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 reduced income for several breadwinners who were mainly cleaners or helpers in coffee shops, hawker centres and restaurants.

We have been directing such families to the government’s COVID-19 Recovery Grant-Temporary, where they will receive one-off support ranging from $500 to $700 and rendering them further financial assistance for at least 3 months. In the last month we have supported 130 families and while the funds have gone some way in alleviating their anxiety about meeting basic needs, the strain of the pandemic is evident as we speak with them.

Many tell us that they have been feeling very insecure after their experience last year and the Heightened Alert has heightened their feelings of insecurity. There is also a sense of fatigue as this “marathon” of a race to a post-COVID-19 world takes a toll and in unexpected and sudden ways too.

A COVID-cluster at a nearby hawker centre has resulted in several families serving a Quarantine Order. There is much anxiety among neighbours and  one breadwinner who spent most of his time at work, was initially very reluctant to receive any help when he was served a Stay Home Notice. As he did not socialise with his neighbours, he imagined that no one would be concerned with his predicament. So, putting on a brave front, he told us that he will just survive on instant noodles as he always had during difficult times. However, he calmed down when we explained to him that his wife and children had many friends in the neighbourhood and they were genuinely concerned about the family’s well-being.

So, he eventually agreed to connect with a neighbour who was a familiar face. We then passed some funds and super-market vouchers to the neighbour who picked up the groceries from a shopping list provided via WhatsApp. The groceries were then dropped off outside the door.  

The family was very appreciative of the neighbourly concern, and we believe they would do the same for others should the opportunity arise.  

Wishing you good health and peace of mind.

Gerard

Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging. – Deepak Chopra

PAST AWB POSTS

2506 – Collective Wisdom, Community Building

Written by Wilson, Community Worker As is our practice at Beyond, we start every new year by sharing the goals we hope to achieve as a community. We gather young and old, have discussions and plot the journey ahead together. We call these sessions Community Conversations. Typically, everyone present introduces themselves and shares their experience volunteering in the community, and what “community” means to them. We then wrap up with a Beyond staff talking about the value of community development. That, however, was not how a session held in the Bukit Ho Swee neighbourhood went. The Beyond team just sat

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2505 – Saving Together, Growing Together

One of the most pervasive problems encountered by lower-income communities is building financial reserves. The daily demands for every cent, when you have little, usually takes priority. However, there is still a value of building such reserves, even if in small amounts. This is why we created the Community Tabung Programme. Loosely translated, “Tabung” means “money box” in Malay – an apt name for an initiative to help our members grow their savings in support of their children’s health and educational needs. It is a means to help our members achieve their aspirations and save for those rainy days. And

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2504 – Growth On The Sidelines

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2503 – How Roblox Helped James Minimize Screen Time

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2502 – Community wasn’t built in a day

Written by Shariffah, Community Worker What is community? This is a question that shapes much of what we do at Beyond. Building a thriving community isn’t just about solving problems or organizing activities — it’s about creating spaces where people can connect meaningfully, share ideas, and take ownership of their collective future. Community development often begins with small, intentional steps. Our “Community Day” is one such step. This isn’t just a celebration, but part of a process — a chance for residents to collaborate, discover their strengths, and build something meaningful together. Our last Community Day of 2024 was held

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2452 – A Fire, A Friend, A Community

When a fire broke out in a Jalan Bukit Merah flat last year, the damage wasn’t confined to just the one unit. Smoke engulfed neighbouring homes, leaving behind physical damage and disruption. One of the worst affected residents was Madam Tan*, an elderly woman whose flat directly above the burning apartment. While her story didn’t make the headlines, her struggles were very real. She clearly needed help. This is where H comes in. The 28-year-old coach and former educator was no stranger to helping others, but this experience would touch him on a personal level. “I didn’t initially think about

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2451 – The Grace to Give

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AWB 2449 – When LIFE Happens

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PAST AWB POSTS

2506 – Collective Wisdom, Community Building

Written by Wilson, Community Worker As is our practice at Beyond, we start every new year by sharing the goals we hope to achieve as a community. We gather young and old, have discussions and plot the journey ahead together. We call these sessions Community Conversations. Typically, everyone present introduces themselves and shares their experience volunteering in the community, and what “community” means to them. We then wrap up with a Beyond staff talking about the value of community development. That, however, was not how a session held in the Bukit Ho Swee neighbourhood went. The Beyond team just sat

Read more >

2505 – Saving Together, Growing Together

One of the most pervasive problems encountered by lower-income communities is building financial reserves. The daily demands for every cent, when you have little, usually takes priority. However, there is still a value of building such reserves, even if in small amounts. This is why we created the Community Tabung Programme. Loosely translated, “Tabung” means “money box” in Malay – an apt name for an initiative to help our members grow their savings in support of their children’s health and educational needs. It is a means to help our members achieve their aspirations and save for those rainy days. And

Read more >

2504 – Growth On The Sidelines

Amir* wasn’t always the calm, composed young man people look up to today. Not so long ago, he his fiery temper put him in the midst of a heated argument. So to witness him play the peacemaker recently was pleasantly astonishing. That moment could have shaped how others saw him — and how he saw himself — but instead, it became a lesson that helped him grow. Amir was playing at a futsal tournament. Two boys – Danial* and Josh* – got into an altercation. Danial accused Josh of “showboating” and not being a team player…costing them the game. Josh,

Read more >