Woman travels to counsel Singapore inmates

Choo Choy Lian, a 74-year-old volunteer from Singapore, travels two hours by public transport each Sunday to Changi Prison to counsel inmates.

For 15 years, Choy Lian has worked with the Singapore Buddhist Federation (SBF) to support prisoners through rehabilitation, guiding them with meditation, self-reflection, and religious teachings. She began volunteering after observing a customer at a traditional Chinese medical hall repeatedly buying syringes, suspecting drug addiction and wondering how she could help people who had lost their way.

Choy Lian approaches inmates as people who have made mistakes, not as figures to fear. She prepares for each session during her commute, thinking about what advice would be most helpful. She notes that inmates often have strong emotional responses and that patience is key to helping them change. While some inmates she has counselled re-offend, Choy Lian doesn’t give up on them.

She and other SBF volunteers maintain contact with former inmates, offering support with housing, employment, and family relationships. Some former inmates have even become volunteers themselves. Choy Lian continues to volunteer extensively in retirement, balancing her work at the prison with other charitable activities, and plans to continue as long as she is able.