No actors, please. Our first-ever marketing campaign to promote the City of Good features real people who are transforming Singapore into a more other-centred, caring home.
What if Singaporeans were a little less “me-first” and put the needs of others first?
That’s the City of Good, our vision of a Singapore – that all of us are other-centred and care for one another like our family. When we were planning our first-ever marketing campaign to share the ethos of the City of Good, we thought: Who better to front this than real-life Singaporeans who are doing amazing work?
So, from a loving macik to an F&B boss who hires persons with disabilities, here are the real stars of our City of Good.
Mdm Jainah Bte Awang: The Ultimate #PeopleofGood
Life’s not easy for Mdm Jainah. The 70-year-old is the sole caregiver of an adult son with special needs and two grandchildren. They live simply in a one-room rental flat, with few luxuries.
Her time and wallet may be tight, but Madam Jainah’s caring nature is boundless. The motherly figure loves her neighbours and leads a regular food distribution drive to serve them. With other volunteers, she sorts and distributes donated food items to needy households.
Impressively, her giving track record extends far back. Madam Jainah’s former MP, and now President Halimah Yacob recently lauded her at our launch event of the City of Good in October, sharing how Mdm Jainah used to cook delicious meals for the community.
Why does Mdm Jainah give? “Everyone in this world has problems… helping others (with theirs) helps me to forget mine,” she has shared previously in a CNA interview.
Samsui Supplies & Services: An Organisation of Good
Organisations play a role too in building a City of Good. Take Samsui Supplies & Services, a subsidiary of Soup Restaurant Group. Since 2017, Samsui has been creating jobs for prison inmates and persons with disabilities (PWD), by inviting them to prepare food for nursing homes and charities. Their efforts recently nabbed them the Social Enterprise of the Year Award at the President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Awards.
We love how Samsui walks the talk. Their central kitchen at Enabling Village has been customised with lower work counters and spacious aisles to accommodate wheelchair-bound staff. Samsui has also simplified its food preparation processes for staff with special needs.
What we love even more: Samsui’s heart. It’s evident when director Ang Kian Peng talks about training his staff to create sophisticated dim sum dishes like salted egg prawn rolls and crab meat spring rolls. “We don’t want them to just do [basic] spring rolls which can be bought cheaply off-the-shelf. This is about providing dignified work they can be proud of.”
Kwek Li Yong: A Leader of Good
Every City of Good needs #LeadersofGood such as community leader Kwek Li Yong, who created Singapore’s first community museum.
Located in a quaint shophouse at Block 46-3 Commonwealth Drive, Musem @ My Queenstown is filled with artefacts lovingly contributed by residents: A retro TV set. An old-school kopitiam marble table. Signboards from defunct provision shops.
It started Li Yong (who founded civic group MyCommunity) realised that Queenstown residents were concerned over possible changes to the neighbourhood, and wanted a permanent place to house precious community memories. With a team of 450 volunteers, he collected stories for the museum, negotiated for a space with government agencies, and raised $250,000 from residents, local businesses and religious institutions! The group does not rely on government funds.
The museum has also been a hub of many eclectic activities including flea markets and Escape Rooms – all curated by the community, for the community.
“Every community has a story to tell… If we believe that certain stories and values should be passed on to the next generation, we should start by documenting our social memories,” says Li Yong.
Do you know of other inspiring individuals, organisations and leaders? Share their stories on social media using the hashtag #CityofGood (leave your profile public so we can find it) and we may feature them!
Inspired by our City of Good ambassadors? Start your giving journey now.
