Dear friends, “Look around this room. What memories come to mind?” We posed this question to a group of youth assisting an artist to create a mural that adorns our premises at Whampoa. Spontaneously, one uttered, “Standing around this table like what we are doing now.” He elaborated that he was curious why his friends were gathered at the table …
Another Week Beyond – 2134
Dear friends, Ellyn joined our after-school programme at 9 years old and she remembers that she was placed 3rd in a 5km race at the East Coast Park that year. She was having a shower when her mother told her that her name was being announced on stage and urged her to hurry up so that she could collect her prize. …
Another Week Beyond – 2132
Dear friends, “Our Singapore Spirit” is the theme for this year’s National Day Parade and on its official website, visitors are invited to say what the Singapore Spirit means to them. As of 28 July 2021, the top 2 traits articulated are “hard-working” and “caring.” We can’t disagree as our work is significantly sustained by the caring people who donate their …
Another Week Beyond – 2127
Dear friends, In 1944, oblivious to the dangers of landing in a Japanese-occupied Singapore, Mr Heng and his father left their home in Guangdong in search of a better life. His daughter could not say how he and her grandfather navigated the dangers upon arriving at Syonan-to, the “Light of the South Island” but she knew that once the light was …
Another Week Beyond – 2125
Dear friends, The Heightened Alert which began on 16 May 2021 has moved into Phase 3 since Monday. Social gatherings of 5 persons and below are allowed and hopefully dining-in at eateries and hawker centres will resume next Monday. We are still working from home and most of us are generally getting by. However, the situation has caused job loss or …
Another Week Beyond – 2120
Dear friends, In the service of people’s efforts, a colleague joined Mariam, a mother of 2 grown up children as she prepared to distribute 120 packets of food to her neighbours. Mariam has been living in her 2-room public rental flat the past 10 years and she revealed that she has not exactly been socialising with neighbours and had preferred very much …
Another Week Beyond – 2112
Dear Friends We met with some children and youth to gather their thoughts and sentiments of a new playgroup next to their blocks. In October 2019 (AWB – 1943), these children submitted a set of drawings to their Member of Parliament illustrating what their dream playgroup should look like. Hence, now that the playground has been up since 10 February 21, we …
Another Week Beyond – 2107
Dear Friends “I did not do it!” Alex, 8 years old insisted but a few moments later he relented, “I did it yesterday.” With a box of crayons, he had received for his birthday, Alex “decorated” a pillar at the void deck where we were holding an art and craft session for him and 4 of his friends. The boy …
Another Week Beyond – 2105
Dear Friends I was listening to 3 residents as they expressed the sort of improvements they would like for their homes and their neighbourhod. They wanted a drop-off point near their blocks that would shelter them from heavy rain and more living space. One wanted to move into a flat with a bedroom so that life could be a little more …
Another Week Beyond – 2104
Dear Friends Since the first day of work this year, we have been discussing in our different teams what it means for our members to have ownership of the challenges we are working together on. We questioned the value of the tasks we had completed in the name of progress. These activities were listed in our plans as indicators of success …