2441 – Looking for Treasure not Dirt

As a community worker, I knock on doors to introduce myself and to explore how residents may contribute toward the wellbeing of their neighbourhood.  By chatting with them, I discover their talents, aspirations and values. Of course, not everyone talks to me when I knock but it is always so rewarding when they do.

Last week, I met 98-year-old Madam Wong and her son who is in his 70s. I learnt that Madam Wong shares her art and craft skills with the older residents in her community.  What she enjoys doing most and is really good at is “weaving” together sachets that once contained coffee, tea or other beverage mix into pouches, mini bags and baskets.

I was bowled over when she showed me the products and was amazed at how she created attractive motifs by   reconnecting cropped pieces into something new.  She saw the potential in a discarded sachet, noticed a beautiful aspect, cropped it out and brought them together to accentuate its beauty in the creation of something new.

I was moved because her products were a metaphor for my work in community development. I am tasked to appreciate the inherent talents of “labelled” individuals and to bring them together to create a common good that they cannot achieve on their own.

On a lighter note, I could not help thinking, “Goodness, how much coffee does she drink?” However, it was just a fleeting thought and my admiration for Madam Wong surged when it occurred to me that she must have organised a wide network of neighbours to secure her raw materials. As a relationship builder, I pale in comparison.

Madam Wong also told me that she enjoyed volunteering, and she was pleased when I suggested that she could teach her craft to the children living in her block.  However, she stressed, “When I help, I expect a 2-way relationship with all involved.”  She elaborated by provided some context.  She shared that when volunteering, she sometimes felt that organisations were just squeezing her dry. For her, volunteering is not about being free labour, but it is an opportunity to meet people and to build relationships where there is give and take.

Her comments hit home, and I told myself that when I bring together the children, their parents and her, I must impress on everyone that they are not just creating art and craft but creating a community where people give and receive support.

To end, I would like to share a response I have heard from several residents when I knock on doors.  They tell me that many well-meaning people have asked them about their problems and invited them to join programmes that they were running. This happens quite often and over time it feels rather discouraging discussing problems that they feel will never completely go away.  

As a practitioner in asset-based community development, I believe that despite their challenges, people can contribute and our mantra when door-knocking is “Look for treasure and not dirt!”

Like the treasure that is Madam Wong, we must be able to perceive beauty and possibilities in all our relationships.

PAST AWB POSTS

2443 – Why Do You Work?

I was visiting Meelah, a resident who has led food drives and many social activities to enhance the wellbeing of her neighbours.   I listened intently, as she expressed her concern for families that would require assistance. I was   touched that she continued to keep track of so many lives in spite of her own declining health. She donned on the new spectacles she had recently afforded and checked her reflection using her phone before looking at me expectantly for a response. “How? I look like a teacher or not?” She exclaimed while tucking some strands of hair behind her ears.

Read More »

2442 – It Starts with “Hello”

Every morning, like clockwork, four-year-old Lisa (not her real name) stops by her neighbour’s flat on her way to preschool. She stands at the gate, waiting patiently to say “Hello” to the elderly man who lived there. Known for his stern demeanour and habit of scolding noisy children, this Uncle wasn’t someone most would approach. At first, he ignored her. Undeterred, she stands there, day after day, offering her simple greeting. Then one day, something changed. The Uncle returned her greeting. Soon after, they began sharing quiet moments – sitting together, eating biscuits, and watching TV —always under the watchful

Read More »

2440 – Leading the Charge for Change

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2438 – A Game Changer

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2437 – A House is not a Home

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2436 – Small Fortune, Big Friends

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AWB 2345 – Scoring Goals in the Community

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PAST AWB POSTS

2443 – Why Do You Work?

I was visiting Meelah, a resident who has led food drives and many social activities to enhance the wellbeing of her neighbours.   I listened intently, as she expressed her concern for families that would require assistance. I was   touched that she continued to keep track of so many lives in spite of her own declining health. She donned on the new spectacles she had recently afforded and checked her reflection using her phone before looking at me expectantly for a response. “How? I look like a teacher or not?” She exclaimed while tucking some strands of hair behind her ears.

Read more >

2442 – It Starts with “Hello”

Every morning, like clockwork, four-year-old Lisa (not her real name) stops by her neighbour’s flat on her way to preschool. She stands at the gate, waiting patiently to say “Hello” to the elderly man who lived there. Known for his stern demeanour and habit of scolding noisy children, this Uncle wasn’t someone most would approach. At first, he ignored her. Undeterred, she stands there, day after day, offering her simple greeting. Then one day, something changed. The Uncle returned her greeting. Soon after, they began sharing quiet moments – sitting together, eating biscuits, and watching TV —always under the watchful

Read more >

2440 – Leading the Charge for Change

For years, the residents of a public rental block in Yishun struggled with unsanitary rubbish disposal, bird-feeding, and littering from open windows. As tensions mounted, frustration could have easily divided the community. But instead, a group of proactive volunteers decided to address the issue themselves, determined to improve their living environment—not just for themselves, but for everyone in the neighbourhood. These volunteers initiated a series of conversations with their neighbours where residents openly expressed their frustrations and shared personal stories. “It doesn’t feel good to come home from work after a long day to a living environment that is unhygienic,”

Read more >