Sin eng-29 - beyond

Our FIRST OFFICIAL Group Photo

This project sparked off with the four of us, Eunice, Gladys, Sarah and Jesalin. We decided to form a group within ourselves, hoping to attempt the CITI-YMCA Youth for Causes Event to help make a difference in society. We started out being really enthusiastic about the event, figuring out the target audience we wanted to meet, thinking of weird and outstanding ideas of items to sell, how we can get volunteers, places of interest that we might go to, and event to the extent of creating a facebook page of our own.

It was really quite hectic to begin with, considering the amount of work to accomplish in such a short amount of time. We struggled a little at first, then managed to conquer the administrative matters and started “hands-on” with our project. We contacted “Mercy Relief” personally and alas, they agreed to be our Voluntary Welfare Organization.

We had many meetings about the items to sell. Initially, we thought about hosting a carnival to raise funds by selling tickets, selling do-it-yourself t-shirts, hand-made paper hearts, badges, key chains, Polaroid pictures, food or organizing a charity concert. We then decided to start on badges as it was cheap was popular. We then found our first volunteer, Preston, who came along to help us make badges on a Saturday immediately after our student leader camp. That was the kick-off of our project. We had a really wacky and fun time, talking non-stop, chatting with one another, and strengthening our bond.

WE managed to get more volunteers through

our own connections and started off sales at

Clementi, a place we are most familiar of, on 12

June 2011. We then did door-to-door sales and

considering that this was our first attempt,

response was quite good. We managed to raise about more than

hundred dollars in just a day at Clementi itself.

Though some residents were cold, we met some

really nice and warm neighbours, one of

which was a grandmother who

bought the badges for her grandchildren.

We also targeted places like the Central Business District, whereby response was extremely good that we raised more than eight hundred just at City Hall and Raffles Place alone. We also experimented with West Coast Park. It was one of the days when we had the most number of volunteers. There were many trying times, especially with many other responsibilities we each faced in our families, school and to the project. We had a target to achieve and we had very little time on hand. A few times we felt like we had made the wrong decision, but perseverance was the key factor that kept us going. We told ourselves that we had to help the needy people. If they could carry on, what more us? Therefore, we ventured into more places and soon, we garnered more than 20 volunteers in total, earning about $3000 and more. In addition, we got to make friends with members of other groups participating in this project and kept in contact through facebook.

Throughout this project, we have gained much experience about entrepreneurship, learnt and gained more awareness about the people in need and made many friends. We finally understand about how tough it is to earn just that few thousand dollars which is not even enough to feed a person, let alone a family. Being “little entrepreneurs”, we have grown and matured through this project and are proud of ourselves for making such an accomplishment, Though the amount is small, it would be able to help a life and that is what we worked so hard for. Being able to participate through this event also allowed and forced us to come out of our comfort zones, to take risks, and do things we have never imagined that we would. This project was indeed fruitful and has created an impact on our lives. We are delighted to say that “WE CAN” make a difference in the lives of others. “WE CAN” and have accomplished this project. And lastly, “WE CAN” create what may seem impossible to something pleasing and edifying.