THE TEMASEK REVIEW

EDITORS’ NOTE:

Two months ago, we started “Project Kasih” to help homeless and marginalized elderly Singaporeans who are picking used cardboards and newspapers in streets for a living and appeal for volunteers to helm the project. (read about the project here)

We have a few queries from local undergraduates and social workers, but none of them are able to commit themselves to the project on a long-term basis.

Tashia Dixon approached us and volunteered to kickstart the project and she isn’t even a Singaporean to begin with. Tashia has many exciting and feasible ideas which can be implemented on the ground if there are sufficient manpower and resources available.

We will be funding this project entirely from our own pockets. However we need volunteers to reach out and identify those elderly who are really in need of assistance.

Below is an introductory message by Tashia:

My name is Tashia Dixon and I am an urban designer and social planner. I moved to Singapore from Melbourne Australia 8 months ago and have been lucky enough to make a home here and benefit from lifestyle opportunities Singapore has to offer.

As a beneficiary of this great lifestyle I would like to get involved with other people in Singapore who want improve the quality of people’s lives that experience suffering and hardship on a daily basis.

As is the case with all modern urban societies there are groups of people who are at greater risk of being marginalized and disadvantaged. These people somehow slip under the radar and for reasons that may stem from a lack of resources or targeted information dissemination these groups continue to go unnoticed.

Singapore is a wealthy city. It has afforded many of its residents a quality lifestyle that is envied by its Asian neighbors and yet there exists a glaring inequity on its streets, in its hawker centers, in its super markets and most other places if we bother to look and see. That blight is the hard working elderly who can be seen working in the different service industries throughout Singapore at all hours of the day and night, sleeping on benches and digging in bins for food.

In today’s societies we take for granted or forget the significant role our elderly have played in creating and developing the places that we call home. Without these preceding generations we would not be enjoying our quality lifestyles and in many cases our freedom which they fought for and in many cases lost their lives for.

Project Kasih is about gaining a greater insight and understanding into the extent of the problem of elderly people’s lack of choice either not to work or work less hours and homelessness. By understanding the problem we can begin to develop ways to address the issues and gain funding.

By providing your support through volunteering your time to Project Kasih you will be helping one of Singpore’s greatest assets, its elderly, to have a better future.

All of us will age and may need the kindness and compassion of others to assist us to live a better quality of life. Project Kasih is a chance to do something now that will ease the suffering of our elderly now and in the future.

Help us stop the suffering of our elderly now by volunteering your time to Project Kasih. You can make the difference.

Please email us at temasekreview@gmail.con if you are keen to join our team.

Tashia Dixon (Ms)
Coordinator for Project Kasih

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