MICA (P) 129/02/2011 Issue No. 2/2011 - MINDS

THIS-ABILITY
SPORTS CARNIVAL 2011
Text by: Mary Xavier, Training Officer
Photos by: NTDC
► Yes...that’s right, through the hole!
To kick start the year 2011 with joie vivre, The Singapore
Disability Sports Council (SDSC) organized its first
This-Ability Sports Carnival. It was held on 5 March
2011 at Toa Payoh Stadium. There was an opening speech by
SDSC President, Mr Frankie Thanapal Sinniah and followed by
speech from Guest-Of-Honour Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor of
Central Singapore District.
The carnival kicked off with a bang and featured different
sporting booths such as Archery, Badminton, Boccia, Futsal,
Equestrian, Lawn Bowls, Handcycling, Shooting, Sailing,
Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Racing and etc. In addition
to learning more about various developmental sports, numerous
games stations were also introduced for both people with and
without disabilities to watch, cheer and play together.
Clementi Training & Development Centre (CTDC), Napiri
Training & Development Centre (NTDC) and MINDSville@Napiri
(MV) trainees, residents and staff took part in this fun carnival.
Everyone was given a passport each to redeem stamps whilst
participating in the various Sports Try-Out Booths and Adapted
Games. This included Shotput, Javelin, Aimmer!, Shooting,
Softball, Holer and Sailing.
There was much excitement written on the trainees’ faces
when they were strapped in mid-air ready for the “Bungee
Jumping” experience and while climbing up the steps on the
Big Slide. Amongst both trainees and staff, there was nothing
short of enjoyment and merrymaking. The scorching sun did
not dampen the uplifted spirits as all were looking towards
Showtime! which featured our very own trainees and staff
A PROJECT
DIGNITY
INITIATIVE
Text by: Ms Bernadette Maria Dass, Senior Training Officer &
Ms Ng Reina, Senior Manager Social Enterprises
Photos by: SMEDC
► Yummy Yummy Yummy I got ‘love’ in my tummy
Project Dignity is a local-based organization that trains
and enables disadvantaged persons to become
hawker-stall operators. Mr Koh Seng Choon, founder
and Executive Director of Project Dignity who believes in
empowering people through gainful employment and has
helped more than 23 disadvantaged persons, including three
MINDS school students graduate from his hawker training
programme.
Project Dignity’s operating model is a unique one; stalls
are manned by pairing up a disabled person (e.g. hearing
impaired, visually impaired, intellectually challenged) with a
disadvantaged able-bodied person (e.g. ex-prisoner, single
mother, unemployed elderly). While there are and will be
challenges in this unique pairing, the success of the three
hawker stalls run by Project Dignity at the Balestier Market
Food Centre demonstrates that it is a synergistic and feasible
model.
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