Madam Jenny Yim, 57, earns $800 a month and has a family to feed. But every time she receives her salary, she gives $100 to the needy through Club-100 @ North West.

The mother of two, who works as a bus attendant, had seen young children on the way to school sharing their meagre breakfast – sometimes just a slice of bread – with their siblings.

So in 2008, when North West District mayor Teo Ho Pin made a pitch for residents to make monthly donations of $100 to the North West Food Aid Fund, Madam Yim decided to contribute.

Since its inception in 2008, Club-100 @ North West has raised $5.3 million that went towards helping more than 12,000 needy families in the North West District.

It started out with 10 members, and has 620 today.

At a thank-you dinner for donors held at Parliament House yesterday, Madam Yim said donating a substantial proportion of her income comes easily to her.

“I am happy leading a simple life, because helping people is my priority,” she said.

Another donor is Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui, who lives in the north-western part of Singapore and has been giving to the fund for five years.

Said Ms Cheng, whose family also donates: “It’s a meaningful programme because it’s neighbours helping neighbours, and providing food is one of the most immediate things you can do for the needy.”

She was among the donors recognised by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Mr Lee, who also chairs the People’s Association, told the 250 people at the event that their good work not only helps the needy directly, but also goes a long way in fostering social cohesion.

Pointing to developments in some societies, he said people who “feel like the people in charge don’t seem to be caring for them” had voted for extreme candidates in a fit of anger. Singapore is not immune to this, he added.

To ensure the strength of Singapore’s system of government, he said, “stabilisers” such as the elected presidency have been put in place.

But he added that it was also important for Singaporeans to be united.

“The most important thing is that society has to feel together, feel that you are one (and) working for one another,” he said. “Through Club-100 and more, we hope we get our message through and that we can hold together as one united people.”

rachelay@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on October 28, 2016.
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Sari ‘warriors’ Sarita and Sudha to talk about the journey of the colourful fabric in Singapore

The sari is one of the longest surviving garments in the history of textiles.

The many yards of colourful fabric that go into a sari can evoke both timeless elegance and avant-garde chic. To coincide with the celebration of Deepavali in Singapore, two Indian women are presenting a talk titled A Lighter Side of History.

The sari “warriors” – Ms Sarita Alurkar-Sriram and Ms Sudha Kanago – will bring to life the ancient journey of the Indian sari, from weaves to colourful myths, draping styles, symbolic motifs, Singapore’s own sari story, and more.

The talk will be held on Oct 29 from 2pm to 4pm at the National Museum of Singapore.

It will delve into how this unstitched garment has woven itself into Singapore’s history, from the time Indian women first came to this country and helped in nation-building, to how it was a traded commodity when Singapore became a booming trading port.

Saris are very much a part of Singapore’s heritage and cultural legacy along with the Chinese cheongsam and Malay baju-kebaya and it is important that future generations of Singaporeans know the vastness and the richness of their unique heritage.

Spectacular saris to mark Singapore’s jubilee

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Handout, Ruby Shekhar, The Straits Times

Participants will also understand how relevant the sari is to the Indian community – how it acts as a symbol of identity and pride, a way of connecting within the community, a living heritage.

Ms Sarita is a marketing professional who has been captivated by the “unstitched piece of cloth” for years.

Armed with extensive research on India’s rich handwoven textile traditions, she has given talks at the Asian Civilisation Museum, the National Library Board’s Central Public Library, and other libraries and forums in Singapore and abroad.

Ms Sudha is a corporate professional from the healthcare industry. Her passion for historical literature, textiles and travel to remote parts of India have helped her connect her research on textiles to the cultural context of their origin. She has given talks on the different weaves from India to textile enthusiasts.

She and Ms Sarita share their ongoing research on the sari on their Facebook page “The Timeless Appeal of the Indian Sari”.

Those keen to attend the talk can register at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/a-lighter-side-of-history-the-timeless-appeal-of-the-indian-sari-tickets-28136943355

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16 female MPs don saris

Source:

Tamil Murasu

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – even though it is two months early.

The sight of Orchard Road all decked out in yuletide cheer as early as a few weeks ago has left some to wonder if the Christmas spirit has come a little too early this year.

But the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) said yesterday that it has not deviated from a schedule that it follows every year.

Orba executive director Steven Goh said the association works six weeks backwards from New Year’s Day to fix the date of the official light-up.

“But the installation work has to start as early as Oct 1 because the contractor is given only five weeks,” he added.

These five weeks may not be enough, he said, as work can be done only between midnight and 6am. Even then, work is called off when it rains.

It can be difficult to install the lights quickly as a special rubber sleeve – to protect the trees – has to be placed on branches before lights can be hung on them.

The installation of the decorations is expected to take 15,120 man-hours. So far, 70 per cent of the work has been completed, he said.

Mr Goh also touched on concerns of the Christmas decorations overshadowing Deepavali, which is tomorrow.

He explained that the Christmas light-up works on a fixed schedule, as the festival falls on the same day every year, and that the light-ups are planned independently.

It is inevitable that festivities will cross paths, he added.

“There is no issue. Singapore is a multicultural society, and we respect one another,” he told The Straits Times.

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Xmas decor in S’pore up as early as Oct this year

Source:

The Straits Times

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This article was first published on Oct 28, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

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First-ever India Conversations aim to shine spotlight on Singapore initiative

When Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore visited Singapore in 1927 he stayed with the Namazies at their seaside bungalow in Siglap. The same M.A. Namazie who was to later build the iconic Capitol Theatre on Stamford Road.

And now, on Nov 6, Tagore’s great-grandniece Sharmila Tagore will be at the stunningly refurbished Capitol Theatre to share fascinating anecdotes on the women of the Tagore household at the first India Conversations in Singapore.

Others coming from India to take part in the India Conversations are poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, actor-director Rahul Bose and Olympic shooting gold medallist Abhinav Bindra.

“The idea is to have entertainment that’s also intelligent and relevant,” says journalist-turned-entrepreneur Rinkoo Bhowmik. She conceived the India Conversations with Ms Malavika Banerjee, the person behind the hugely successful Kolkata Literary Meet.

The two are bringing this dazzling line-up of speakers to raise awareness around The Cha Project, a Singapore initiative that aims to save India’s only surviving Chinatown in Kolkata.

Joining the speakers from India willbe Singapore residents, spoken word artist Nupur Saraswat, writer Nilanjana Sengupta and Straits Times sports journalist Rohit Brijnath.

The Cha Project (Cities • Heritage • Architecture), aims to rejuvenate Kolkata’s Chinatown with Singapore-style food streets, cafes, a heritage centre and history trails.

“We’re trying to save a two-and-a-half centuries old Chinese diasporic history and culture from being forgotten forever,” said Mr Raj Sharma of The Cha Project.

India Conversations will also see the launch of Aruna Chakravarti’s Daughters of Jorasanko, a sequel to Jorasanko.

The first book was a gripping semi-fictional family saga, that provided a fascinating glimpse into Jorasanko, the ancestral home of the Tagores and the lives of its women, and how they helped shape the modern women’s movement in India.

The sequel will be launched by Paresh Maity, one of India’s most respected modern artists.

India Conversations will be held on Nov 6 from 5 to 8.30pm at Capital Theatre, 11 Stamford Road. Tickets for the event are available online from Eventnook.

Read also:

Explore Chinatown in Kolkata 

Fading Chinese community remembers painful war past

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