Singapore, 26 Feb 2014 – Strategic Public Relations Group (SPRG) and the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) picked up the Best Insights-Driven PR Campaign Gold Award at the PR Awards 2014 gala organized and hosted by Marketing Magazine.

The winning entry, “The Singa Project”, had seen SKM’s mascot Singa “resign” last 15^th May 2013. Exceeding all expectations, The Singa Project went viral and was extensively covered in mainstream media as well, generating more than $2.5 million worth of publicity value within the first six weeks.

The award category, Best Insights Driven PR Campaign, examined various submissions’ challenge, strategy, execution and results.

According to SPRG Managing Director Edwin Yeo, SKM’s brief was to find something that captures the attention of Singaporeans and get them to understand the importance of taking ownership of kindness in their own circles of influence and communities.

SPRG MD Edwin Yeo, SKM Asst GS Marilyn Peh & SKM Associate GS Michelle Tay receiving the Gold Award from Rayana Pandey, Editor, Marketing Magazine Singapore

This was a major challenge because despite SKM’s and others’ efforts to encourage positive behaviour through various public campaigns and other education initiatives, being kind appeared to be inconsequential to a large part of society. The Graciousness Index, SKM’s annual perception study that was relatively stable over the previous years, suffered a massive 8-point drop in early 2013. Anecdotal observations further supported this, with negative news of commuters and drivers fighting easily going viral. Meanwhile, kind deeds also went viral for the wrong reason, ie, with questions on whether these had been staged.

And then the big idea came: have Singa quit. The beloved Courtesy Lion from the 1980s, since bequeathed to SKM, was a familiar face to Singaporeans. Yet, Singa by 2013 had become a highly visible but inutile symbol and reflection of the state of kindness in our society.

SKM saw the potential of capturing the imagination of a hitherto disinterested public and igniting impassioned conversations about where we are as a society, and where we hoped to go.

On 15^th May 2013, Singa released a letter to Today newspaper and SKM’s website to announce his resignation. In it, he expressed disappointment at his inability to inspire Singapore to kindness, and admitted to feeling “too tired to continue facing an increasingly angry and disagreeable society”.

The letter included a subtle dig – decrying top down campaigns – and called on Singaporeans to take personal responsibility for the state of kindness in Singapore. Instead of his usual cheerful self, Singa sounded defeated, cynical and a little passive-aggressive – intentionally and ironically mirroring the insights SKM and SPRG had drawn.

The response was spectacular. SKM’s and SPRG’s phones buzzed all day. SKM’s website, normally averaging 165 hits a day, had 26,277 unique visitors on 15^th May alone.

Bloggers, opinion leaders, social commentary websites and even business organizations churned out spin-offs based on the story. Normally passive Singaporeans sent numerous forum letters to the mainstream press to provide their opinions on Singa’s resignation.

Meanwhile, Singa received several job offers, including from Singapolitics and Walls. On Facebook, Singapore’s Acting Minister for Manpower, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, offered his Ministry’s support in re-employment training and job placement, before proceeding to give his own personal opinion on the story and SKM’s (or Singa’s?) call for personal responsibility.

Before the intended timing to the next phase of targeted opinion articles, mainstream media swung into action pushed by the viral wave. Apart from the letters and news snippets, the weekend saw columnists including Today’s Neil Humphreys give their take. By early the following week, SKM General Secretary William Wan was invited to guest on CNA’s Talking Point The Vote. The resulting vote split left Singa on the fence, with the audience marginally calling for his return: 54% for, 46% against.

The following morning, Dr Wan was invited into 93.8 Live radio’s Talkback. At the nearby TV8 studio, SKM Associate General Secretary Michelle Tay was a studio guest in Zhao An Ni Hao’s discussion on the state of kindness in Singapore.

The next phase did roll out, with SKM and targeted opinion leaders contributing supportive opinion editorials in their own voices, driving the messages of individual responsibility and kindness from the ground-up.

Over-all among some 150 news clips, broadcasts, articles, columns and blogposts in the first six weeks, the reactions were mixed. Two-thirds were neutral, while a quarter strongly supported the move and the idea of taking responsibility and ownership for the state of graciousness in our society. Less than 10% were negative in tonality, and these ranged in opinion from SKM being disrespectful of a national treasure to SKM indulging in emotional blackmail.

Despite the differing reactions, they all had one thing in common: after years of sitting on the sidelines, Singaporeans were not only once again talking about Singa, but more importantly, about what kindness meant to our society.

Months later and even today, The Singa Project is still in residual conversations both online and in newspaper editorials, including guest appearances in various memes and Lianhe Zaobao’s cartoons.

Last October, artist Xin Xiaochang made Singa’s continuing absence the subject of her solo exhibition, ReSINGAtions.

Image via Galerie Sogan & Art’s Facebook page

Starting next week at ilightMarinaBay, Singa’s resignation from months ago will be featured in ScribbleDribbleQuibble, an art installation by four local artists.

Image via ilightmarinabay.sg

The Singa Project’s spark continues to be fanned, and it can only be good that Singaporeans are continuing to discuss about, and hopefully positively contribute to, the state of kindness in our society.

Asked what happens next, SKM Associate General Secretary Cesar Balota says: “SKM remains committed to our strategy of focusing on real individuals, real situations, real actions. A Nation of Kindness Starts With One. As for Singa, where his presence is appropriate and will connect with the audience at hand, he will be around.”

Concluding, SKM General Secretary William Wan says: “We hoped to trigger a greater level of engagement with the public, and perhaps inspire more thoughtful conversation and introspection about our personal attitudes and behaviour in society. This Gold Award affirms our belief that on both counts, our objective has been achieved. However, kindness is a lifelong journey, and we must all continue to do our part to build up the state of kindness and graciousness in our society.”

Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) invited our independent ground up movements (GUMs) and volunteers to our inaugural networking meeting on the 28^th March 2014 at the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). There were a total of 50 attendees, with representatives from various ground up movements. The networking session was an intimate one, chaired by Associate General Secretary, Ms Michelle Tay, from SKM.

The session kicked off with dinner while participants mingled and chatted at the same time. Three ground up movements, Diamonds on the Street, The Hidden Good and The Morning Greeters, were invited to share their experiences in running their initiative. The sharing session inspired volunteers who were present; to look within themselves and explore different ways in which they can grow kindness in their own personal capacity. Michelle also shared about the four ways  – bridging support, funding support, experience, and media support – through which SKM offers support to these groups to start and sustain their own initiatives. The meeting ended on a high note with a group photo to commemorate the occasion.

To find out how you can be a GUM, click here.

In celebration of Kindness Day 2014, the Singapore Kindness Movement is partnering with home grown candy makers – LollyTalk, to come up with a special Kindness Lolly Mix. A public vote for our Kindness Lolly mix was conducted and it now consists of 6 different designs in 6 different flavours.

Sing a song of Kindness, sing it with Gladness
Fill our world with songs and smiles ’cause kindness goes a million miles
If we just look within our heart we’ll step out of the dark
Kindness is in everyone, it starts with me

- Kindness Is In Me, by Lorraine Tan

Queues formed outside Shanghai Dolly on a Friday since 6pm. It might seem like a regular club scene but this time, the party-goers were ready to hit the dance floor celebrating Kindness Day SG. The highlight of the show was the debut of the Kindness Song, “Kindness is in Me” by Lorraine Tan, specially commissioned by the Singapore Kindness Movement. The audience was treated to a high-octane show that included performances by local entertainment company Dream Academy featuring the Dim Sum Dollies, Robin Goh, Hossan Leong and George Chan. Also on stage were Vocaluptous, Elson Soh, singing duo Jack and Rai and Ocean Butterflies artistes Juno, Jacky and Stella.

While the evening was a treat to the senses, kindness was not far from everyone’s minds. Ground-up initiatives that have championed kindness over the past year were honoured as part of the Kindred Spirit Circle at the event. Among those recognised were Diamonds on the Street, a group that brings hope to vulnerable communities by teaching them skills related to music and drama, and the organisers of The Hawker Sessions, an initiative which raises funds for the less privileged through its makan fundraisers at local hawker centres. The affirmation of their organic efforts to bring kindness to the community inducted them into the circle which was started in 2013.

Kindness Day SG will return annually on the last Friday of May, coinciding with the conclusion of Term 2 of the academic calendar.

To view the Kindness Song, please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzj-R3Tygck

In celebrating 49 years of our nation’s independence, we also celebrate the values that our country was built upon: democracy, harmony, equality, respect and justice. These ideals shape the core of a society rooted in compassion and kindness, values that resonate across race, language and religion.

Inspired by this year’s National Day Parade’s theme of pop art, the tattoo designs found in the NDP Fun Pack reflect our desire to see kindness and graciousness imbue our young nation. Through the vivid colours, we hope to illustrate a vibrant society where kindness overflows. Wear these tattoos with pride as a symbol of our common aspiration for a kinder and more gracious Singapore. Majulah Singapura!

The Nexus Singapore Youth Summit is an inaugural international conference for young entrepreneurs and philanthropists to share and exchange their ideas on innovative philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. It was held from July 11th to July 13th, 2014 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre. On the second day, Dr William Wan, General Secretary of Singapore Kindness Movement, was invited to speak about the landscape of kindness and graciousness in Singapore. He was part of the session titled, Empathy, Kindness and Compassion. There were two other speakers during this session, Bernice Wong from Beyond the Border, Behind the Men and Rebecca Lim, from the Singapore International Foundation.

Dr Wan spoke to a group of young people passionate about kindness and compassion. He introduced the Singapore Kindness Movement and shared his thoughts on where he felt Singapore is headed in regard to kindness and graciousness. After showing a short video on public acts of kindness, Dr Wan addressed current obstacles and what was being done to improve the graciousness norms of the general public. The audience were highly engaged and had several questions concerning SKM and graciousness in Singapore. Overall, it was an engaging experience and everyone left the conference inspired to make a change in their own personal capacities.

After a dramatic drop last year, the Graciousness Index recovered slightly, inching up two points to 55.

Commissioned by the Singapore Kindness Movement, the study surveyed 1,666 respondents in a representative sample of Singapore society.  The annual study captures the perception and experience of kindness and graciousness over the past year. It also probes general attitudes towards graciousness-related issues around the community.

This year, more people reported doing, receiving and witnessing gracious acts, boosting the experience indicators, which in turn drove the moderate recovery of the Index. In comparison, the perception indicators, which measure attitudes and opinions of self and others, held steady.

It appeared that some of the residual cynicism from the past two years has remained, but at the same time, having more people say they are experiencing graciousness is an encouraging sign that there are now more tangible acts of graciousness going around.

Onto community attitudes, the rise of online and social media has made communicating easier and more convenient, but it has also given rise to ugly incidents such as flaming and cyberbullying.

Interestingly, the heaviest users of social media among the respondents overwhelmingly agreed that it is necessary for people to be gracious when engaging others online. They also felt that more needs to be done to educate netizens on how to apply gracious social behaviours online. Given the relative youth of the Internet age and while the negative behaviours are not yet rooted, there remains time for basic rules of engagement and decorum to be developed that can help to guide users when they enter the online realm.

On values formation, 81% of respondents indicated that nurturing good values in young people is the best way to create a culture of kindness in Singapore. Yet, just 37% believed that parents in Singapore are actively reinforcing these values in their children.

Given that young children are highly perceptible to their parents’ and caregivers’ behaviours, perhaps adults can be more pro-active in nurturing good values. Some ways to do this include looking for teachable moments in everyday life to highlight good or bad behaviour, or being more mindful of how they behave and aspiring to be strong role models for the child.

Let’s Makan sharing session: an evening of food, laughter and good old kampung spirit

Do you know your immediate neighbours well? Okay, that may be a little tough for some of us. What about this – do you know the names of your next-door neighbours?

People living in urban areas are well-connected with the world through our digital devices, but at the same time, we are becoming more distant and isolated from the people living just next to us. Is it because we’re too busy, or are we simply waiting for the opportunity to get to know them to arise?

About a hundred participants came together to discuss tips and experiences on how to connect with next door neighbours on a Friday evening, in our inaugural Let’s Makan sharing session. Let’s Makan is all about inviting immediate neighbours to hold small get-togethers or floor parties, over food, among themselves. So of course there was food, some old school games like Five Stones and Pick-up Sticks, and lots of heart-warming stories going around during the sharing session. Our team also contributed some tips and resources to help participants kickstart their own Let’s Makan parties.

We’ll let the photos do the talking!

Come and pick up some tips on bonding with your neighbours over food, and get to know new friends in our upcoming sharing sessions. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DOrLwAAQg0qH3AhT9bFGN19HjcQU2uOMICCm6urD5D8/viewform

There’s also an ongoing photo contest where the most creative Let’s Makan photo will win you a Neo Garden catering session. More info can be found on www.kindness.sg/letsmakan.

From 2001, residents living at Jalan Bintang Tiga have been organising annual street parties where everyone can come together for a good time, while getting to know one another better. Held on 16 Aug, this year’s street party was a joyous and colourful occasion, a fitting way to commemorate an event that is now into its 15th edition and still going strong.

Supported by the Singapore Kindness Movement, the street party organisers put together an evening programme that catered to residents young and old alike. The children were kept busy playing relay games and some even took part in a Singa sandwich-making contest.

As they often say, “sharing is caring”. Many residents brought out their best home-cooked dishes for the pot luck and chipped in to help make the event a success.

Those new to the neighbourhood came to the party and it was not long before the ice was broken with the fun activities that everyone could take part in. As a testament to the strong kampung spirit on display, it was especially wonderful to see residents who had moved away over the years who made the effort to come back for the party.

New friendships forged, and old ones strengthened. The night’s festivities may be over, but the sense of neighbourliness built among those living at Jalan Bintang Tiga will only grow stronger as these gestures of friendship continue to take place in everyday settings.

The celebration for Singapore’s 50^th birthday started with a big bang and we’re glad to be part of it! Along with other SG50 initiatives, our Let’s Makan project team travelled to various neighbourhoods in the month of September, to celebrate our community. We were greeted by friendly residents at the three neighbourhoods that we went! Here are some highlights of the event.

Let’s Makan is all about bonding with the people living closest to us through food gatherings (think BBQ… or potluck!). And what’s a party without some games? At the kampung games station, we issued challenges on old school games such as Pick Up Sticks, 5 Stones and Donkey. It was a hit among our visitors, both young and old.

Makcik showcasing her agility.

Parents and grandparents were excited to have a try at the enormous challenge of the 10-stage Five Stones game, which reminded them of the good old times of playing the game as children. Many of them also volunteered to help the children master the game!

The little boy mastered a new game in minutes!

Children preferred the multi-coloured Pick-up Sticks which tested their physical and mental skill.

Undivided attention from the boy as he removed the colourful sticks one by one.

Our visitors also shared innovative and fabulous party ideas, recipes of their best dishes (in tiny fonts on Post-it notes) and favourite foods on our ideas board, while others took the opportunity to refer to these dishes that they can whip up at their next Let’s Makan gathering.

Reading and discussing the ideas shared.

These Post-it notes were filled up at the end of the day, of both writing and drawings.

The nation’s big birthday bash will continue well into 2015. We hope you will celebrate by joining us in #letsmakan. All you have to do is, give your neighbours a knock on their doors and invite them over for a meal. Yes, it’s that simple!

Oh, did we mention that you stand a chance to win attractive prizes from our sponsor if you share your #letsmakan story? Hop over to www.kindness.sg/letsmakan to find out more!

On 11 October, it was another balmy afternoon along Orchard Road where the crowds had begun to fill the walkways, accompanied with family and friends. Many were walking briskly with a purpose, either with heads bowed to their mobile phones or caught up in animated conversations with their companions.

Among the passersby, those who were more observant were quick to spot a mysterious bright yellow structure holding station in the middle of the walkway outside Ngee Ann City. A countdown timer mounted to the structure was counting down… to something. It was not long before a crowd of curious onlookers gathered to find out what was going on.

When the timer expired, a siren sounded, and a group of Agents of Kindness emerged armed with balloons to give away to the unsuspecting public, hoping to make their day a little brighter and happier. This process repeated at hourly intervals with a variety of items being given out – cookies, cooling drinks, bread buns, handheld fans, and even free hugs and high-fives.

Volunteers ambushing passers-by with Cocoloco drinks.

The Kindness Nexus was Singapore Kindness Movement’s way of sharing the beauty of random acts of kindness with the public. With the help of SKM’s effervescent volunteers, the event was carried out on 11 and 12 Oct outside Ngee Ann City, and on 25 and 26 Oct at VivoCity Skypark.

Volunteers at VivoCity Skypark

The support of our valued partners Allswell, Cocoloco, Gardenia, Neo Garden and Volvo who supplied the items distributed, as well as venue sponsor VivoCity, helped to make the Kindness Nexus an exciting and engaging event for SKM’s volunteers and members of the public. After being on the receiving end of these small acts of kindness, it is hoped that the public will be encouraged to pay it forward with their own acts of kindness in their everyday lives.

You can view photos from both weekends on Facebook.

From October to December 2014, Singapore Kindness Movement will conduct a digital initiative that brings the corporate sector together with the public to do good.

Those who are savvy with social media are invited to share their kindness encounters, show appreciation to others and even deliver a message of encouragement on their own platforms. Apart from spreading some positivity on online spaces, with the support of SKM’s partners, their posts will go even further to contribute an item to a needy household in Singapore.

#NationOfKindness posts on Makesomeonesday.sg

In line with “A Nation of Kindness Starts with One”, SKM’s corporate partners Gardenia, F&N Foods and Super Group have pledged to double the netizens’ kindness by matching each social media post with a food item.

The initiative will roll out in monthly waves. Gardenia has pledged bread loaves in October, while F&N Foods will contribute goodie bags with an assortment of F&N products in November, and Super Group will supply instant cereal packages in December. Each month, SKM hopes to target 2,000 hashtags put together with the keen support of the online community.

Following each round of hashtag drives, SKM will collaborate with volunteer welfare groups to share the items with the various needy individuals and households they work with.

To get involved, netizens can post their stories on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and include the hashtag #nationofkindness. All posts should be set to public sharing, and will be compiled and shared on makesomeonesday.sg.

Singapore Kindness Movement participated in the worldwide freeze and flashmob initiated by our international partner Lifevest Inside on 9th November. All throughout the day of 9th November, 69 cities from 32 different countries across the world participated in this flashmob, sending out the message that Kindness is something everyone should pause and think about.

SKM gathered 20 passionate volunteers from all walks of life coming together to present a dance at partner venue, Tampines 1 Mall. The orange clad group danced up a storm, impressing passers-by who were at the scene. After the dance, volunteers handed out yellow daisies and postcards bearing the message of kindness to the shoppers in the mall. There were smiles to be seen all around as everyone was touched by the small acts of kindness shown within that day.

Dr William Wan, General Secretary of SKM said: “The enthusiasm shown by the dancers and passers-by always motivates us to continue bringing in Dance for Kindness. Spreading the message of kindness does not have to be preachy or dull. In fact, it can be something very fun and meaningful. While enjoying the celebratory atmosphere, we hope the public are also reminded to pass on kindness to others, and to show appreciation for the kindness they receive.”

To view more photos from the event, please click here.

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.

This year, Singapore Kindness Movement and Pearlie White, a home-grown Singapore brand, are asking all Singaporeans to help put smiles on the faces of low-income individuals and families here.

Having a great set of teeth and gums means practising good oral hygiene, and the simple step of brushing daily should not be overlooked. Using a toothbrush with damaged or worn out bristles will lower cleaning effectiveness or worse, damage gums. It is extremely important to change a toothbrush after 2 to a maximum 4 months of use. Yet, low-income individuals/families may not have the opportunity to replace their toothbrush as often as required.

A nation of kindness starts with one. Together, Pearlie White and you can help. All you need to do is to answer a trivia question on Awkward Ah Seng and Pearlie White will donate a BrushCare toothbrush to low-income individuals/families. Up to 15,000 toothbrushes worth $37,500 will be donated to Food from the Heart.

Just a simple click, no purchase required, so join us and be a part of this project today. Find out more here.

A total of 6,000 social media posts supporting SKM’s 2014 digital campaign were collected between Oct-Dec. The public was encouraged to share their feelings and messages about kindness on their own social media accounts and use the hashtag #nationofkindness.

In a meaningful twist, the posts could go beyond the virtual realm to do some real good in the here and now. SKM’s corporate partners Gardenia, F&N and Super Group threw their weight behind the campaign by pledging equivalent food items for each hashtag raised, which could then be distributed to underprivileged households in Singapore.

Collaborating with welfare group Lions Befrienders as well as self-initiated volunteer groups such as The Volunteer Switchboard, Project Awareness, Post Museum and Happy People Helping People, the items were distributed in several batches.

To date, most of the 2,000 Gardenia loaves and 2,000 F&N goodie bags have been allocated and distributed to the beneficiaries. Dispatch of the remaining will continue into the new year, with the distribution of Super instant cereal packs to also commence in 2015.

Rounding off a campaign themed “A Nation of Kindness Starts with One” which advocates for stronger ownership of building a kinder and better Singapore, the hashtag initiative drew some encouraging signs that the public is keen to make a positive difference, whether online or offline.

While one can’t do everything, everyone can certainly do something.

With more of us acting in this spirit and being the change we wish to see, a kinder and more gracious society can only be on the cusp of beautiful reality.

To view the social media posts contributed by users, visit http://makesomeonesday.sg

Singapore Kindness Movement supports ground up movements with their initiatives, to spread their message of kindness through their own unique ways. SKM’s ground up movement – The Morning Greeters, have recently celebrated their 2nd Anniversary with an island wide Run on 4th January 2015. Setting out from various locations in the north, south, east and west, approximately 250 runners have come forward to join in the fun run to greet and smile at others along the way.

Here at the Kindness Movement, we always encourage greeting and smiling at people we meet along the office walkway, or at neighbours we run into at lift lobbies and corridors. We believe that with simple gesture like these, you and I can easily brighten up someone else’s day.

As we always say, “A nation of kindness starts with one”, it can be one simple smile. To find out more about the morning greeters and how you can join them, log on to http://themorninggreeters.wordpress.com/

“Recognize yourself in he and she who are not like you and me.” 

That was what 100 volunteers did at Happy Go Round, which was held on 10 January 2015. The volunteers had the opportunity to visit a dormitory at Tuas and befriend 400 migrant workers. An appreciation BBQ was prepared by our partner EZBBQ and the men also enjoyed a night of song and dance put together by Goducate. Cheers and laughter filled the night as the volunteers and migrant men got to know each other better, breaking down barriers between them.

Happy Go Round is an idea by Dr Leslie Tay, in a bid to appreciate the underprivileged such as migrant workers in Singapore, through great food. Many partners such as Gardenia and Pearlie White came on board to support this event, through providing items for the goodie bags for the men.

All in all, it was a heart-warming experience to have stepped into the lives of these men for one evening, to celebrate their hard work and thank them through our service for them. If you’re keen to participate in future similar events, do feel free to drop us a note at Zoe_tan@kindness.sg!

To view more photos from the event, visit our Facebook page.

Chinese Journalists at the Kindness Gallery

Over a Nasi Lemak lunch, some of our staff broke into English-Mandarin chatter at the Old Hill Street Police Station with 6 journalists from China. Under Singapore International Foundation’s (SIF) Journalist Visit Programme themed ‘At the Heart of Urban Singapore’, a team of Chinese journalists (representing China News Service, China Daily, Phoenix New Media, Global Times, GolinHarris International  and The Paper) visited our office to learn more about SKM’s programmes and activities – particularly how Singapore, as a fast modernising nation, is retaining its heart and soul.

Aside from the opportunity to share our outreach efforts in creating a more gracious society, there was much discussion on how well campaigns work both in China and Singapore, the Graciousness Index and even different takes on the definition of kindness – from charities to small acts of kindness.

We are sure all of us went away with a greater understanding of each other’s cultures, and we are all linked by a common thread – that all of us humans, no matter where we are, thrive better in a kind and gracious society.

And kudos to Mr. Lee Hui Huan, the interpreter who helped us with the vocabulary when we were at a loss for Chinese words!  We also appreciate SIF for linking us and specifically Charlene Poon for connecting us.

See a familiar icon? Get BrushCare Kids toothbrush in Singa the Lion design.

Created in 1982, Singa the Lion was the nation’s mascot for courtesy and is a symbol that many Singaporeans can identify with. More recently, Singa has helped foster a more gracious society by encouraging the younger generation to show kindness one act at a time.

Pearlie White®, a home-grown Singapore brand, brings Singa to your child’s everyday brushing routine. Get yours here.

To foster closer friendships among neighbours, the Let’s Makan initiative encourages neighbours to gather and get to know each other better over food. We are always looking for interesting makan stories to share and have partnered with Neo Garden Catering to organise the photo contest. A massive thank you to everyone who sent in your entries!

The winning entry was “My wonderful neighbours” by Mabel Tan.  You may see her submission here.

In addition to submitting a photo, Mabel also shared her story of how she came to be close friends with her neighbours in an interview with The Sunday Times. We’re truly inspired by how a simple makan session has brought Mabel and her neighbours together to explore other interests!

The next round of the photo contest is now open! This time, we are looking not only for the most interesting photo, but also the best caption along with the photo. To win a Neo Garden buffet session for you and your neighbours, join the contest now at http://kindness.sg/letsmakan.