A Facebook post about a Porsche SUV almost hitting an elderly woman collecting cardboard has been making its round this week. The Facebook user — one Vladimir Guevarra — said that social services could perhaps help the woman, who he said looked "too old and frail" to be collecting cardboard.
Two days later, vegetarian hawker stall Mummy Yummy shared on Facebook that they had found the woman — identified as Madam Cha — and that she is being taken care of by her son, and collects cardboard as a way to pass time and exercise, while earning a small income.
"Juxtaposition" of luxury car and cardboard collector
In his Facebook post on Monday (Dec. 7), Guevarra said that he saw the woman when he was cycling past Eng Hoon Street in Tiong Bahru last week.
While she was collecting cardboard and stacking them on her trolley, a Porsche SUV began reversing toward her.
Photo via Facebook / Vladimir Guevarra.
Guevarra said that he called out to alert the Porsche driver about the elderly woman, but that the driver did not hear him until the driver's presumed wife signalled to him to stop.
Guevarra wrote that he was struck by the juxtaposition of the elderly woman and the rich man in the Porsche, and was "stunned" by how big the woman's stack of cardboard was.
He said that he gave her money and told her to have some dinner, and asked in his Facebook post whether social services might be able to help her.
"She looked too old, and shouldn't be doing this. #richpoordivide", he wrote.
Lives with her son, collects cardboard to pass time
On Wednesday (Dec. 9), Mummy Yummy posted on Facebook that after two days of scouting, they had been able to find Madam Cha after seeing the viral Facebook post.
Photo via Facebook / Mummy Yummy.
They shared that Madam Cha is taken care of by her son, and said that based on their conversation with her, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's staff check up on her well-being.
Her habit of collect cardboard is to pass time and exercise, while generating a small income from it, Mummy Yummy wrote.
Does not need additional help
They added that Madam Cha told them that she does not need help from the Social Service Office or government agencies, but that she is getting some money every three months from Silver Support, which is managed for her by her son.
Mummy Yummy said that they contacted Madam Cha's son and asked to do a house visit, to see if it is possible to provide meals for Madam Cha.
The food stall also wrote that they tried to convince Madam Cha to stop collecting cardboard, but that after chatting with her, they compromised and agreed as long as she looks out for health and road safety.
"We encourage everyone to help and push her trolley whenever you guys see her especially on the roads. It will cut down her time moving around with the loads and it shouldn’t take you more than 30mins to do that."
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The food stall, which is known for their socially-conscious business model, also recently responded to another viral Facebook post about a blind 70-year-old uncle who sells biscuits.
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Top photos via Facebook / Vladimir Guevarra and Mummy Yummy.