Story contributed by Hani, Community Worker You can live five floors above someone for years and never once cross paths in a way that matters. Your child might see the same faces at the playground, the void deck, or the lift but still not have someone to sit with at recess, or someone to walk home with after school. Disconnection doesn’t always look like loneliness. Sometimes it just looks like people moving past one another, preoccupied and tired, with nothing anchoring them to the lives unfolding around them. So when R & R Family Mart reached out and said, “We …

Story contributed by Pei Ling, Corporate Relations “Shift this one here. No, turn it first. You want the corners to lock in.” It’s not the kind of instruction you expect when unloading groceries. But stacking over 400 cartons into a temporary storeroom isn’t just about strength – it takes foresight, strategy, and a bit of street smarts too. Afiq* and Darren*, both seventeen, are used to the rhythm by now. Every few months, when donations from FairPrice Group’s A Full Plate campaign arrive, they’re among the first to help unload and sort the cartons at our Whampoa space. It’s the …

Story Contributed by David, Community Worker I first met her through Community Asset Mapping – part of our regular door-knocking process to connect with new families or reconnect with those we haven’t seen in a while. It’s not just about finding out who needs support. It’s about discovering the strengths that already exist in the neighbourhood, and inviting residents to be part of our programmes or community events – whether through volunteering or simply showing up to participate and connect. When she opened the door, she recognised Beyond right away. “I’ve known Beyond for more than 20 years now,” she …

Story contributed by Jie Ying, Community Worker The first time I met Ina*, she offered me tea, made sure her children were occupied, and only then sat down – hands folded neatly in her lap, as if bracing herself for a conversation she had practised in her head many times before. Her husband had recently been incarcerated. They still keep in close contact, writing e-letters about the children and the little things that make up their days. In the meantime, she’s managing everything at home – school routines, bills, meals, and the emotional load. She’d always been steady behind the …

Written by Wilson, Community Worker Jamella* didn’t say much the first time we met. She sat with her arms crossed, eyes flicking toward the floor whenever I asked a question. 15 years old and out of school for months, Jamella had withdrawn from nearly everything outside her home. Her mother wanted her back in a classroom. But Jamella? She just wanted to feel better – to feel okay enough to leave the house, maybe find a job one day. The idea of returning to school made her tense up. She didn’t say it outright, but you could hear it in …

Written by Wilson, Community Worker If you’ve been following our stories, you might remember Qistina, a soft-spoken 13-year-old who surprised everyone when she stayed behind after an academic support session just to do more math practice (Issue #2524). She had finally grasped a concept that once felt impossible, and she didn’t want the feeling to end. At the time, some described her as unmotivated. But all it took was one volunteer asking a different question, trying a different approach, and it became clear. Qistina wasn’t unmotivated. She had simply been left behind – her confidence shaken, her fundamentals missing. Now, …