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Help for those with debt, gambling problems

One Hope Centre also helps sexually-abused women

and children and abused foreign workers

AS A PIONEER MINISTRY in Singapore providing specialised assistance to people facing debt, gambling and abuse problems, One Hope Centre (OHC) was inundated with calls for help once its helpline was set up in February 2005.

Established by a group of churches in Geylang in prayerful response to the needs of the community in the area, OHC has handled more than 700 cases since its operational launch in August 2004. It has three key areas of focus: loan shark victims and their family; sexually-abused women and children; and needy and abused foreign workers.

Other than the helpline, OHC also provides services such as weekly support groups for gambling addicts and their families, financial counselling and debt management, legal and medical advice and referrals, loan shark mediation, pastoral care and counselling, job recommendation, family enrichment, home visits and befriending.

OHC also works to raise community awareness of debt and gambling issues through partnerships with various organisations, such as the National Council on Problem Gambling and the Prison Christian Fellowship, and through mass media and community events. It also assists in practical research on gamblers’ behaviours and how gambling affects families.

Although open to all regardless of race, religion and nationality, OHC firmly believes that faith is a crucial factor in the recovery process, and remains a faith-based charity. Therefore, it does not qualify for government and community funds to support its work and relies on fund-raising, inviting the Christian community to partner with it in this challenging but necessary work.

It runs two weekly services to provide help to those facing debt and gambling problems at St Andrew’s Cathedral on Thursdays from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm (Recovery Support Group), and Geylang Chinese Methodist Church on Saturdays from 6.45 pm to 9.30 pm (Family Support Group).

OHC is seeking the partnership of churches and Christian volunteers to establish more Family Support Groups all over Singapore to reach out to gambling and debt-related clients. It further plans to set up a shelter for sexually-abused women and children, training and rehabilitation programmes for these people and professional advice for abused foreign workers.

It is currently located at 8 New Industrial Road, #04-04 LHK3 Building, Singapore 536200. For more information, visit www.onehopecentre.org or email help@onehopecentre.org or call the helpline at 6547-1011.