Another Week Beyond 2429 – An Experience of Connectedness and Contentment

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, community, Community, community spirit

by: Chia Jie Min, Community Worker  Last Tuesday evening, Lisfah, our community enabler, and I set up our usual table at the student care centre for the monthly “tabung” (savings) programme at Lengkok Bahru. We waited with anticipation for the usual buzz of mothers dropping in to sit with us, chat and swap stories about community happenings.   That particular day, however, many mothers could not attend. So, it was unusually quiet. Lisfah was looking a little forlorn as she was looking forward to catching up with her neighbours. She always found her conversations with them comforting as they reassured her …

Another Week Beyond – 2427

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, health

No Wealth, No Health? Written by: Pei Ling, Community Relations How often do you find yourself in this situation? You’re unwell or in pain, and it’s been going on for while. But you choose not to see a medical practitioner because you feel you cannot afford it. This is a common scenario amongst Singapore’s financially-challenged – families living in rental public housing. And this is what happened to Ismail. When I visited Ismail on a routine follow-up, he was limping and clearly in pain. He told me he had a slipped disc. I asked about the medical treatment he was …

Another Week Beyond 2425 – Do you see me? Do you hear me?

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community

by Nina, Community Relations Do you see me? Do you hear me? Last Saturday, we held a Learning Journey for members of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). This is an immersive journey we offer to interested parties who are keen to understand how   communities in public rental housing live, work and play. Our 19 YPO guests were led on a Community Walkabout by 11 Community Guides – each a resident of Lengkok Bahru of varying ages. Their task was to lead our visitors through shared spaces in the neighborhood, while revealing the purpose and character of each area visited. After …

Another Week Beyond – 2423

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, Community Enablers Fellowship

“Oh no, more bee hoon,” a mother uttered half embarrassed. “We need to coordinate better the next time,” she added. Our colleague who was present at this children’s birthday party organized by neighbours quickly responded, “Hey, we are having a been hoon feast prepared in 3 different ways and it’s great to have 3 flavours!” The generosity, hospitality and ownership displayed by the organizers were the indicators of success that we sought, and these were already in abundance. For example, a young man appeared in his military uniform to check that the cake his mother had baked on his behalf …

Another Week Beyond – 2417

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community

Four friends aged 17 to 20 years old were telling us that their flats would be demolished in a year or so and they would be relocating to a different public rental neighbourhood. One of them seemed rather distressed but when we asked if he would be badly affected by the move, he clarified that he was living a few blocks away and was not affected. He was troubled that his friends were moving away and was thinking that it would only be a matter of time before he had to move to a different neighbourhood too. These young men …

Another Week Beyond – 2416

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community

For the past few years, I have enjoyed working with a man who is now in his 70s. I consider him an effective neighbourhood leader who looks out for his peers. On behalf of his neighbours, he would request pre-loved household appliances when needed and is always happy to gather them for an outing or event.  Apart from us, he is also a contact for a couple of food charities, and he would organise his peers to redistribute food rations to some 80 elderly people who regard him as their neighbourhood leader.  Recently, this man told me that his peers …

Another Week Beyond 2414

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community

About 2 weeks ago, a colleague met some residents incidentally and asked how Ramadan has been for them. A young mother said that it would it nice if there could be a breaking of fast meal where neighbours could get together. When we informed them that we could provide some funds if they could it get one going, a lively discussion ensued. They made a list of neighbours who could prepare food that would add up to a healthy nutritious spread. We were heartened that they included fruits and vegetables in the menu as it seemed like the notion of …

Another Week Beyond – 2413

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, Volunteers

Yesterday, I had a discussion with some colleagues about how we may get residents in the neighbourhoods we engage to present themselves “better” to volunteers especially those from corporations who provide funds and other resources. This discussion was triggered by feedback that these residents do not brief the volunteers well enough on their tasks or explain to them how their time and efforts add value to their neighbourhood. The goodwill from corporations is important for the sustainability of our work and obviously, we want to create a positive experience for these corporate volunteers lest we lose their support. However, this …

Another Week Beyond – 2410

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, Community Enablers Fellowship

Children roaming the neighbourhood on their own was a concern identified by 2 Community Fellows in October last year. They had observed that some children were unkempt and still in their school uniform at a time when most children would have had their dinner and preparing for bed. These fellows were worried for the children, and they found themselves questioning if their parents cared. They also looked for programmes in the community which they could refer the children to and thought that if there were none suitable, they would create one. During the school holidays last year, they reached out …

Another Week Beyond – 2409

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, food insecurity, Volunteers

Community offers the promise of belonging and calls for us to acknowledge our interdependence. To belong is to act as an investor, owner, and creator of this place.  – Peter Block Yesterday, lunch for 22 neighbours was prepared by our members of our community, at our premises with the harvest from our very own vegetable garden. While it was not quite a harvest festival celebration, it was nonetheless a joyous occasion. We were commemorating the end of an 8-session programme-cum-pilot study to explore the positive effects of urban farming on the physical and mental well-being of those aged 50 and …