After receiving their A-level results earlier this year, Maxine and Grace had no idea what to do next.
Unsure about what to study at university, they decided to take a gap year and make a difference together.
Anthony, a national track-and-field athlete, roped in her teammate Kampton, 19, who was from Victoria Junior College.
Said Anthony: “We bounced ideas off each other, but we knew we wanted to help the elderly as they were one of the more affected groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Many of their friends had also said their grandparents did not want to leave their homes owing to safety concerns, which further isolated them from the rest of the community.
The three finally settled on preparing cotton plant seed kits to be distributed to seniors living in the Fengshan area in Bedok. Working with The Salvation Army, they have prepared 120 kits thus far.
Fifty kits will be used in therapy sessions at Peacehaven Nursing Home in Upper Changi.
The group made their first rounds of home visits on Monday and are planning to make a second round today.
Ms Anthony said the group chose cotton seeds because they are easier to grow than edible plants and herbs.
The trio hope that besides providing the seniors with a source of entertainment, the plants will also give them a sense of purpose.
“We are hoping to teach them crafting skills that they could put to use in the future, with the cotton they get from their plant,” said Ms Lau.
The project is currently self-funded by the three friends. They are documenting the journey on an Instagram page.
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Source: The Straits Times, 20 August 2020