Our History

The Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Skills Training (FAST) was formed on 23 March 2005 as a society. It was registered under the Charities Act on 11 Dec 2007. In December 2015, FAST was approved as an Institute of a Public Character.

The Executive Committee Members comprise the following office bearers:

Name	Appointment
Mr Lim Fang Sung Chief Executive Officer, Unity Assurance PAC	President
Mr Michael Chew, PBM Chief Executive Officer, AVA Insurance Brokers Pte Ltd	Vice President
Mr Leslie Yong, BBM(L) Non-Executive Director, JK Tech Holdings Ltd	Vice President
Mdm Helen Tan  Director, Goodyear Employment	Honorary Secretary
Mdm Ivy Tan  Managing Director, Apex Employment Agency	Honorary Assistant Secretary
Dr Cheah Kim Fee  Dental Surgeon	Honorary Treasurer
Pastor Rey Solano Pastor, Victory Family Centre Ltd	Honorary Assistant Treasurer
Mr Seah Seng Choon, JP, PBM	EXCO Member
Mdm Irene Tan  Business Development	EXCO Member
Mdm Patricia Chua  Business Entrepreneur	EXCO Member
Mr Louis Lim, BBM Lawyer, William Poh & Louis Lim	EXCO Member

Since April 2013, FAST, a charity supported by MOM, has expanded its role. Besides providing skills training, FAST now also provides social support to the Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) working in Singapore. As such, it has changed its name to the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training.

2.     The key objectives at its inception were two folds:-

a)  to level up the skill sets of MDWs working in Singapore with core skills so that they can add- value to their work and thus benefit their employers and the local community as a whole; and

b) to enhance their future employability through acquisition of specialised and professional skills

3.     Since its inception, FAST has planned and organised many core skill courses and specialised and professional skill programmes for about 25,000 MDWs annually. These courses included cooking, baking, pastry making, infant care, eldercare, foot reflexology, nursing care, computer skills, English, stress management, financial management and entrepreneurial skills.

4.     Besides achieving the two core objectives, FAST also conducts a two-day Onboarding and Integration Programme to help new MDW arrivals adjust and adapt to worklife in Singapore.

Role Expansion

5.     In 2012, the government announced the mandatory off-day policy for all MDWs working in In essence, since 1 January 2013, all new MDWs were entitled to one rest-day per week. This policy also applies to existing MDWs who renew their contracts with their employers.

6.     In anticipation of huge numbers of MDWs having their one off-day per week, FAST took a decision to expand its role by taking on the following:-

a)   ramp up its training programmes by collaborating with more training providers and community clubs/centres to offer training courses;

b)   introduce a Helpline specifically for MDWs to advise them on their contractual rights, provide assistance to MDWs who are victimised, in trouble or in distress;

c)    implement a Befrienders’ Service to provide more social spaces for MDWs and collegial support for MDWs who are lonely or distressed;

d)    provided free mediation services and pro bono legal assistance;

e)   started a humanitarian assistance fund to help deserving MDWs who are in major financial difficulties; and

f)    set up a club house to provide social, recreational and educational activities for MDWs.

Skills Upgrading Opportunities for MDWs

7.     The training strategies adopted by FAST over the years were to:-

a)    obtain support from employers to release MDWs to attend FAST subsidized training courses;

b)    encourage participation from MDWs through affordable and low course fees; and

c)    create greater awareness and publicity for courses conducted by FAST and its Approved Training Providers;

8.     In line with FAST’s vision of enhancing MDW’s contribution to their employers and the local community in Singapore, FAST continued to facilitate and provide livelihood development courses and training at subsidized rate for MDWs. FAST is happy to receive many positive feedbacks regarding our courses from employers and MDWs and is also pleased to note various success stories from MDWs who have made good after attending FAST training courses.

Ramping up Training

9.     Since April 2013, FAST has expanded its training courses by signing Training MOUs with training providers including SOHA Institute, Media Transformation Ministry (MTM), Aria Training & Consultancy, ASKI Global Ltd, AiMs Learning International, Aaxonn Pte Ltd, and Care Academy to expand its repertoire of courses offered.

10.     AOHA supports FAST through providing reflexology, nursing and confinement care skills training. ASKI Global and MTM enhance the capability of MDWs by offering courses such as entrepreneurial skills and financial management Aria Training & Consultancy specialises in a maternal and infant care, and confinement care programmes. Aaxonn and Care Academy provide intensive training for Elder-caregiving, including specialist modules on Dementia and Palliative Care.

11.     In the pipeline, FAST is working with training providers to offer courses in Caring for Persons with Parkinson’s Disease, Caring for Persons with Disability, Infant and Confinement Care, Basic Skills in Child Minding, Specialist Programme in Child Minding and Development, Mandarin for Survival AND Read, Write, Speak English for Work-Life.

Helpline, Befriending and Humanitarian Aid

12.     In May 2013, FAST announced the launch of the 24-hour MDW Helpline 1800-339-4357. The Helpline was officially started in June 2013. Thus far, FAST has received an average of about 180 calls a Most of the enquiries pertained to contractual issues like eligibility for off-days, salaries, requests for transfers, loneliness, home leave and such. There were also some distressed calls which were expeditiously referred to the relevant authorities to take immediate action. Interestingly, there were many calls from lonely MDWs who just needed someone to talk with.

13.     Align with the objective of the Helpline and in particular to cater to the needs of lonely and distressed MDWs, FAST launched the Befrienders Service in July 2013 to provide another avenue for MDWs to socialise through group activities. Some of the activities held at the Befrienders Service include weekly gatherings where the MDWs participate in Teambuilding activities, attend workshops and learning The Befrienders Service provides opportunities for the MDWs to socialise and make friends through group activities. Once a month, the MDWs go on a heritage and educational tour of Singapore to enhance their knowledge of our country and internalise the different cultures and customs of its people.

14.     FAST Humanitarian Assistance helps deserving MDWs who are in serious financial difficulties. To date, FAST has helped among others, a MDW recover her salary, provide ex-gratia to a MDW who was owed months of salary and another who incurred huge medical bills. FAST receives referrals from our Helpline, the Ministry, other non-profit partners, Embassies, High Commissions, and the general public.

Outreach Events

15.     To reach out to more MDWs and their employers, FAST organised a MDW Day annually to recognise the contributions of MDWs both to their employers and the local community as a whole. Besides, FAST also organised mass events like Mothers’ Day motivation talk and grooming seminar, Graduation Ceremony, Educational and Health Festival, Independence Day Celebrations and Festive Gatherings.

Many Helping Hands

16.     FAST works closely with many partners in providing social support and training for the MDWs. They include Ambassadors and staff from Embassies, Training Providers, Employment agencies, other NPOs and government agencies. The Embassies also strongly supports FAST events and activities by attending its events and in particular, the annual MDW Day.

Clubhouse for MDWs

17.     In May 2014, FAST set up the MDW Befrienders Clubhouse to provide another platform for MDWs to spend their time meaningfully during their rest days. The MDWs can celebrate their birthdays, join fitness classes, accesses the computer lab to skype with their loved ones, watch movies, sing karaoke and listen to talks on financial planning and self-improvement. The Clubhouse offers a good platform for the MDWs to mingle and make new friends.

18.     In response to its vision of setting up a one-stop multi-service integrated hub for MDWs, FAST relocated to 3 Chin Cheng Avenue, Singapore 429401. The FAST Hub offers many benefits both to the MDWs, Employers, Associate and Business Partners. These include:

a.    a training academy offering training programmes to level up MDWs’ vocational  and future employability skills;

b.    opportunities for EAs to send their MDWs to FAST for the needed training before placing them;

c.   Settling-In-Programme and Onboarding and Integration Programme for all new MDW arrivals at the centre;

d.    medical and dental centre for MDWs;

e.   enabling MDWs staying at the transit centre to access the clubhouse facilities;

f.     a social support centre that provides pro-bono legal, counselling services and mediation for those who needy MDWs; and

g.     a super clubhouse offering fitness classes, gym, entertainment centre and more.

How is FAST supported?

19.     FAST operates on a very lean At the onset, the Lee Foundation supported FAST with some seed money. Later, Keppel Corporation also came in with a one-off donation. However, these were ad hoc donations and together with smaller sums of donations from well-wishers, FAST kept its operation lean with five staff and a group of passionate volunteers from different nationalities. The donations were utilised mainly as subsidies for MDW training, defray cost for events and disbursed as Humanitarian Aid.

20.     As for the MDW Day and mass events, FAST depends entirely on the good will one-off donation from the Ministry, our training providers, partners, well-wishers and corporate supporters.

FAST’s Mission Going Forward

21.     FAST will continue to expand its footprint in the provision of social support, training and humanitarian We will continue to engage relevant stakeholders and provide the needed intervention to serve the interest of the MDWs.

22.     Beside the embassies, FAST also engages the Employment Agencies to have dialogue on issues of concerns of the MDWs and also to garner their commitment to support training, social events and humanitarian assistance offered by We will continue to engage more EAs for this cause.

23.     FAST will also continue to work with other NGO partners to provide a holistic set of services to meet the needs of the MDWs because “many helping hands make light work”.