'Homeless: The Untold Story of a Mother’s Struggle in Crazy Rich Singapore' by Liyana Dharmirah

Plot Summary: 

Ten years ago, Liyana Dhamirah was in a precarious situation: at 22, she was heavily pregnant and had no place to call home. For Liyana, home was often unstable. Once a bright teenager full of optimism, she faced uncertainty and found no support from family, government agencies and welfare groups. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. When she started living on a beach in Sembawang, she discovered a community of people—families—who were homeless just like her. They stuck together and watched out for each other, even when there were raids. She learned that in prosperous Singapore, the homeless are not always identifiable by appearance alone. Months later, journalists eventually uncovered Liyana’s story and how she navigated a bureaucracy of obstacles. Today she is a successful entrepreneur and this is her memoir.

My Thoughts:

For anyone who knows Singapore from the "Crazy Rich Asians" Hollywood movie or passed by for a quick stopover/holiday, you might have the impression of this country being glamorous, prosperous and well off. It's hard to fathom the concept of homelessness in the Lion City when you can't quite see it. The reality for some citizens is that this is in fact the opposite, with a small number of the population having to resort to benches, tents and void decks as their "homes". The Ministry of Social and Family Development estimated that they provided assistance to a yearly average of 290 homeless people from 2016 to 2018. This however does not include those who are moving house to house (from friends & family who is giving to provide temporary housing) to get by, so it's likely the number of homeless people in Singapore is even higher. Something also to note: homelessness doesn't necessarily mean you couldn't hold down a job or were frail. They were able-bodied and held jobs however they received wages that were just not enough to pay for rent. Sure you can ask friends and family for assistance, but sometimes this can be the only option. 

As I learnt through Liyana's story, homelessness can happen to anybody, and sometimes in life there are aspects we can't control. The perspective towards the parts we can control, however, is key. And this is how her story-telling really helps shine a light on the lived experience of poverty. This book stares you in the face to ask: what would you do in this situation? How would you cope? When you're trying to figure out where to shower, where to eat, how to sleep and even how to deliver a baby when you haven't been to the gynecologist since you found out you were pregnant, your strongest side is tested. Instead Liyana placed her energy towards how she could lift herself out of the difficult situation: advocating for her rights in whatever opportunity she could and finding solace in her community at Sembawang. Where so many would struggle, she dug deep. 

One thing I didn't expect to happen when reading this memoir was to find connections to my own experience. So many parts of this book really resonated, having lived in a women's refuge as a child. Moments all too familiar: eating rice with salt when food was running low, having your belongings crushed in black plastic bags stacked up on top of each other, divorce, the difficulties of policies not serving those most vulnerable. There were moments in the book that honestly became too much to read, triggering memories long buried. I was sobbing through her words of triumph. Of success. Of sadness. Even now as I type this review, tears seep down my cheeks. I saw so much of my own mother in Liyana's story, and definitely had a good cry with mum once I finished the book on a Sunday afternoon. An experience like this builds muscle, a muscle of resilience made of titanium. An armor that can't be defeated. 

Thank you Liyana for sharing this story. Thank you for being the tenacious woman that you are today and a role model to so so many. We need to hear more of these stories, especially when they're not heard enough. This book review will never express the gratitude I have for your words. Thank you — so much. 

'Homeless: The Untold Story of a Mother’s Struggle in Crazy Rich Singapore' is available for purchase at Epigram, BooksActually and Kinokuniya.  You can also have a look at Homeless Hearts of Singapore to learn more on how to alleviate homelessness in Singapore.