AGS’ Impact Report for #SGGratitudePack (9-31 Aug 2020)
By A Good Space
Our #SGGratitudePack campaign ran from 9 – 31 August 2020 and involved multiple partners and stakeholders, including our own members and other external organisations.
This piece will provide a comprehensive look into the #SGGratitudePack campaign – from the campaign conceptualisation to collection of the packs to what had happened during the distribution process. At A Good Space (AGS), we firmly believe in accountability, and wish to be honest and transparent about how this campaign came about, how it happened and where the packs have gone.
What is the #SGGratitudePack all about?
On National Day this year (9 August 2020), a group of changemakers from AGS launched the #SGGratitudePack campaign in hopes of encouraging Singaporeans to repurpose their NDP Funpacks by replacing items in the bags with essential items for our migrant workers community.
Ashokan, one of our members in AGS, worked with us to conceptualise this campaign. He had initially approached us with concerns about the environmental impact of the NDP Funpack distribution. However, after learning about the situation faced by migrant workers during this pandemic through more discussions with us, he decided to collaborate with six other changemakers and get AGS to front this campaign in hopes of reaching a wider audience.
The campaign was born out of worry, care and concern for those who have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Migrant workers account for more than 90% of COVID-19 cases in Singapore (Source) and this number is continually increasing. This crisis has led to many being confined in their dormitories and temporary facilities across Singapore. The uncertainty and isolation has led to a growing concern for the mental health conditions of migrant workers.
While we celebrate those who have contributed to our nation on National Day, migrant workers are often left out of our nation-building narratives. This is despite the fact that migrant workers have played such a significant role in Singapore’s progress and development. Following public concern and attention about the issue of potential wastage for the NDP Funpacks, we thought it would be a good idea to use this opportunity to urge Singaporeans to turn their Funpacks into something more meaningful.
After consulting some migrant workers, we came up with a non-exhaustive list of items people could include in their #SGGratitudePacks. These items include snacks, hand sanitisers and other personal hygiene products such as bars of soap, shavers, toothbrushes and toothpaste. We also made sure to inform the public on things they were not allowed to donate, such as expired and non-halal food items.
Here are some excerpts from a series of infographics made by us to explain the project to the general public (click on the individual pictures to read more):
With that, we had also set up a Change.org page that asked for folks across Singapore to pledge their #SGGratitudePack. We wanted people to share with us why they felt like supporting the movement as well as why they decided to donate the packs.
We had also set up an official Facebook page (‘The SG Gratitude Pack Initiative’) to keep donors and the public informed and updated on the recent happenings.
What was the collection process for #SGGratitudePack like?
We knew we could not collect these packs alone. Thus, AGS teamed up with ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR), Be Kind SG, Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, AGWO, SerendipET and The Green Collective to set up designated drop-off points for the #SGGratitudePacks. In total, we had 10 different drop-off points across Singapore. This included Tzu Chi Humanistic Centre (in Yishun) and The Green Collective (in City Hall) who both very kindly lent us their spaces. Several folks, including some ItsRainingRaincoats’ volunteers, had kindly volunteered their own homes as collection points. To encourage folks to donate more packs, the team at SerendipET also had provided a free pick-up service for those with 10 or more #SGGratitudePacks.
Here are a few photos from some of our collection points:
Collection of the #SGGratitudePacks began on National Day (9 August) and ended on the last day of August (31 August). During the course of the campaign, many members from AGS and folks from the general public were excited to contribute to the cause. We encouraged all who were participating to use the campaign hashtag (#SGGratitudePack) if they had posted photos and media on their own social media sites.
We were pleasantly surprised by the generosity of many kind people. Some had even banded together with their neighbours and friends to donate more than 50 packs. It was wonderful seeing the community work together for something we all believed in.
Media Mentions for #SGGratitudePack
In the midst of our collection, we were also lucky to have had the opportunity to be mentioned in several established news sites, such as Mothership and Asiaone.
In addition, many of our AGS community members and other notable community groups and organisations (such as the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta, NDPeeps and Singapore Kindness Movement) have also helped to share our social media posts to further spread awareness of this campaign across the country.
During the collection process, we also inspired many to pack and distribute the #SGGratitudePacks in their own capacities.
Seastainable Co., an environmental conservation organisation based in Singapore, was inspired by AGS’ #SGGratitudePack campaign and decided to pack their own #SGGratitudePacks to distribute to the migrant workers working along East Coast Park.
We were honoured to have our Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat grace the occasion, where he personally helped distribute some of the #SGgratitudePacks to the workers.
Stories from the Heart: #SGGratitudePack Spotlights
During the course of the campaign, there were many stories that had touched us immensely, and we made it a point to share some of these stories on our social media pages (under “#SGGratitudePack Spotlight”). Here are a few stories that had touched us:
Ti Hwei, Donor of 50 #SGGratitudePacks
Ti Hwei is one of a few folks who had generously donated 50 #SGGratitudePacks to the migrant worker community. He saw this initiative as “a simple yet meaningful way for anyone to say to the migrant workers- We Care”. The rest of his family was also heavily involved in the packing process and Ti Hwei had found it a fun and enriching way to bond with his wife and children.
Sembawang Central Malay Activities Executive Committee
The Sembawang Central Malay Activities Executive Committee came together in support of the campaign to pack and donate 20 #SGGratitudePacks together. Other than just packing essential items for our migrant worker friends, they even went a step further to include messages of love and gratitude.
Eureka Schoolhouse (111 Faber Drive)
Teacher Alice, a supervisor at Eureka Schoolhouse, found out about A Good Space’s #SGGratitudePack initiative through reading the news. She thought it would be a good idea to involve the school’s children, parents and staff in the campaign as well. Many had brought items to pack into the bags, including milo packets, biscuits and rice. They packed a total of 24 packs collectively and used this opportunity to teach the children values such as empathy, care, and gratitude.
Other than stories from individuals in the community, AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company with a current focus on sustainability and extending goodwill to the larger community, had also decided to partake in this campaign. They rallied a group of cancer survivors under their ‘Cancer Can Give’ movement to put together almost 1,200 #SGGratitudePacks. AstraZeneca had repurposed the pay-outs they received under the Jobs Support Scheme towards procuring items to contribute to the campaign.
Our #SGGratitudePack project was also picked up by The Straits Times, in which Cancer Can Give’s initiative was spotlighted to be one of many community efforts that had spun out of our campaign.
These stories were important reminders about the power of care and community, as well as remind us that there is so much good in the world.
How many #SGGratitudePacks were collected?
1,200 packs were donated by the general public and the other 1,200 packs were donated through the AstraZeneca and Cancer Can Give initiative.
What was the distribution process like for #SGGratitudePack?
Following the end of the campaign, we put out a simple “Thank You” post on our social media sites and updated donors as to our distribution process.
The distribution process was split into 4 main parts – (1) Sorting Out of the #SGGratitudePacks, (2) Distributing these packs to our Partners, (3) Distribution of these packs to the various migrant worker dormitories and (4) Being accountable for all 2,400 #SGGratitudePacks.
Step 1. Sorting Out the #SGGratitudePacks
Organising member Tines and his team from SerendipET started to sort out the #SGGratitudePacks even before the end of the campaign. They very carefully sorted through each and every bag to ensure that the items were all in line with the items that could be donated. Some of the items that we had to take out of the packs included expired food, or items which were no longer working. We also separated some of the “higher value” items (including phones, power banks and some cookingware) to keep the packs fairer and more consistent.
The higher value items were then to be donated to the partnering migrant workers organisations separately.
The team then helped to tie the packs up into clusters of 4-5 packs each, and put them into boxes ready for easier distribution to our Partners.
We worked with People’s Association PAssion WaVe (PAWV) to provide space to store these boxes of #SGGratitudePacks. PAssion WaVe @ Pasir Ris was very kind to believe in what we were doing and lent us a helping hand in the storage of these boxes.
Step 2. Distribution to our Partners
We knew we could not distribute the #SGGratitudePacks on our own. We partnered with several trusted migrant worker organisations (all of them who had prior expertise in distributing items to migrant workers!). They include Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC), ItsRainingRaincoats, TWC2, AGWO, and Sama Sama.
The day we distributed boxes to our Partner organisations was incredibly rainy, but that could not stop us! The organising team from AGS and the team from SerendipET were all there to help carry and load boxes, as well as to witness the handing over of the boxes to our Partners.
Step 3. Distribution to the Dormitories
Distribution of the #SGGratitudePacks to the dormitories were all organised by our wonderful Partner Organisations. ALL 2,400 packs that were donated to us have been completely distributed. In this section, we will dedicate a small portion to each of our migrant worker organisations to let you know where the packs have been delivered to.
Specific locations of the dormitories will not be revealed for privacy reasons. All photos have been taken by the respective organisations.
Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC)
Location of distribution: 2 different sites at Changi Business Park Centre
When they were distributed: Some time during the week of 7 September 2020
ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR)
Location of distribution: One of the factories located in Jurong
When they were distributed: Some time during the week of 7 September 2020
Sama Sama
Location of distribution: One of the worksites located in Sembawang
When they were distributed: Some time during the week of 7 September 2020
TWC2
Location of distribution: Dorms around Cuscaden Walk, Tagore Lane and Tuas
When they were distributed: 6 September 2020
AGWO
Location of distribution: To be updated
When they were distributed: To be updated
We are currently in contact with AGWO and information about their distribution process will be updated.
What is next for the #SGGratitudePack campaign?
We are so grateful for all the generous contribution and help we had received during our #SGGratitudePack campaign. We hope that this can ignite future conversations and projects that centre around the theme of #Gratitude and showing love, care and concern for our migrant workers.
At AGS, we also want to use this to kickstart more community efforts in alleviating the migrant worker COVID-19 crisis. We are currently in the process of curating an AGS Living Labs session focused on migrant workers and their needs that will enable and mobilise the public to start meaningful projects in areas that are under-served (e.g. in the migrant workers mental health space).
As part of Living Labs, we have been having conversations with migrant workers online through Zoom, learning about how they have been feeling, as well as what kinds of support they feel are needed during this time.
We will be continuing such conversations with changemakers and community groups from both the mental health and the migrant workers space. We hope to use these conversations to generate opportunity statements that can be used by anyone concerned about the situation. These folks can then use these statements to think about what they can do to help fill the existing gaps.
Keep updated about the Living Labs series on our various social media platforms.
For now, we want to encourage all to show #Gratitude, care, concern and love in your own ways to those whose hard work and dedication have been overlooked and neglected. Whatever way you choose to show this is completely up to you!
Thanking our Partners
We could not have done this alone. We want to thank all who have contributed to #SGGratitudePack in one way or another. The changemakers who worked on this campaign include:
- Mr Ashokan Ramakhrishnan, Mother Earth Toastmasters’ Club
- Mr Tines Anbarasan, SerendipET
- Mr Abhishek Bajaj, 6th Sense
- Mr Tan Yihan, Mother Earth Toastmasters’ Club
- Ms Tiffany Gwee, A Good Space Co-operative
- Ms Fari Wu, H.O.P.E Alliance
- Mr Vincent Ng, A Good Space Co-operative
We also want to take this chance to thank Partner groups and organisations who have helped out in one way or another. Please do help to support these wonderful organisations by finding out more about what they do and how you can contribute.
(This list is arranged in alphabetical order.)
Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach, AGWO
The Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO) is an initiative of the Hope Initiative Alliance (HIA), in partnership with various Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), civil organisations, corporations, professional bodies, guest worker dormitories, and government agencies.
AstraZeneca Singapore
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical business and their innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Be Kind SG
Be Kind SG, a ground-up movement (GUM), aims to bring awareness to the different ways that people can contribute to make Singapore a happier and kinder place. They believe that no act of kindness is too small to make a positive impact in someone's life. Be Kind SG organizes micro-volunteering activities to impact the local community and beyond.
Cancer Can Give
Cancer Can Give initiative is a non-branded campaign by AstraZeneca Singapore. It’s meant to provide a platform for cancer survivors to showcase their ability to give back to society.
ItsRainingRaincoats, IRR
IRR is an initiative for the benefit of migrant workers. They aim to improve the lives of migrant workers in Singapore, and build bridges to strengthen their integration into our broader community. They do this using imaginative, innovative, authentic and nimble strategies.
JD Waters Pte Ltd
JD Waters started off as Plumbing & Sanitary company and over the years we have evolved and undertook more challenging projects in a bigger scale.
Migrant Workers Centre, MWC
The MWC is a non-government organisation whose mission is to champion fair employment practices and the well-being of migrant workers in Singapore.
PAssion WaVe @ Pasir Ris
PAssion WaVe is an integral part of the Peoples Association that bonds people and bridges the communities through water sports and waterfront lifestyle activities.
Sama Sama
Sama Sama is a campaign seeking to redefine the narrative of migrant workers in Singapore, seeing them as #morethan.
SerendipET
SerendipET is an experiential learning service provider that seeks to provide skill training and employment opportunities to vulnerable youths in outdoor adventure and event management.
The Green Collective SG
Singapore first green collective offering a wide selection of eco-friendly and socially conscious items from zero waste options to organic beauty products to sustainable fashion. They are located in Funan Mall.
The Peoples Association
The People's Association is a Singaporean statutory board that oversees neighbourhood grassroots communities and social organisations.
Transient Workers Count Too, TWC2
TWC2 is a non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to improving conditions for low-wage migrant workers.
Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre
The Humanistic Youth Centre is designed to be a one-stop location for young people to gather, meet new friends, learn positive values, and be inspired. Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre is located in Yishun.
Once again, we are so thankful for everyone who have contributed to #SGGratitudePack in one way or another.
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