The increased social awareness in our society right now is humbling, albeit overdue. We’re now learning more about the social inequalities various communities face within their everyday lives.
We now realise the privileges some of us have, that some others may not. And that’s wonderful. It’s a sign of growth and understanding that comes with living in such a diverse society. In fact, these epiphanies have even birthed initiatives and organisations that want to facilitate this process of growth, and we’re all for it.
One such organisation is Glyph Community! Established in 2017, they celebrate their 4th anniversary this year and hope to spread their light to the rest of society. But what is it that they do? The desire to tackle inequality in Singapore sowed the seeds for Glyph Community, which initially started off as a small initiative in Bukit Merah!
Fun fact: Bukit Merah is one of the oldest and poorest estates in Singapore. One in five households in Bukit Merah live in a rented flat. They initially garnered 100 members in 2017, and they have grown and impacted so many more people through the years. Today, they have 2000 members walking alongside them.
They feel strongly about equalising wealth in our society. They believe that young souls that suffer from the lack of resources, exposure and a conducive environment from young, will subsequently be burdened by the lack of confidence, skill sets and relationships that will help them make the most out of life.
Glyph Community’s purpose and goals are so important, and it gives us some solace that there is such a community that cares so much about the younger generation.
So what does their 4th anniversary mean to them and to Singapore? On this anniversary, Glyph Community has moved into their biggest centre yet, at 275 Beach Road! This move symbolically and physically means so much to them.
Firstly, this move shows that they’re ready to widen their reach and impact the lives of more Singaporeans. This means more opportunities for them and our community. Physically, the bigger space also allows them to hold more programmes face to face. We may be transitioning to becoming a digitised, smart nation, but some things just cannot be replaced by technology.
As they complete four years since establishment, Glyph Community also realised the greater impacts the pandemic has had on Singapore – beyond the casualties and grief. This invisible virus has somehow shone a light on the underprivileged communities of Singapore. It allowed us to see how they’ve been having it tough, way before the pandemic even began. Ironic, huh?
The unwanted arrival of the COVID-19 virus threatens the further widening inequality both at home and in the world. This had the effects of no less than a wake-up call for Glyph Community. They knew that it was up to them to engage these communities and help them adapt to this strange, ever-changing situation.
Despite the challenges the pandemic has clearly posed to us all with the physical restrictions, Glyph Community knows that they have to go above and beyond to ensure their programmes for the children never stop and remain safe. In these challenging times, now more than ever, it’s important to guide these children and their families.
They’ve only completed four years, but they have many more to go! And they have so much more in store for the future. Every Glyph kid undergoes the ‘Glyph Learning Journey’ that takes up three components – Classroom, People and Field Trips.
They hope to increase hands-on learning for the children in the Classroom, prepare more opportunities for mentorship and guidance with the right people, and finally, allow for the children’s greater exposure to the real world through specially curated and designed Field Trips.
Happy Anniversary, Glyph Community!
We thank you for your service for the betterment of our nation and the future generations to come. It may have just been four years, but we hope your light continues to shine for many, many more.
