This commonality has helped Lam break out of the beneficiary-befriender dynamic. “I think of these women as friends,” she said.
Lam generally sends a WhatsApp message to beneficiaries once a month to check on them. But beneficiaries will often call her over WhatsApp, as and when they need help, and sometimes the conversation can last for hours.
Though Lam is able to relate to the women through their shared experiences as women and mothers, she often feels saddened by the hardships they have endured.
“For us, sometimes we can say, I’m feeling low, maybe I’ll get a cup of tea at Starbucks. But to them, even the bus ride to go out is a financial drain,” she said. “But I really admire their resilience. They are so strong. If I were in their shoes, I don’t think I could go through the things that they go through.”