Six Organisations Worth Donating to This Holiday Season
Be inspired to give a small donation to these organisations to support the meaningful work they do.
Seeing the world through fresh eyes isn’t always easy, yet, whenever the last few months of the year creep around, we hope for meaningful experiences in the new year to change us, teach us something new, or even better, to move us.
For the non-profit organisations and social enterprises Our Better World has featured, making an impact on someone else’s world isn’t just a new year’s resolution, it’s a way of life that transforms lives for the better.
In telling their stories, we hope you not only get to see the world through their eyes but that you’re inspired to take part in their collective kindness with a small donation to support the meaningful work that they do.
Mercy In Action
Who they are
In Leyte, Philippines, midwife Nerissa and her team provide free, compassionate and attentive birthing services and pre and postnatal care to women in rural areas and poorer communities who have been on the receiving end of unkind or traumatic experiences from public healthcare institutions.
The difference they make
With the support of non-profit Mercy In Action, the experienced midwives lead and operate in a culture of respect and kindness toward the mother-to-be, vital to her birthing experience and healthier postnatal state. The women are also taught family planning and proper postpartum treatment.
From the moment a pregnant woman steps into the clinic, to the delivery, until they are discharged and sent home right to their doorstep, Nerissa and her team ensure they are treated with dignity, respect, and kindness.
How you can donate
Contribute to Mercy In Action’s efforts to provide a safe space for women and better maternity care.
Sisterhood Community Center
Who they are
Founded by women refugees in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sisterhood Community Center (SCC) is an organisation for refugee women seeking community, life skills and support. Funded by donations, SCC’s activities and upskilling classes are managed by refugee women or volunteers.
The difference they make
SCC is a melting pot of meaningful connections critical for the health and well-being of refugee women. It has become a haven community where women support each other, and find hope and purpose in their lives despite the uncertainty of their circumstances.
Refugee women are given the power to take control of their lives through SCC’s programmes and activities. Learning English, crafts, makeup or jewelry skills are some of the many options refugee women have at SCC that arm them with skills to survive and thrive in Indonesia.
SCC has impacted the lives of refugee women in a profound and positive way, giving them a safe space and the support of a growing community of over 400 ‘sisters’.
How you can donate
Contribute and empower Sisterhood Community Center to continue their operations and efforts to provide refugee women with a safe space to upskill and seek support.
CMSC
Who they are
Volunteer-run and a ground-up initiative, the COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition (CMSC) act as the catalyst for volunteers in Singapore and like-minded individuals to come together to support the welfare of marginalised migrant worker communities.
The difference they make
CMSC’s initiatives have made it possible for volunteers to easily connect with migrant workers and to better understand them and provide the support migrant workers need from the local community.
Befriending initiatives like WeTalk is an avenue for volunteers and migrant workers to foster meaningful friendships — that otherwise may not have formed without CSMC — that ultimately provide emotional and mental wellness support at a time of social distancing, isolation and being far away from loved ones.
How you can help
Donate to CMSC and their initiatives to support our migrant workers community better
What a Waste
Who they are
A Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysian social enterprise, What a Waste (WaW) rescues tonnes of food daily — that would otherwise go to waste in a landfill — to provide regular free meals to the families of low income earners in Malaysia.
The difference they make
WaW employs individuals from the low income groups to work as food warriors — helping in food rescue and delivery missions — or as cooks who turn surplus raw produce and food products into hot meals for their community,
This use of existing resources by WaW not only re-channels food in a way that reduces environmental waste and greenhouse gases in landfills, it also directly impacts the lives of individuals under the B40 Partner Cooks Programme, giving them a stable source of income and empowering them to prepare regular meals to feed their community.
How you can donate
Support What a Waste’s fundraising efforts to build a WaW village - a one-stop-hub - with a kitchen for the B40 cooks to gather and prepare meals for those in need.
Magical Light
Who they are
For Ben Cheong, the founder of home-grown Singapore non-profit Magical Light, charity is not about giving, but about helping. Through cultivating friendships in the region, Ben has been instrumental in providing education, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance beyond the shores of Singapore since 2012.
The difference they make
Most recently in mid-2021, Magical Light was able to swiftly raise funds for medical supplies to be sent to aid rural communities in Nepal who experienced a spike of Covid-19 cases and lockdowns. This was only made possible through Ben’s connection to Wangchuk, a Nepalese monk who related the dire need for oxygen concentrators in the rural areas.
Despite seemingly impossible situations, Magical Light is focused on finding ways to help vulnerable overseas communities through the connections and relationships fostered over the years.
How you can help
Support Magical Light’s missions in helping overseas communities in need
The Archipelago
Who they are
The Archipelago is a community of writers who identify themselves as writers first, and refugees second. Co-founded by Warsan Weedhsan, an East African refugee based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Archipelago is her dream made real; an online home for refugees to publish their writing and amplify their creative work.
The difference they make
Passionate about empowering refugee and migrant writers, Warsan launched an online writing workshop to help writers like herself gain the confidence to share their stories.
The Archipelago supports writers and artists in their network by providing writing workshops, an online space for them to share their stories, and the opportunity to connect with writers and artists from other parts of the world.
How you can help
Support The Archipelago in expanding their work training refugee and migrant background writers and artists, and providing a source of income to the creatives they publish and collaborate with.
Visit our gift and volunteer guide for ideas on how else you can spread some joy!
