Dear friends, After receiving a pre-loved basketball, a 10-year boy began bouncing it enthusiastically. A volunteer who was nearby said hello and learnt that he was waiting for a friend. When he offered to hang out with him till his friend came by, the boy threw him the ball. As he caught it, he dribbled a little before passing it back. The boy was impressed and asked him if he could show him how to do a “wraparound.” He obliged and showed him a few other dribbling moves too. The boy was thrilled, and the volunteer would like to think that …
Another Week Beyond – 2115
Dear friends, We marked one year since our circuit-breaker on 7 April 2019 and working from home is no longer our default practice. 75% of our workforce is now allowed backed into their offices and while COVID-19 is still a serious threat, we must count ourselves fortunate relative to others elsewhere. Hannah (not her real name), tells us that she has always been an anxious person and even more so after becoming a single mom when her marriage ended. This time last year, she was overwhelmed by fear. Her ex-husband stopped sending alimony and she was afraid that her children would …
Another Week Beyond – 2113
Dear friends, When they were told that they were the 14 most active youth volunteers in their neighbourhood, those present were most surprised. Many said that whenever they helped with food distributions or community events, they were just doing what they have always seen their friends and neighbours do. They were just going about their lives normally and never thought that they were volunteering or that we were noticing their efforts. Nonetheless, they appreciated being recognized and were proud that they had been helpful to others. The idea that they had been contributing and could continue to do so seemed …
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 wanted to check if it was indeed a dream come true for them. All present unanimously agreed that the playgroup has brought much joy and pride. It is a showpiece that has enhanced their living environment tremendously as both the …
Another Week Beyond – 2108
Dear Friends After speaking to more than 150 youth aged between 16 to 20 and inviting them to be a part of a mutual aid initiative that connects them to job-based information and resources, training, and potential employers, a common theme emerged. These young people wanted to work so that they could help with their family income. Some were already the significant breadwinner, and nothing would please them more than to be able to see their family live more comfortably. One of these youth attended a briefing on a Debt Clearance and Savings Matching Scheme run by the Methodist Welfare Services and when asked …
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 comfortable for his wife and 4 children, but he made it clear that he did not want to leave the neighbourhood. He explained that he has been a resident for 26 years and he feels a strong connection to the …
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 but on hindsight, they would be more accurately described as exploratory efforts. Our teams are organised to achieve specific objectives that arguably are rather abstract. For example, the nurturance of neighbourhoods with a restorative problem solving climate, a culture of employment …
Another Week Beyond – 2102
Dear Friends We bumped into Farhana, an 11-year-old as she was skateboarding in her neighbourhood. A week ago, a family we knew had introduced her to us incidentally and she nodded nonchalantly as we caught her eye. Farhana is the oldest of 5 siblings and cared for by her grandmother when dad is at work. When we got within speaking distance, we asked her for a minute of her time. We told her that we had a lot of toys and school bags which we thought children in her neighbourhood would appreciate. However, we did not know many families living there …
Another Week Beyond – 2101
Dear Friends Happy New Year! As we are now in Phase 3 and gradually expanding the domains of our work and personal lives, we have much to be grateful for and optimistic about. In the later part of this year, schools will implement home-based learning as a regular part of their routine, and I suppose virtual meetings and working from home will continue at the workplace. Virtual meetings and learning while not always preferred or ideal, have been the gains of the pandemic that we will take advantage of whenever appropriate or desired. Another gain has been the stark demonstration of …
Another Week Beyond – 2046
Dear Friends, 5 years ago, Rani and her friend Manimala organized a Deepavali Celebration in their neighbourhood. They cooked up a biryani feast and kept their guests entertained with various party activities. It was a significant achievement that they were very proud of because they pulled it off without having deep pockets. All they had was a desire to celebrate the Festival of Lights with neighbours from different religious and cultural backgrounds. “There were regular Hari Raya and Chinese New Year Celebrations in our community so we thought the neighbours should also experience the joy of Deepavali,” they said beaming …