– 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.
Forgoing gifts for giving to a good cause
Teodoro Costa, for his fifth birthday party in 2017, had an odd request for his friends and family: He didn't want any presents. Instead, he asked them to donate money to a "gift fund", with half the amount going to a cause he felt especially passionate about. That...
‘Nocarrierpls’ account bags student followers
Undergraduate Rachel Tan created an Instagram account in July 2017 in a light-hearted bid to get her friends to practise eco-friendly habits. Through the use of quirky language and humour, the 20-year-old would "nag", urging them to reduce the use of disposables such...
That’s the last straw for this teen
Since last month, customers of fast-food eatery 4Fingers Crispy Chicken have been reminded to ditch plastic straws. The local chain is one of 27 eateries, including Wheeler's Yard and Brawn & Brains Coffee, trying to cut down on the use of disposable straws to...
Socks give seniors an impulse to get walking
Mr Dang Hook Daik was stricken with Parkinson's disease four years ago and fell five times in the last two years because the tremors that came with the disease made it hard for him to walk properly. "I don't walk too much now because I am afraid to fall," said Mr...
Entrepreneurship isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Entrepreneurship is hip in development circles. It’s the new buzz word and is increasingly portrayed as the solution to social and economic inequality. Academics and practitioners alike have argued that entrepreneurship can drive economic growth, reduce inequality,...
Ground-up efforts count in push to be zero-waste
During each visit to the wet market, librarian Yansary Abdullah, 34, estimates she is given about 40 plastic bags, but they often end up in the bin because they held raw food. So last month, she brought her own containers to the wet market and plans to continue doing...
Consumers’ take on packaging-free stores in Singapore
June Eng, a recycling enthusiast headed to UnPackt – a social enterprise located in Jalan Kuras that sells daily necessities without packaging – to purchase groceries with three reusable containers in her bag. Despite having to bring her own carrier, the 42-year-old,...
High-tech gadgets to make life fun and easy for seniors
New and innovative technologies to aid the elderly are being adopted by medical institutions and nursing homes across the island. One is a device that serves as both umbrella and walking stick and has built-in functions such as an MP3 music player and alarm sensor....
Charging phones with food waste
It may look like any other mobile phone-charging station, but this locker-like system at the corner of the National University of Singapore's Raffles Hall is actually powered by food waste. Some 40kg of food, once thrown away each day by students staying at the hall,...
Yishun to become friendlier for lost dementia patients
Nee Soon South is set to become more dementia-friendly. Eight more go-to points, where the public can take people with dementia who are lost and wandering, will open from 14 May 2018. These will be on top of the current 14 in Yishun. These "safe return" points, called...
Doing good to help feed needy families
When Mr Muzammil Mohamad first organised a charity bake sale for his friend's company, he thought it would be a one-off project. But the positive response to the sale has led to the formation of a social initiative that is now raising funds to feed needy families...
He talks trash with Jackie Chan
Construction tiles are usually crafted from porcelain, ceramic and even cork, but Taiwan-based upcycling company Miniwiz has made them from plastic bottles and fabric waste that have been shredded, melted and moulded into solid hexagonal pieces. They are made by the...
Desire to care for mentally ill mum led to his career choice
When he was seven years old, his mother ran away from home and Mr Rayson Choo and his father, a security guard, spent weeks scouring the island hoping to find her. "My father was frantic, and we even made a police report," said Mr Choo, 28. "I wasn't sure what was...
1,700 SG Ambassadors trained and ready to serve
A batch of 1,700 Silver Generation (SG) Ambassadors are ready and raring to go after completing their training. The SG Ambassadors, who are volunteers, have to undergo 12 hours of classroom training at a new training facility at the Silver Generation Office. The...
Ventures that cut food and packaging waste
TreeDots is an online platform that allows individuals, eateries and voluntary welfare organisations to order discounted groceries that would otherwise be thrown away. The items may be slightly defective or approaching their expiry dates, but prices are hugely marked...
Bringing the gift of sight to the Himalayas
Elizabeth Tan has always been one step ahead of her peers. As an undergraduate, to fund her own university education, she started a company called Uberture Events that organises parties and events for colleges. The company did so well that she made more than $2,000...
Still young, and already a caregiver
The ageing of the population, the shrinking of family sizes and the trend of people getting chronic diseases at a younger age mean that a growing number of young people are saddled with the heavy responsibility of taking care of their parents while they are still...
This store sells food without packaging
When you shop at Unpackt, Singapore's first zero-waste grocery stores, make sure you take your own containers. Tucked away in Jalan Kuras, off Upper Thomson Road, the 1,200 square feet shop, which opened yesterday (5 May), looks nothing like a conventional grocery...
Women going the extra mile to reduce waste
During the hectic lunch hour, social sector facilitator Shihui Khee’s instructions on how her food should be served can ruffle a few feathers. It’s not that Ms Khee is a picky eater. Rather, she refuses to use disposables like plastic and styrofoam containers or paper...
Mums volunteer despite hardships
Sincere Hope, an organisation run by 13 “mummy volunteers”, started an initiative to distribute food to the residents of a HDB estate in Jalan Bukit Merah that comprises mostly of one- and two-room rental flats. The group supports residents in the neighbourhood who...
