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Forum: Big and small ways to give back and build a better nation

At the Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award ceremony earlier in 2024, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said of the finalists that “most of us as fellow Singaporeans would not be able to make the extraordinary contributions that they each have made. But it is the inner motivation that drives them on, the inner light, that we can all seek to find in ourselves. And to bring alive in our own ways”.

At the Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award ceremony earlier in 2024, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said of the finalists that “most of us as fellow Singaporeans would not be able to make the extraordinary contributions that they each have made. But it is the inner motivation that drives them on, the inner light, that we can all seek to find in ourselves. And to bring alive in our own ways”. This is a call to action we all can heed this National Day. Donating blood, mentoring and volunteering are three non-monetary ways in which we can contribute. Blood donation rates in Singapore, unfortunately, remain low, with less than 2 per cent of the population donating. The Red Cross estimates that 120,000 units of blood are required every year, or about 15 units an hour. Eligible donors regularly receive calls and messages from blood banks urging us to donate blood to ensure that Singapore’s hospitals have an adequate supply.  They are a reminder of how this simple act of kindness saves lives every single day in Singapore. In 2020, when I was approached to become a mentor with Advisory SG, a youth-led non-profit helping young Singaporeans make informed career choices, I thought it was a good way to give back. While I did not envy the young Singaporeans, given the pandemic they were dealing with as they launched their careers, I wondered how beneficial a programme like this would have been for my clueless younger self. I wish I, too, had a mentor who challenged, encouraged and guided me as I stepped out of the structured, predictable life of a student into the messy, often unforgiving, real world. The Ministry of Social and Family Development has designated 2024 as the Year of Celebrating Volunteers. This is to recognise and celebrate the contributions of volunteers in the social sector and beyond.  Interested in environmental issues? Sign up for a beach clean-up. Keen to support the elderly? Join a befriending service to visit seniors. Want to help keep your neighbourhood safe? Become a Citizens on Patrol volunteer. In ways big and small, we all can contribute to build a better nation, and each one of us can bring alive the “inner light” that President Tharman spoke of.