This Is Not Their Home

In Singapore, it is often assumed that everyone would jump at the opportunity to move into a new apartment. But for the 414 households affected by a relocation exercise in Toa Payoh, one of the oldest public housing estates in Singapore, saying goodbyes was not so easy. Predominantly elderly residents, many of them have stayed in the same rental unit for four decades. Many still call this area, affectionately, “my kampong”, which is village in English.

While the area they had to live with for decades would be considered too small by today’s standard, many had adapted by utilising public spaces, while others found contentment in their modest accommodations. The sudden requirement to relocate left many bewildered and uncertain about their future.