Every Thursday evening, dozens of secondary school students flock to Marsiling Community Club to take part in team games and bond over food such as pizza.
The students are from low-income households in the neighbourhood, and are sometimes also taken on outings to places like bowling centres. This is part of a ground-up initiative – aptly named Progress Nest – that was founded by Mr Akram Hanif, 24, last June.
“I felt we should do a programme that helps with their social and emotional growth as they go through these important years,” said Mr Akram, who works in the shipping industry.
He has been granted $13,000 in financial support from Our Singapore Fund, which was launched in 2016 and has since supported over 240 ground-up projects in areas ranging from sports to the arts.
Mr Akram, who applied for the Fund around six months after starting Progress Nest, said the money he receives go towards activities such as outings, food and hiring buses to take the teens to events.
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Source: The Straits Times, 19 February 2020