Special needs teacher Yeo Koon Long picked up programming a few years ago because he wanted to help children with autism communicate more effectively through technology.
At a previous school, he realised that although the students could not speak, they were “very cognitively able” and could communicate through typing or pointing at pictures on an Apple iPad.
Mr Yeo, 30, wanted to create a programme that could help them fulfil simple tasks, such as ordering food on their own.
However, the first beneficiaries of his new-found skill turned out to be a very different group.
In 2017, Mr Yeo launched meal claim and donation platform Secondmeal, which was inspired by cafes overseas, where patrons can buy an additional meal or drink for someone in need.
He collaborated with non-profit group Happy People Helping People (HPHP), which supports elderly beneficiaries, many of whom are cardboard collectors.
The group usually distributes donations, such as supermarket vouchers and essential items, to the elderly beneficiaries. It was a natural step to add meal donations into the mix.
Working with HPHP volunteers, Mr Yeo distributed QR codes that allow the elderly to claim free meals at about 30 stalls around the island, a third of which are halal.
Meals are paid for by donors and tracked via a status bar on the Secondmeal website. This shows how many meals have been donated that month and if there is a surplus or shortfall. Donors can also check when their meals were claimed.
Read more here.
Source: The Straits Times, 26 July 2020