– 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.
Families on holiday take time to do good
In March 2018, seven families participated in the Holiday for Hope programme, where they distributed new clothes to primary school pupils, had lunch with them and painted words of inspiration on their school benches. Initiated by Crib Society in partnership with...
Young author inspired by her little sister with special needs
At the age of nine, Sofia Chen made history in 2017 by becoming the youngest Singaporean author to land a major publishing deal in the United States – with a Lego how-to activity book. And it all began because she simply wanted to help her six-year-old sister, who has...
Indonesia’s footless goalkeeper kicks home powerful message
When Eman Sulaeman begged his parents to let him play football, the couple worried their young son — born with no feet and just one full leg — would be mocked. But two decades later, the 30-year-old Indonesian goalkeeper is wowing crowds at home and abroad with his...
Parents help teen cope with autism
Growing up, Ms Anastasia Sabrina Zuraimi knew she was not like "normal" children. She has autism - a condition that affects social interaction and communication, and is characterised by repetitive behaviour. This lifelong condition ranges from mild to severe, and has...
Fly farm can turn tonnes of food waste into fertiliser
Insectta, Singapore’s first insect farm started last year by Mr Darren Ho, 29, and Mr Ng Jia Quan, 30, turns tonnes of food waste into fertilisers. In a quiet corner of Margaret Drive, the area houses rows of trays bearing what looks like mealworms to be used as food...
Reducing trash with ‘zero waste’ target
Even though they operate in the consumer market, a number of shops and eateries worldwide are making it a point to draw attention to the need to reduce waste. Such businesses are part of a global movement known as the "zero waste" concept. While "zero waste" may be an...
Giving recycling efforts a boost
Latest figures from the National Environment Agency show that Singapore generated 7.7 million tonnes of solid waste in 2017, down slightly from the 7.81 million tonnes in 2016. However, the overall recycling rate remained at 61%. Both the non-domestic and domestic...
Aiming for zero waste every day
It is not just companies and other organisations that are going green. Many individuals like creative brand consultant Jasmine Tuan are doing their bit as well. If you offer Jasmine Tuan, 39, your name card, she will not accept it. Instead, she will take a photo of it...
No plastic straws at this food court
Organisations, eateries and individuals are cutting down on waste by adopting the reduce, re-use and recycle policy. The credit cards are staying plastic, but when customers get a drink of water at OCBC now, it will not come in a bottle, but in a biodegradable cup...
Caring for seniors’ carers
In 2009, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, then Minister for the now superseded Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports commented at a family violence symposium that abuse by caregivers might reflect their inability to deal with the stress and difficulties of...
Book on philanthropists aims to inspire giving
Businessman Keith Chua, 64, is a trustee of a fund which has given away millions to causes in education, healthcare and heritage. The executive chairman of ABR Holdings, the food and beverage firm that owns Swensen's in Singapore, credits his family and his Christian...
Tailoring treatment for cancer patients
Scientists here are a step closer to developing cancer treatments tailored for individual patients, which are more effective and less time-consuming. Their dream is for such customised treatments to replace current ones that are delivered largely through trial and...
Finding his way through a pit of rage
Mr Dominique Dillon grew up without his father, and the void filled him with anger and sorrow. But the unwavering support of other adults showed him a life with love and hope, and today he devotes himself to paying it forward. Mr Dominique Dillon’s parents were never...
A supermodel with a heart for children
Czech supermodel, entrepreneur and philanthropist Petra Nemcova, 38, was in Singapore recently to attend a fund-raiser for the Indonesian arm of her charity, Happy Hearts Fund. She started the charity - which rebuilds schools in areas that have been impacted by...
Setting the stage for performers with disability
For over 20 years, Australian Kate Hood had a glistening career as an actress, writer and director. However in 2002, at age 43, her world crumbled when she was diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia, a genetic disorder that progressively weakens the legs. What...
Hospitals move to tackle latent TB in Singapore
Hospitals such as the National University Hospital (NUH) are stepping up efforts to combat the scourge of latent tuberculosis (TB), in which people, usually aged 50 and over, unknowingly are carriers of an inactive form of the disease. Two in three of new cases...
Dip in amount of waste recycled last year
Singapore may envision itself as a zero-waste nation, but new statistics show the country still has some way to go to achieve this. Despite the slew of measures to make recycling easier, people recycled less waste last year compared with the year before. The National...
New clinic for people with intellectual disabilities
It is not only 61-year-old retiree Harold Tan who struggles when he takes his intellectually disabled daughter Dawn to a polyclinic. Doctors are also ill-equipped to communicate with the 22-year-old because people with intellectual disabilities are less able to...
Barber cuts autistic boy’s hair after trying for years
The first time 10-year-old Jordie Rowland came into the barber shop it was a "disaster," barber Lisa Ann McKenzie said. The stimulation of a haircut can be painful and terrifying for some children with autism, like Jordie. "I felt that I'd failed, and it made me want...
Disabled sports programme gets funding boost
Temasek Foundation Cares Play-Ability programme was officially launched on 17 March 2018 by President Halimah Yacob and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu. It aims to offer greater support and opportunities for people with disabilities to participate...
