Creating change? It takes a community
For some among us, helping others is only the beginning.
Instead, they go that extra step further — giving others the opportunity to help out too.
This year, as we celebrate Singapore’s National Day on August 9, we’re casting the spotlight on people who make it possible to channel some of that kampung spirit into doing our bit for society.
There’s John See Toh, who founded Runninghour, so that people with disabilities can, for instance, go for a run in the park and feel they are part of society — all thanks to the volunteer running guides, who go the distance with them.
Meanwhile, those who empathise with parents grieving their lost babies, have an avenue to offer comfort through Angel Hearts: An organisation founded by Felicia Tan and Rosalind Ang that creates burial clothing from upcycled gowns for deceased babies.
Project We Forgot, set up by Melissa Chan, is a space where caregivers of those with dementia find they are no longer alone. By contributing their stories, they become pillars of support for each other, drawing strength from this process of sharing.
And there’s Free Food for All (FFFA), through which a simple meal becomes a moment of grace — thanks to those who cook and deliver meals to those struggling to afford to eat.
In the words of Nizar Shariff, FFFA’s founder: “No man is an island. If we were to do things on our own, naturally it’s going to be a very difficult task. But when people come in from all sorts of backgrounds, we all can push towards a better place, a better society.”
The work of these Singaporeans, and others like them, is powerful, because they’re not trying to make the world a more compassionate place by just themselves.
As Shaun Lee of Project Chulia Street, one of FFFA’s partners, puts it, “Instead of one person doing good, collectively we are doing something awesome.”
And that’s something worth being inspired by, any time of the year.
Click to check out our stories on Runninghour, Angel Hearts, Project We Forgot and Free Food for All, and see how you can support each of them.
