SINGAPORE — As long-time Geylang resident Cai Yinzhou weaves his way through shadowy alleyways of his neighbourhood, this reporter steals a glimpse of a sarong-clad foreign worker lingering by the doorway, while a few Chinese nationals crouch by the pavement, their faces illuminated by the screen of their mobile phones — a hint of life lived on the margins.

For these people lacking social spaces in mainstream society, Geylang has morphed into their refuge of sorts, Mr Cai, the founder of Geylang Adventures, points out.

The 25-year-old is part of a growing breed of individuals who are extending a helping hand to foreign workers here through various ways.

For Mr Cai, the Geylang tours organised by his company are designed to highlight the lesser-known side of an area — more known for its seedy reputation — as a cultural enclave.

There’s more to Geylang than just being a “stain on Singapore’s clean record”, he stresses, pointing to its beauty of having different nationalities and cultures converging there.

Although Mr Cai has lived in Geylang all his life, a game of badminton with a group of migrant workers behind his house last year changed his perspective. When he visited their dormitory later and helped prepare a meal of naan and curry, Mr Cai was struck by the surrounding buildings.

“This experience was right at my back alley, but (here I was) surrounded by a totally different culture and language ... It felt like I was transported to a whole new world,” he says.

Inspired to share his experience with other Singaporeans, Mr Cai has since dedicated all his time and energy to his Geylang Adventures brand.

Since March, he has conducted nearly 110 trails around Geylang, for various groups, such as Kenyan government officials.

Meanwhile, Mr Kenneth Thong, 44, and his 36-year-old wife Adeline, are offering help in a different way.

After hearing stories of “urban slavery”, the Thongs decided to start a maid employment agency in 2012 to promote better practices for the sector. For their company, paperwork is done by their partner agency, while the couple do the “people work”, such as assisting the domestic helpers to adjust to life here.

In November last year, the couple launched English classes at their church to help the Myanmarese community assimilate here.

Some people are also using art to reach out to foreign workers, such as student Sean Cham, 21, who befriends migrant workers to learn more about their lives for his photography project Singapore Dream, which was featured at the Padang art carnival during the National Gallery’s opening celebrations recently.

Mr AKM Mohsin, editor of Banglar Kantha, also offers a platform — through his newspaper, or through Dibashram, a self-funded space in Little India — for workers to pen their poetry and stories, or join in cultural and literary events.

The unofficial spokesperson for the Bangladeshi community here, Mr Mohsin would also include in his newspaper the Ministry of Manpower’s guidelines on workplace practices, and even the list of names of unscrupulous agents.

“(This newspaper) is a way of upholding the values of our community and our culture,” he says.