Community, a place to care and grow (Another Week Beyond – 2424)

By Grace Yew, Community Worker

“Pergi, jom” (Let’s go!). We go back to office with you to help you carry all these. You one person, how to carry all alone?” Fauziah insisted as she walked to the side of the lorry, ready to jump onto the passenger’s seat. Her husband who had helped her to hoist two huge tables and fifteen stools onto the lorry followed. 

I laughed in disbelief.  

It was 6 pm and Fauziah, had been out since ten in the morning, supporting 15 children to set up a community gathering below their flats that boasted carnival-style games and home-cooked food. “Sarang Raya” or a “hive of activity” was the brainchild of 15 children who wanted to organise an event for neighbours to enjoy the day as friends. This was a brave leadership endeavour from the children, but they bit off a little more than they could chew. So, Fauziah rallied some parents to help in support of the children’s success.  

It was dinner time and we just got through four and a half hours hosting over 80 people helping themselves to food and having a go at the game booths manned by the children. I stared at her bewildered yet touched, before loudly protesting, “No, my colleague is at the office, he can help me. Can one, don’t worry. I don’t want you to travel all the way back here again from Tiong Bahru! That’s crazy.”  

After many rounds of assuring her that there was help at the office, I drove back alone. 

On my way to the office, I could not help smiling as I thought about Fauziah’s sense of responsibility. Although she gets a stipend for her efforts as a community enabler, I am convinced that it is not the money but the care and pride she holds for her neighbourhood that drives her. The money is of course useful for a household with little resources, but it is not enough to be considered a salary.    

As a community enabler, Fauziah must engage her neighbours.  I remember how nervous she was when she first began knocking on their doors. But during the event, it was clear that she was effective. So much so that she surprised herself, “Whoa, this neighbour always so hard to see! I never expected her to come down to the event… and with her kids some more! This other Chinese man also! We hardly see them you know. I can’t believe they came because I asked. Wow!” 

In community work, we journey with people to nurture their capabilities and a culture of care in their neighbourhood.   I treasure moments of seeing these aspects in the people I encounter. What a privilege it was to see Fauziah recognising the impact of her work and extending the care she had for children and neighbours to me.  

“Caring is the bridge that connects us to one another.” – Thich Nhat Hanh 

PAST AWB POSTS

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

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

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2443 – Why Do You Work?

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.

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2442 – It Starts with “Hello”

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

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2441 – Looking for Treasure not Dirt

As a community worker, I knock on doors to introduce myself and to explore how residents may contribute toward the wellbeing of their neighbourhood.  By chatting with them, I discover their talents, aspirations and values. Of course, not everyone talks to me when I knock but it is always so rewarding when they do. Last week, I met 98-year-old Madam Wong and her son who is in his 70s. I learnt that Madam Wong shares her art and craft skills with the older residents in her community.  What she enjoys doing most and is really good at is “weaving” together

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2440 – Leading the Charge for Change

For years, the residents of a public rental block in Yishun struggled with unsanitary rubbish disposal, bird-feeding, and littering from open windows. As tensions mounted, frustration could have easily divided the community. But instead, a group of proactive volunteers decided to address the issue themselves, determined to improve their living environment—not just for themselves, but for everyone in the neighbourhood. These volunteers initiated a series of conversations with their neighbours where residents openly expressed their frustrations and shared personal stories. “It doesn’t feel good to come home from work after a long day to a living environment that is unhygienic,”

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2439 – The Strength of Community

“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals.” – Jean Vanier Our work is grounded in an approach known as Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). ABCD is a relationship-driven, strengths-based approach that focuses on identifying and mobilizing often overlooked community assets for sustainable development. During this year’s Youth Appreciation Day, we experienced firsthand the power of Gifts, Relationships, and Care (GRC), core principles of ABCD. GRC reminds us that everyone holds unique gifts — skills, strengths, and lived experiences. When shared within the framework of

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2438 – A Game Changer

A Game Changer Submitted by: Adrian, Community Worker During a community gathering in April, along with the spread of food on the table, a robust serving of soccer talk was served up. This is a topic that energized the youth who were present. Their excitement wasn’t just about the game; they were eager to form a proper soccer team. So enthusiastic were they, that that very evening, the Bukit Ho Swee Soccer programme was born. Our first training session took place at an outdoor court that was well-maintained and ideal for practice, but it was too far away. The commute

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2437 – A House is not a Home

By Pei Ling, Community Worker What is a home to you? Is it just a place filled with your stuff? Where you store your sofa, TV, bed, clothes?   These are questions we ask ourselves as we walk along the corridors of the small flats in the neighbourhoods we serve. We catch glimpses of everyday life along these corridors – mismatched footwear, potted plants, toys scattered about, and front doors of various colours – some freshly painted, some faded. Inside, some of these flats have varying degrees of stuff, but they most certainly hold more than that. For each is Home

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PAST AWB POSTS

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

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

Read more >

2443 – Why Do You Work?

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.

Read more >

2442 – It Starts with “Hello”

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

Read more >