I first met Shabdar Ali at a Culture Kitchen event, where South Asian migrant workers and other Singapore residents gathered over a hearty meal of Briyani (flavoured rice dish).

He came across as an unassuming and friendly person, and though I don't quite remember what we spoke about, our brief conversation left me with a good impression of him.

But it was night time and he was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses – that sparked a few questions in my head. 

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You can help fund urgent and essential medical treatment for workers like Shabdar by contributing to TWC2's Care Fund.

You can also contribute to the Half a Million Meals Celebration on 28 April, 2014 for 300 migrant workers by emailing Irene Ong.

This story is brought to you by Our Better World, an initiative of the Singapore International Foundation – sharing stories to inspire good.