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Assyakirin Mosque in Yung An Road, Jurong, opened up a place for rough sleepers and the homeless during the Covid-19 circuit breaker in 2020.

It has not looked back since.

Formal programme to house those with nowhere else to go

Allowing its premises to be a safe space and refuge for those without a home to go back to has met numerous needs in the community.

The initiative is not a random charitable act though.

The mosque runs the Safe Sound Sleeping Places programme that caters to rough sleepers and the homeless.

More such spaces during the pandemic

And it seems the number of people who require help has gone up.

Before the pandemic, seven organisations were operating Safe Sound Sleeping Programmes.

During the circuit breaker, the number rose to more than 40.

These places include religious organisations, such as mosques and churches.

Jurong mosque one of four mosques providing shelter

Assyakirin Mosque is part of a group of four mosques to provide temporary shelter for rough sleepers and the homeless.

The first to offer a space was Sultan Mosque.

It was the first mosque in Singapore to provide a place for the homeless back in November 2019, regardless of race or religion.

They work closely with the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (Peers) network and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

How space is organised

There are five beds in the mosque's basement.

At any one time, the beds could be taken up.

Basic items such as a microwave oven, instant noodles, and toiletries are also available.

Pantry gives out free food and groceries

Assyakirin Mosque's also hosts a community pantry.

It provides free groceries for those in need.

The pantry opens from 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm on Mondays and Thursdays.

Over S$20,000 worth of food and groceries have been distributed since its inception in 2019.

The items have served 3,000 beneficiaries.

People can take the groceries once every two weeks, with up to five items each time for non-zakat beneficiaries, and up to eight items for zakat beneficiaries.

Donations welcomed

The public can leave donations at the door of the mosque.

The Food Bank Singapore is working with the mosque.

President Halimah Yacob visited the mosque on Jan. 19.

She said: "I commend Assyakirin Mosque for its good work. I hope it will continue to be part of these networks that bring benefit to the larger community."

Address: 550 Yung An Rd, Singapore 618617

Nearest MRT station: Lakeside MRT station

Top photo via Google Maps & Halimah Yacob Facebook