YSA_NEWSLETTER__FEB_2018

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14 Khwaish | February 2018 SPEAKING SOFTLY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE - THE YEAR THAT WAS! Ms Sonya Kaur Gill YSA, as most people know, is the acronym for Young Sikh Association (Singapore). After being a part of two of its projects in 2017, I feel that YSA can also be called ‘Young Sikh Advancement’. The spread of opportunities YSA provided allowed me to develop into a more confident person – one who is well-equipped for the real world. I was a part of YSA’s Young Leaders Programme (YLP) and Project Khwaish, YSA’s community service expedition to India. Second Young Leaders Programme I was a participant in the Second YLP which was conducted over six months from May to November 2017. This programme offered many opportunities to me to grow as an individual. Together with the rest of the participants, I attended several workshops that enhanced my public speaking, decision making, resume writing and networking skills. I watched myself grow into a more confident person in the course of the programme. provide a facelift to the only school in the village – Government Primary School Rattoke – by revamping its existing infrastructure and developing a full-fledged library. We embarked on the expedition on 9 December 2017 but the preparations began in August 2017 with numerous packing sessions and fundraising events, which brought all of us closer to one another. Strangers became my friends. Still, the idea of living with strangers and friends I had gotten to know merely months before was initially slightly daunting, but as the date grew closer, so did my anticipation and excitement. After a 19-hour journey, we arrived in Rattoke. At one o’clock on a winter morning, the people of Rattoke braved the late cold night to welcome us grandly with the dhol playing as we got off the bus. They immediately assisted us with the unloading – 232 boxes and our suitcases. Our host, Singh Saab – as we addressed him – and his family vacated their warm rooms for our team. They treated strangers as their very own children and made sure we had everything we needed for a good night’s sleep. This simple gesture of kindness was the first of many from Singh Saab and his family. We had the opportunity to interact with professionals from different fields, allowing us to widen our perspectives on the social and economic landscapes of the world. It was a great platform for us to learn about employability in Singapore which was timely as most of us would be graduating soon. The YLP taught me how to pitch myself appropriately and confidently. As a graduating project, all the participants and our leaders organised the first Sikh Voices conference in November 2017. It was themed ‘What If’ and it aimed to discuss Singapore’s future. This project strengthened my organisational and communication skills. Having to work with teammates and mentors who have different skill-sets and strengths made me appreciate the teamwork that went into making the conference a success. After months of planning, there was a great turnout. We executed the conference smoothly with minimal hiccups. The YLP is an excellent platform for one to expand his/her social circle and pick up a whole new skillset. Besides learning from one another, there are numerous opportunities for the participants to develop personally and professionally. Project Khwaish XVII Rattoke, a small village in Sangrur, Punjab, was home to 22 Singaporeans, including me, for most of December 2017. We were part of YSA’s Project Khwaish XVII. We lived together in the home of Sahib Singh for three weeks, where our main aim was to
Khwaish | February 2018 15 As we made our way to the school, we were greeted by the entire student body and staff. This was truly remarkable as it was a Sunday. The dedication the students, teachers and villagers had towards the school was seen that very morning as wide smiles and hearts full of love swarmed us. We began our work that morning. The students and villagers picked up the tools and started to work with us. Over the days, the school proved to be the heart of the village. Students would be in school till late in the evening and on weekends, with the teachers and villagers there to watch over them like a family. A highlight was when the school’s bhangra team returned with a triumphant 3 rd place at a state-level competition. The entire village gave them a champion’s welcome – playing the dhol, feeding everyone ladoos and dancing in the school to celebrate the success. The students were already doing very well, despite the fact that their study conditions were not ideal. Refurbishing the school with a library was a stepping stone for the passionate students and teachers to further fulfil their ambitions. When the library was completed, the entire team felt a strong sense of accomplishment. As we were filling up the library with the books, the students excitedly peeked into the library and enquired about the books. It was heartening to know our efforts would be appreciated. This trip made me realise how true it is that giving makes you richer. Someone once told me that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself and it could not be more accurate. This trip gave the opportunity to me to meet the most incredibly altruistic and kind people. For 18 days, Singh Saab, his wife and their two young boys treated us like kin. We set off on this trip with the belief that we were going to give, but what we received was far beyond what any of us could give. I came back richer with memories and lessons that I will hold close to my heart. Singh Saab and his family are undoubtedly exemplars of humanity, archetypes of what selfless service truly means. Project Khwaish XVII gave the opportunity to me to be a part of something so much bigger than myself – it is something I am truly grateful for. Conclusion YSA played an instrumental role in making my 2017 a fruitful year. The two opportunities could not have come at a better time for me as I was transitioning between polytechnic and university. The eight months I had free were productively spent being involved in the YLP and Project Khwaish VXII – the two events groomed me into more wholesome young adult. Ms Sonya Kaur Gill is a biomedical science undergraduate who aspires to help people through her work. Apart from wanting to improve the lives of people, she is also passionate about the wellbeing of animals. In her free time, she can be found reading, enjoying nature or planning her next holiday. The views presented in this article are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of YSA. ACTIVITIES BY OTHER YOUTH ORGANISATIONS NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL Young ChangeMakers The Young ChangeMakers community creates a dynamic space for social innovators to convene, collaborate and curate ideas to create a collective impact on society. We are building networks of diverse and passionate individuals and community organisations who inspire and drive social change by providing platforms to gain insights into issues and opportunities to innovate solutions. Building on the knowledge and experience of the Curator Community who have been involved in the evaluation of over 100 projects annually, resources and feedback are shared and refined among peers to scale up ground-up initiatives through: • Open Mic Sessions; and • Open Lab Sessions (social innovation hackathons). Join us in being a part of the vibrant community of changemakers! SINGAPORE INDIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION Self-Help Groups Centre The Self-Help Groups Centre (SHGs Centre) is a collaboration of the four Self-Help Groups – the Chinese Development Assistance Council, Eurasian Association, Singapore Indian Development Association and Yayasan Mendaki. Besides providing a common space for the different races to bond and integrate, the SHGs Centre also organises programmes to serve all ethnic groups, such as educational programmes for students and talks and workshops for parents. Each SHG Centre also conducts programmes specifically to meet the needs of their communities. In addition, the SHGs will provide an activity fee subsidy (of up to 90 per cent) to eligible students from low-income families to attend educational programmes conducted by the Centre. For more information, please visit https://www.cdac.org.sg/self-help-groups-centre/.
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