Another Week Beyond – 1916

May 16, 2019

Dear Friends

For the past 3 years, Richard Wee and his friends have been running FUNFIT, a fitness programme in our neighbourhoods. Once a week, children, youth and their caregivers would gather at an open space to run, skip, jump and simply move vigorously for 60 minutes. Richard has introduced the programme at 5 different localities and currently, 3 are alive and kicking.

Last Friday, these 3 groups came together at an open space within the Henderson neighbourhood for the FUNFIT Challenge. This inter-community event is rotated among the neighbourhoods every 4 months and the healthy rivalry has surfaced neighbourhood pride and forged new friendships as care-givers, children and FUNFIT volunteers from different communities meet.

73 children, youth and care-givers assembled in their designated areas and before the competition began, all participants shook each other’s hand as a commitment to fair-play and sportsmanship. Check out this link for videos of the FUN FIT Challenge

It was delightful watching children focussed and encouraging each other as they tried to outpace and outdo each other in skipping and other movements that did not require intricate skills. In this respect, Richard will always find an opportunity to remind these children that they can have much fun and excitement without their smartphones and gadgets. He will stress to them how engaging in physical activity is fundamental to their well-being.

So, when I met Richard at the FUNFIT Challenge, he shared how happy he was a couple of weeks ago. A boy who was on the chubby side came up to him and softly said, “Sir, I passed my ‘standing broad jump’ test in school. Thank you.” In Richard’s mind this was a huge achievement as the boy was constantly out of breath when he first came to the programme. He was also very low in confidence and rather clumsy. Being able to pass his fitness test in school was a tremendous boost to his self-esteem and well-being.

Every week, children turn up with their parents and as people become familiar with each other, neighbours become friends. These friendships cut across generations, race and religion and with the challenge being held regularly, across localities too. Although there is always friendly competition, people are proud of each other’s progress and happily help with attendance taking, ensuring general orderliness and occasionally, they contribute the refreshments. Community emerges when people gather around a shared interest and co-create a mutually satisfying experience that they call their own.

Enjoy your week,

Gerard

“I prefer people, not dollars …dollars buy you professionals, who will then do the work because you paid them to, a transaction, not community life.” – Richard Wee or PapaRich as he is known to the communities he nurtures.

PAST AWB POSTS

2515 – The Hand That Folded, The Heart That Shared

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Story contributed by Myna, Community Worker Ayu* is a single mother working toward the day when all three of her children can live under the same roof again. Due to financial strain, two of them are currently in the care of her aunt while Ayu focuses on rebuilding her stability. Recently, she left a job where she had endured months of bullying. The emotional and financial toll was heavy, but she was grateful to walk away from a place that had worn down her confidence. Since then, she’s been searching for work with one simple hope: a kind environment. But

2514 – Labour of Pride

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Story contributed by Hani, Community Worker Earlier this month, I was going door to door to invite youths to join a new sports programme. I stopped by a flat where two of the boys on my list lived. Their father, Jamal*, greeted me at the door and invited me to wait while one of his sons made his way back from school. We started with small talk. He asked about the programme; I asked about his day. The conversation flowed easily. He shared that his family had returned to Singapore about seven or eight years ago after living in Indonesia

2513 – Where It Hurts

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Story Contributed by Xu Yang, Volunteer During a recent session at Beyond’s Homework Support programme for primary school children, I was playing a math board game with two boys, Frank and Steve, and another volunteer, Stef. As I was still figuring out the instructions, Frank suddenly pulled all the tiles toward himself. Then, out of the blue, he turned to Stef and said, “You wear glasses and have an ugly face. Go away.” I didn’t quite know how to respond. I suggested that if he wasn’t comfortable, maybe we could return to our original table, since we had joined Stef’s.

2512 – The Burden of Education

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Written by Amelia, member of the community Growing up, I was always aware that I was the “costly child.” My school fees and medical expenses were a constant concern for my parents. My younger brothers were born in Singapore, so they had access to fully subsidised education. My schooling, however, came at a price – one that my family struggled to afford. In Malaysia, school-related costs were manageable. If I recall correctly, my school fees amounted to only about $100 a year. But in Singapore, the difference is stark. I saw it firsthand when my brothers started primary school. Their

2511 – More Than A Meal

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Story Contributed by Hani and Siti, Community Workers “This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful – in a word, more alive.” – Alice Waters During Ramadan in March, a group of mothers in Ghim Moh began planning their annual iftar gathering. This year, they wanted it to mean something more than simply inviting neighbours to break fast together. They wanted to open their doors wider and welcome not only familiar faces but new ones as well – families they hadn’t yet met, residents of all ages, races, and religions.

2510 – Trusting People As The Experts of Their Own Lives

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Written by Wilson, Community Worker In social work, we’re taught to see people as the experts of their own lives. It’s a principle that feels empowering – and in theory, it is. But in practice, I’ve often heard something quite different. Before joining Beyond as a community worker, I spent nearly five years in various social service settings. A recurring belief I encountered was that people from lower-income communities couldn’t always be trusted to make the “right” decisions for themselves and their families. “Look at where their choices have gotten them,” I’d hear. It was a perspective I came to recognise, but never fully accepted. And my time at Beyond has continued to challenge it. One moment in particular stands out.

2509 – If Community Isn’t Found, Can It Be Built?

May 30, 2025 No Comments

As shared by Wati to the Beyond Editorial Team As the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close, Muslim families across Singapore prepare for Hari Raya Aidilfitri – a celebration that marks the end of fasting, and a time for reflection, forgiveness, and renewed connection. Homes will soon be filled with the aroma of festive dishes, the rustle of new clothes, and the warmth of reunion. For Wati, Hari Raya is more than just a celebration – it serves as a reminder of why she gives back. Wati is a mother of seven who recently moved to Kebun Baru.

2508 – The Pen is Mightier Than The Lock

May 30, 2025 No Comments

Story contributed by Shariffah, Community Worker The lock was heavy. Solid. Final. The street soccer court in Yio Chu Kang had been closed off after repeated acts of vandalism. A group of boys stood by the fence where they used to gather after school – a simple court that had been their meeting point and favourite hangout to kick the ball around with friends. “So unfair…”, one of them muttered. Another shrugged. “Aiya, nothing we can do. Just find something else.” But one of our Community Workers heard more than frustration in their voices. He saw an opportunity to show