Another Week Beyond – 1825

June 25, 2018

Dear Friends
Community is a way of belonging. Members of a community experience a sense of belonging to a place that they also believe belongs to them. Sometimes it is really a physical place where people reside but often a shared purpose, or an interest brings people together. What’s important though is that that when people come together they enjoy a sense of connectedness and contentment.

InterNations reaches out to expatriates with the assurance, “Wherever in the world life takes you, our InterNations Communities help you feel at home.” It is interesting how strangers from diverse backgrounds can have a shared identity. Strangers from various parts of the world identifying with each other, valuing the importance of community and seeking to contribute to the place they call home; even if it is temporary.

Elsa Lillford arrived from Melbourne last Saturday and on Tuesday, she was in our classroom guiding our children to produce decorated key rings, pencil cases and tote bags for sale at Fairground our fund-raiser slated for Saturday, 3 September at SCAPE. The children got to choose and keep the items that they liked but we still amassed a healthy inventory.

This school holiday month, over 40 children from 2 different neighborhoods have been volunteering their talent to create craft for our fund-raising activities. The raw materials were sponsored by East West Artisans, a social enterprise run by John Davis who coordinates the volunteering activities for InterNations in Singapore. John tells us that he has had the happy problem of turning down volunteers for our art and craft sessions as there were just too many, but it also means that he is confident of support when he offers other volunteer opportunities with our children to his members. He has also encouraged his members to sign up as regular volunteers with us.

So, these holidays our children got to meet people from America, Australia, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Spain and Vietnam. They have not gone on a trip to see the world but through InterNations, the world has in a small way come to them. When community is a hospitable place, both visitors and hosts enlarge their experience of the world.

Enjoy your week

Gerard

One’s destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things. – Henry Miller

PAST AWB POSTS

2450 – Change Happens When A Ripple Becomes A Wave

December 13, 2024 No Comments

Fahmidah, a 19-year-old active volunteer from Lengkok Bahru, recently stepped out of her comfort zone and joined her friends as a community guide for a Learning Journey organised by Beyond in collaboration with ImpactSG. This initiative connects members of ImpactSG with families living in public rental housing, who lead guided tours of their neighbourhood, offering a glimpse into their daily lives, challenges and strengths that define their community. These interactions foster mutual respect, deeper understanding, and an appreciation for the resilience and spirit within these communities. Before the event, Beyond worked closely with Fahmidah and several of her neighbours, preparing

2448 – Caring Through Sport

November 29, 2024 No Comments

Written by Hani & Shariffah, Community Workers When we received an invitation from SportCares to participate in a Sepak Takraw Tournament, we were hesitant to accept. It was only a week away and we were not sure if we could rally enough interest among our youth members in the different neighbourhoods. Nonetheless, we put the word out and within the day, we realised that our anxiety was unnecessary. Regus or Teams from different neigbourhoods started registering with us which affirmed our belief in the strength of people’s ability to self-organise around their interest and aspirations. These young people loved the

2447 – The Accidental Pianist

November 22, 2024 No Comments

Shariff was only 10 when he was first mesmerised by the piano. A schoolmate was performing at a school event. Something clicked for the 10-year-old that day – he had stumbled upon what was to become a passion. He found a very basic, beat-up keyboard at home, and began teaching himself to play. His instructors were YouTube videos. This year, Shariff was one of several children who attended a day camp organized by Genie in a Bottle, a volunteer group that picked Beyond as their charity of choice for YMCA’s Youth For Causes (YFC) programme. This initiative encourages youth to

2446 – Brownie Points of the Heart

November 15, 2024 No Comments

Story Contributed by Swathi, Community Worker In Ghim Moh, Angie was known for her many gifts – a talented chef, baker, seamstress, and a nurturing grandmother. Through Beyond’s Sew Can We and Bakers Beyond programmes, which provide seasonal income through sewing and baking projects, Angie applied her skills to create items that held meaning for her community. But as cancer began to reshape her life, hospital stays and treatments became part of her routine, pulling her away from her daily comforts. Despite her illness, Angie’s spirit remained intact, resilient and unyielding. During a recent hospital stay, some nurses encouraged her

2445 – From Strangers to Friends: A Shared Journey

November 8, 2024 No Comments

Story Contributed by Adrian, Community Worker Each year, the United World College (UWC) partners with Beyond in a programme that brings their students on a Learning Journey into one of the neighbourhoods we serve. The intention is to give these students an opportunity to connect on a more intimate level with the community they often support as volunteers in our learning programme. This time, however, instead of the visit being led by Beyond staff, two Bukit Ho Swee youths – *14-year-old Zak and 15-year old Amir – stepped forward to be their guides. Inspired by one of their older brothers,

2444 – Makcik Kaypoh, our nosy aunties who keep children safe

November 7, 2024 No Comments

Community Fellows are residents who conceptualise and implement a project that addresses a concern they have identified in their neighbourhood. They receive some training in planning, organising and monitoring progress as well as the ethics and principles of community work that safeguard the wellbeing of those they engage and the integrity of their effort. We invite applications for Community Fellows once a year and have had 2 cohorts. In June last year, Rahimah and Sumarsih attended the Knowledge Festival (AWB – 2326) where Community Fellows presented a progress report of their efforts. They were most inspired and applied for Fellowship

2443 – Why Do You Work?

October 25, 2024 No Comments

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.

2442 – It Starts with “Hello”

October 24, 2024 No Comments

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