Another Week Beyond -2011

Dear Friends,

“I am Generation Equality – Realizing Women’s Rights” is the United Nations theme for   International Women’s Day on 8 March. Thus, it was fitting that 16 teens commemorated the day with their mothers by attending a conversation with body building champion Melissa Sarah Wee.Mel runs her own dessert business catering for the likes of FB, Twitter and Spotify and while she has made a promise to share some recipes, she came to our premises to deliver a more important message. “You can be the most beautiful girl in the world but if you are unhappy with how you look, nothing is going to matter because you will still see yourself as ugly.”

On the UN Women’s website, it is said that   even before “hitting puberty, girls across the world already carry internalized beliefs about their place, worth and role in society as dependent, vulnerable or incapable and are told to act accordingly, reinforcing gender stereotypes and keeping them from realizing their full potential.” Hence, Mel reminded all who came that they are strong, capable and deserving of the same respect as boys and there is no wrong or right way to be a girl.

We are certain that not everyone present aspired to be a bodybuilder, but we noticed how everyone resonated with the self-belief, self-care and perseverance Mel was advocating. A mother who had lost a child to illness a few years ago was nodding in agreement every time Mel elaborated on what these actions meant.  After losing her child, life continued to be heavy-going and listening to Mel told her that with each load she held up, she had been building the emotional muscles and will power to uplift   her family. 

The World Health Organization has now declared COVID-19 a pandemic and this is not good news for our members whose income has already been reduced. Thankfully, over the past week 2 corporations have initiated discussions on how we may support our members should they provide funding.  So, we have been making plans to alleviate financial stress within families experiencing a loss of income and to supplement   retraining cost where needed. Meanwhile, the funds we have raised from our COVID-19 Response have been disbursed as grocery vouchers and emergency cash to 45 households benefiting 211 persons. 

For a long time now, we have   regarded social issues as opportunities to rally people from different backgrounds to cooperate toward a common good. COVID-19 is such an opportunity and we thank all who have stepped forward with offers of help. We must apologise though to those   we have yet to respond meaningfully.  Please note that your offer of help has been a important source of encouragement for us to keep going.

Wishing you good health and peace of mind.

Gerard

Having overcome SARS once, we know we can pull this through – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

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PAST AWB POSTS

2450 – Change Happens When A Ripple Becomes A Wave

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

Read more >

2448 – Caring Through Sport

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

Read more >

2447 – The Accidental Pianist

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

Read more >