– Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, author and motivational speaker
There are many issues that the community is facing. And only when we take the effort to find out more and keep ourselves up-to-date, can we be part of the solution and change can happen, to truly build a community that cares.
Brain tumour not stopping boy from living life to the fullest
At just 11 years of age, Javier Lim has been through five major operations to remove a benign but recurring tumour from his brain. Mrs Sharon Lim, Javier's mother, said the operations cost around $20,000 to $30,000 each. Some 85% of all related medical costs are...
Start-ups help Indonesia’s farmers to grow their sales
Melon farmer Mr Ade Dwi Adedi, 54, who started planting melons in 2006 with the assistance of two helpers, now teams up with 40 fellow farmers in Cilegon city, Banten, to supply Indonesia's leading supermarket chains, such as Hero and Giant. While he used to work on a...
Helping disabled and disadvantaged cooks to showcase their skills
Mdm Tay Lee Keng is deaf, and runs the bakery stall at Dignity Kitchen, a social enterprise and hawker training school for disabled and disadvantaged people. The skilled baker, who counts treats like muffins, pineapple tarts and large cookies as part of her...
A free shelter for strangers
Unlike most newly-weds who look forward to the privacy of their own homes, the Thongs went in the opposite direction when they married in 2007. They rented a three-room flat in Toa Payoh and threw open their doors to complete strangers to live with them for free. Over...
Polytechnic raising funds to help rebuild villages
Students and staff from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) are raising funds for villagers hit by the recent spate of earthquakes in Lombok, Indonesia. Close to $20,000 has been collected so far in a campus donation drive which started on 6 August, with plans to use the funds...
School bag and stationery gift changed poor boy’s life
During primary school, Veera Sekaran often went to school carrying his textbooks in a paper bag. On rainy days, he would hold the bag close to his chest so it would not tear. Sometimes, when the bag got torn, "I had to look for another bag in the rubbish bin", he...
Inclusivity is top concern among youth here
Inclusivity has emerged as the top issue that young Singaporeans are concerned about, according to an ongoing conversation to engage them on national issues led by the National Youth Council (NYC). The youth of today want society to look beyond identity categories...
Mentors make a difference
Mentorship programmes have come under the spotlight recently. In early July 2018, the Mentoring Alliance was launched, bringing together 11 organisations that aim to grow mentoring schemes for youth. The benefits of having mentors are long-lasting and life-changing,...
How to give and live more
The Live More In A Minute video series comprises of eight videos, and show how people can make the most of their everyday lives. In each episode, it provides tangible tips on how viewers can "live more". In two of the videos, it featured administrative assistant...
Son and visually-impaired father busking duo sings at NDP
Over the last decade, the busking duo of Mr Mashruddin Saharuddin and his son Nizaruddin usually attract a small crowd of dozens when they perform at their regular spot outside Tampines MRT station. While Mr Nizaruddin, 27, sings and plays the guitar, Mr Mashruddin,...
Pre-school takes in special needs kids too
A new pre-school in Bukit Timah will be taking in children aged three to six with different learning needs - whether they are mainstream children or have special needs. Bright Path Preschool, which can take up to 70 children in its first batch, will offer early...
Singaporean surgeon dreams of better smiles for children
Between juggling his job as a surgeon at Dream Plastic Surgery Clinic, his responsibilities as a visiting consultant at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) and helping children smile again, Associate Professor Vincent Yeow has little time to himself. But he is...
Retired odd job worker now helps seniors in his estate
For more than 20 years, Li De Yan helped to build Singapore with his bare hands. During the growing years of Singapore's construction sector in the 1970s and 80s, he mixed cement, laid bricks and built houses across the country. And for the past two decades, the...
Opening hearts to kids with special needs
Opening one's home to welcome a foster child is laudable enough. But what does it take to foster a child with special needs? A common perception is that raising one's own child who has physical or intellectual disabilities is challenging enough. But some foster...
Social enterprise café opens at Raffles Institution
The Autism Resource Centre (ARC) has opened its first social enterprise cafe, Professor Brawn Cafe, in a school. The outlet, which is located at Raffles Institution (RI), was officially opened by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday (Jul 18). The cafe provides...
How apps have the potential to save lives
When Becca Hume was 16, she got a part-time job where she met a deaf person for the first time. “I realised how isolated he was at work, so I started learning sign language to be able to talk to him properly,” she says. It made her understand the daily frustrations...
Techie takes long road to an honours degree
Driven by a dream that started at the age of eight, Mr Nicholas Ooi embarked on a long journey through Singapore's education system. He passed through EM3 in primary school, Normal (Technical) in secondary school and then the Institute of Technical Education (ITE),...
Donate a hawker centre meal to needy residents
A programme launched on 14 July lets diners at Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre donate meals to needy residents. Called Gift-A-Meal, the scheme is the first of its kind at a hawker centre, said social enterprise NTUC Foodfare, which runs Pasir Ris Central Hawker...
Urban farming social enterprise benefits local community
Becoming a farmer in Singapore sounds risky enough, but former digital marketer Bjorn Low decided to take it a step further by starting his own urban farming social enterprise, Edible Garden City. Established in 2012, the company aims to bring people together through...
Museum launch Quiet Room dedicated to special needs children
As part of efforts to make cultural and heritage spaces more inclusive for those with additional needs, the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) will be introducing a Quiet Room as a retreat for special needs children. Designed to provide a calm and relaxing setting for...
