Stateless youth who has never gone to school lands job

ST report in September leads to offers of help for 25-year-old, from training to meals to jobs

- Wong Shiying

Stateless youth Ricqo Rafiezuwan once likened his existence to that of a ghost – his presence known to and noticed by only a few people.

Without formal education, jobless and strapped for cash, the 25-year-old felt inferior. He rarely left the Clementi estate, where he lives and grew up, and has never stepped out of Singapore.

That changed after on the challenges he and two other stateless individuals faced living here without citizenship or permanent residency, from rules that prevented them from opening bank accounts to uncertainty over healthcare provisions.

After struggling for months to secure employment because of his residency status, Mr Rafiezuwan said he will start work in November as an operation executive for co-living operator The Assembly Place, which rents out accommodation with communal facilities.

The report sparked an outpouring of support – from offers of help with the English language and training to jobs and meals at restaurants.

The young man, who had been reluctant to draw attention to himself and was content to exist in a quiet corner, said he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers.

“The people who offered encouragement, who said they believe in me... it feels like they see me. It makes me feel like I should believe in myself,” he said.

Mr Rafiezuwan was born in Singapore in October 1999 to an unwed stateless mother, who placed him in the care of a childless Singaporean couple with whom she was friends.

His biological mother, who was incarcerated for a period of time, eventually became a permanent resident (PR). But she never applied for him to become a Singaporean or PR.

The absence of documents such as a birth certificate meant the couple who raised him as their own son could not register him in a school.

With his stateless status and no formal education, Mr Rafiezuwan struggled to land a job.