CAPTain Spotlight 1 of 9: Art for a Cause

Article written by Mark Ngoh, Angelica Ang, Bryan Goh & Grace Cheong

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented upheaval to the world, and to Singapore, forcing the nation into a period of Circuit Breaker in efforts to curb the spread of the virus. Even as our economy and society reopen, it is evident that the pandemic has brought, and will continue to bring unique challenges to different communities in Singapore.

Although these times have been rife with uncertainty and unknowns for many of us, several CAPTains, both past and present, have gone above and beyond to play their part in making a difference — no matter how big or small — in our community. The Active Community Engagement (ACE) wing in CAPT has launched an initiative, CAPTain Spotlight, to share the stories of these CAPTains. Through this initiative, we curate and share the narratives of nine individuals/groups of CAPTains who have embodied the ACE spirit – actively engaging with the communities in their midst. This is the first of our ‘Spotlight’ stories.

CAPTain Spotlight 1: Art for a Cause

Cherie Poon (Year 3) and Avani Jain (Year 3) both have an eye for the aesthetics and a knack for the arts. Recently, they have been turning their talents towards supporting COVID-19 relief efforts for migrant workers and vulnerable communities.

The news of the extension of the circuit breaker was met with disappointment by many. That news was accompanied by headlines of the aggressive testing being done on migrant workers, which was part of Singapore’s efforts to slow down the rapid spread of the virus among migrant workers. At home when the news broke, Cherie was struck by two groups as being particularly in need: those suffering from food insecurity because of continued inaccessibility to a stable income, as well as the migrant workers in isolation. Emboldened by uplifting tales of individuals doing their part to help during the crisis, Cherie decided to use her time and skills to incentivise her friends and family to pay kindness forward. She did this by knitting and selling coasters, with 100% of the profits going to the ‘Feed the City’ initiative by the Food Bank Singapore, and the ‘#HOMEFORALL migrants’ initiative by the Collective of Migrant Efforts, in order to contribute to the sustaining of their COVID-19 relief efforts.

Inspired by Cherie’s effort, Avani realised she too had her own set of skills to contribute. She has been selling handmade greeting cards that she made using thrift and self-owned materials, with the profits similarly benefiting migrant workers and helping to provide food for vulnerable communities. Some buyers have even requested for her to send the cards to migrant workers to thank them for their contribution to Singapore.

Many of us might be struggling with the idea of service during times where face-to-face interactions are limited or not feasible. How much difference can one individual really make? For Cherie and Avani, they were assured by knowing that their hearts were in the right place, and did not let their doubts stop them from trying. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the many gaps and issues with the way our nation treats those who helped to build it. Cherie and Avani were determined to do what they can. 

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