The daily activity time in jail for John (not his real name) is precious because that is when the 34-year-old is usually allowed to enjoy leisure activities, such as watching television or exercising.
But for the past three weeks, John, who cannot be identified, has voluntarily sacrificed the time to assemble funpacks for the National Day Parade (NDP) on 9 August, along with 29 other inmates.
The decision to volunteer was an easy one for John, who is determined to make a positive contribution while serving the sentence he received in January for drug offences.
The packing is part of a project to provide Changi Prison inmates with an opportunity to contribute back to society. The Reach Out project is a collaboration among the NDP 2019 Celebration Outreach Committee, Yellow Ribbon Project and Very Special Arts (VSA) Singapore, a non-profit organisation for people with disabilities.
The 50,000 packs, some of which would be distributed at the National Day Parade, will each include a greeting card designed by seven VSA students, who have been diagnosed with either autism or Down syndrome.
The students were mentored by artist Barry Yeow, a former offender.
Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Hoe Kok Wei, chairman of this year’s NDP Celebration Outreach Committee, said the team wanted to involve inmates to promote the message of inclusiveness.
He said that the committee hopes to ensure that every Singaporean has a stake in this celebration.
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Source: The Straits Times, 17 July 2019