A Facebook post by social enterprise Project Pencil Singapore recently highlighted the plight of two orphaned brothers who needed basic household furnishings for their newly-allocated rental unit.

A volunteer with Pencil Project Singapore, Sarimah, told Mothership that one of the boys had contacted her, requesting a used washing machine.

When she visited the brothers, Sarimah realised that their rental flat was "bare" and not "liveable".

In the photos that Sarimah took during her visit, it seems that the boys had spread a thin towel on the floor, using it as their "bed".

Their belongings were placed in a small pile on the floor as well as there were no shelving or storage units.

Sarimah said that the boys were "simple" and did not want for much.

They own just a few articles of clothing and would rotate their outfits between washes, explaining their urgent need for a washing machine.

First knew of one boy during Circuit Breaker

Sarimah told Mothership that she first came to know one of the boys last year during the Circuit Breaker, after residents complained that he had been sleeping at a staircase landing of a HDB block in Yishun.

She later learned that the boy, an orphan, had no shelter and was forced to spend months rough-sleeping.

Thankfully, a generous family in the neighbourhood took him in for a few months while he got back on his feet.

He was subsequently reunited with his brother.

The brothers, both of whom are in their 20s, were then offered a rental flat by New Hope Community Services.

They shared the rental flat with other tenants for a year before they were offered a rental unit of their own in the north of Singapore.

Volunteers came together to donate items

Sarimah quickly mobilised her "gang", a bunch of residents who volunteer with Yishun Seventy One, and even put out an appeal on Facebook, asking for donations:

Thankfully, Sarimah's friends "willingly came to the rescue" and responded to her call for assistance.

Together, the volunteers collected fans, mattresses, pillows and blankets so that the brothers could catch a good night's sleep comfortably.

Sarimah also shared that a fridge will be delivered to the brothers by the end of the week.

Overwhelming support

After Pencil Project Singapore put up its post, there was an outpouring of support from Facebook users who were eager to lend the boys a helping hand.

Facebook users were keen to supply the brothers with furniture, household electrical appliances, food, and essentials. Some users even offered to support the boys financially.

Sarimah told Mothership that the brothers' basic needs have been taken care of at the moment. The brothers are currently working and usually eat outside or prepare instant meals.

Sarimah is currently working on improving their living space by cleaning and brightening the flat with a fresh coat of paint.

She hopes to give the brothers a comfortable living environment in time to celebrate Hari Raya.

As the brothers' flat is quite small, Sarimah told Mothership that she will be taking measurements of the space before furnishing it to ensure that the space does not end up being too cramped.

If you're interested in helping the brothers, you can contact Sarimah at 8388 4984.

Top image from Project Pencil Singapore/FB