Dear friends, Happy New Year. I wish you much kindness and calm as your year unfolds before you. My colleagues and I spent yesterday morning recalling experiences at work that we are grateful for and articulating milestones we aim to reach for the year ahead. Importantly, it was an occasion to honour each other’s efforts because it is so easy …
Another Week Beyond – 2235
Dear friends, A teacher at our early childhood centre got her students to clap as they spelt out “papaya” loudly together with her and everyone was moving energetically to the rhythm of a rhyming cheer, “P-A-P-A-Y-A, P-A-P-A-Y-A, P-A-P-A-Y-A, PAPAYA-YEH!” When it was clear that everyone could easily spell “papaya,” she carried on with the lesson by introducing the fruit for the …
Another Week Beyond – 2232
Dear friends, Each year, we celebrate with pride and much gratitude our growth as a nation. At 57 this year, we had our National Day Parade live after 2 years and “Connections,” a short film highlighting resilience and solidarity was interwoven with the performances on The Float @ Marina Bay. “Connections” featured small acts of kindness that enabled us to …
Another Week Beyond – 2231
Dear friends, We have a donated coffee machine at our premises and a month ago, an intern was showing 3 children aged 10 to 12 years old how to use it. This intern has been a barista at a café and to get to know these young people better, she “opened shop” for a few hours with these young people …
Another Week Beyond – 2224
Dear friends, After exiting a Soccer Moms WhatsApp Group, a mother called a colleague during the weekend to inform that she was pulling her son Robert out of the football team. In no uncertain terms, she expressed her disappointment that her son was subjected to a racial slur during training, and this was not addressed. When my colleague returned to work, …
Another Week Beyond – 2218
Dear friends, Firstly, Selamat Hari Raya Adil Fitri to all our Muslim friends. Trust that the long weekend was joyous and blessed. The children were busy. They were taking turns to be “packed” into a cardboard box that would be sent to a destination of their choice. “Home” was the most popular destination and they had imagined themselves jumping out …
Another Week Beyond – 2208
Dear friends, 6 youth arrive at the Leng Kee Community Club before their learning circle begins to catch the sun setting behind the housing blocks in their neighbourhood. It is not a spectacular sight, but they greet the occasion enthusiastically and perhaps, it is because the hues of orange that colour the sky reflect their warm newfound friendship. The learning …
Another Week Beyond – 2146
Dear friends, About 3 weeks ago, we received the sad news that 2 brothers who come to our programmes lost their mother suddenly. The social worker who is supporting them arranged for the 17-year-old to live with an aunt, and for his 11-year-old brother to stay with a friend of their late mother. But the 11-year-old’s living arrangement was soon …
Another Week Beyond – 2142
Dear friends, Since May, we have been hosting conversations for youth pursuing their studies in an institution for higher learning. For many young people we engage, tertiary or post-secondary education remains an improbability, and for those who have secured a course of study, dropping out is not uncommon. Hence, we have been inviting tertiary students in our membership to come together …
Another Week Beyond – 2141
Dear friends, During our weekly team check-ins, a colleague who teaches at our Healthy Start Child Development Centre commented that she probably needs to be livelier and more energetic to grab the attention of the children in her class. She also felt that her lessons may not have been interesting enough. I have not observed her at work but somehow …