at Tatler Singapore, where she shapes long-form stories on culture, business, philanthropy, wellness, and the people driving change in Asia. With a deep interest in storytelling that intersects meaningfully with identity and impact, she has profiled a diverse range of visionaries, from scientific pioneers in AI and health to creative trailblazers and literary minds.
Nafeesa’s writing includes cover stories and profiles that spotlight influential voices, alongside commentary on the trends reshaping our world.
Off the clock, Nafeesa unwinds with fiction, a good thrift hunt, and ‘brainrot’ TikTok scroll—while always keeping one eye on her next cultural getaway, usually to Indonesia.
