Miss Eileen Ho and her boyfriend, Mr Daniel Soo, both 24, have been walking around the Changi airport with their belongings in a suitcase for the past 7 months. At night, they sleep on thin comforters in a corner of Terminal 3, near Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe.
It was reported that they had moved into the airport after Ms Ho had falling out with her parents, after which she also took her brother who suffers from epilepsy, 20 year-old Wilson, along with her to the airport. She said that "we have no other place to go, that is why we stay like this," and the couple chose the airport for the free internet, free electricity and free water.
Mr Soo said he occasionally gets a call to report for his part-time job at a catering company in the area where he earns about $500 a month. The couple survives on this amount for food, cigarettes and top-ups for their mobile phone. When asked what they do each day, Ms Ho answered with a shrug: "Eat, smoke, charge phone."
Even though Ms Ho has qualifications in food and beverage operations, she claims that it is difficult for them to find jobs because employers are reluctant to hire "homeless people."
The trio has been notified by Changi's security guards to move out 2 days ago. A MSF spokesman said that it was aware of this case and is reaching out to help them. However, he also stressed the importance of being fair when it comes to providing assistance and added that "people need to try and work, too".
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