In conjunction with Deepavali, McDonald’s treated 25 migrant workers who are currently recuperating from work-related injuries and therefore temporarily unable to work, to dinner on November 9.

According to McDonald’s, the aim of the event was to honour the values of inclusivity and community that are central to Deepavali, particularly the more needy in Singapore. In this spirit, McDonald’s is also donating 3,000 ‘extra value meals’ to migrant workers and disadvantaged students and families in Singapore.

A range of festive activities were also organised for the workers at the event, such as creating their own Diya lamp. The Diya lamp, which symbolises the onset of prosperity and good fortune in the coming year, is a tradition by Hindus celebrating Deepavali.

“We are honoured to have had the opportunity to host this special event for our migrant heroes during this festive season,” said Benjamin Boh, Managing Director, McDonald’s Singapore. “Deepavali is a time for spreading joy and celebrating togetherness, and we wanted to extend the warmth and spirit of the festival to those who may be in need of a sense of belonging and support.”

The event was co-organised by non-profit organisation Migrant x Me. Ms Isabel Phua, executive director, Migrant x Me, said: “These opportunities for public interaction and engagement are so important as we work towards building a kinder and more inclusive Singapore for the migrant worker community.”