Dear Friends, Trust you are keeping well and safe during this unprecedented time. Immediately after the circuit-breaker was announced, we reorganized ourselves to fulfill 3 essential services: financial assistance, food assistance and connectivity facilitation. While most of the work is done remotely, food distribution requires us to be in the community. Hence, we are very grateful to our friends who have been providing us with the safety gear that keeps us safe as we go about our work. In the light of the stricter precautionary measures, we reviewed our operating protocols and were confident that they were good enough. During …
Another Week Beyond 2014
Dear Friends, 6 weeks ago, when we spoke to 200 of our members, most were jovial and about half indicated that they were coping well. As we collated our calls this week, we got a sense that the mood is now sombre. Many are experiencing difficulties with employment and are worried about meeting basic needs. Those with school going children were concerned with their lack of connectivity. We have been responding with food and financial aid, retraining and work opportunities as well as facilitating connectivity. We requested for donations of pre-loved laptops last week and could certainly do with a lot more so please …
Another Week Beyond – 2013
Dear Friends, “In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” This is the difference between life and school articulated by author Tom Bodett. As of midnight today, all gatherings outside school and work are to be limited to 10 persons or less as directed by our multi-ministerial task force against COVID-19. Hence, “How do we continue to support children with their schoolwork?” was a test and the answers emerging are the lessons we are learning. Before sorting out the practicalities of tutoring via a face call, …
Another Week Beyond – 2009
Dear Friends, Thank you very much for responding to last week’s appeal to support those affected by the COVID-19 challenge. Your notes and calls of encouragement are much appreciated, and several have also asked us how you may support our efforts as volunteers. After reviewing the feedback from our members in the next few days, we will come back with possible ways we can work together. Your generosity has enabled us to designate a fund of $6000 to 6 different localities we are working in. The purpose of the fund is to provide a quick response to meet basic needs. So …
Another Week Beyond – 2008
Dear Friends, Like many others, we were heartened to read about the wave of help following an appeal by Food Bank Singapore for volunteers. Obviously, not receiving a food bundle that one depends on would be a cause for anxiety even without this concerning Covid-19 climate. Hence, we were glad to receive a truck full of groceries from the Food Bank yesterday and will be distributing them in the next days. Volunteers have stepped forward to help and we have a responsibility to minimize their risk and to implement precautionary measures as best as we can considering the limited number of …
Another Week Beyond 1936
Dear Friends, Teachers in Singapore get a day-off today and enjoy a well-deserved long weekend. It is Teachers’ Day and yesterday evening, our teachers enjoyed a good meal courtesy of volunteers serving on the Management Committee of our Child Development Centre. Earlier in the afternoon, some of these teachers also received a personalized video presentation from undergraduates in early childhood education at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences. These undergraduates had been in contact with our teachers over 12 weeks and sent the video as a documentation of their learning experience. The videos also served as tokens of appreciation and it was …