Deepavali 2019

Adopting a different approach this year, NuLife’s Deepavali 2019 Project had focused on enhancing the well-being of foreign workers that have been residing alongside with our community in light of the upcoming festive season. As the Indian community looked forward to the much-awaited festivity by embellishing their households, furnishing themselves with traditional attires and being treated to a sumptuous meal by loved ones, NuLife took this opportune period to reach out to 350 foreign workers by working in collaboration with Mini Environment Services (MES) to deliver a talk on mental wellness and distribute pre-loved clothing to these group of workers.

Given the increasing precedence placed on mental wellness and in line with our U Matter Initiative, a talk on mental wellness was decided to be provided to these group of individuals who find themselves susceptible to a deteriorating well-being in light of the stressors they might be subjected to while adapting to working in another country in order to support their loved ones back home. Additionally, with the upcoming festivity, we wanted to ensure that these group of individuals were able to endow themselves and their loved ones back home with clothing, a much needed essential for the festivity.

Our endeavors were supported in kind by Demure Drapes who assisted to garner pre-loved clothing that were in good condition island wide and disseminated them to NuLife premises. The pre-loved clothing was assembled and categorised into boxes for children wear, women modern wear, women traditional wear and men wear by our group of NuLife staff and volunteers. The pre-loved clothing was also set aside for our beneficiaries who might find themselves not being able to afford such necessities for the festive season as a result of their circumstances.

The mental wellness talks and pre-loved clothing giveaway took place in the month leading to Deepavali at the following dates and locations:

(1) The LEO Dormitory – 22^nd September 2019

(2) Blue Stars Dormitory – 29^th September 2019

(3) Jurong Penjuru Dormitory – 6^th October 2019

With the active participation of our NuLife staff and volunteers during this period of time, we were able to witness the heart-warming distribution of over 200 boxes worth of pre-loved clothing to a group of delighted and grateful workers. As a significant portion of the foreign workers were not as proficient in the English language, the mental wellness talk was simplified to ensure their understanding was gained on the ways they can preserve their well-being and the ways they can reach out for support should they be in need of it. The mental wellness talk aimed to take on an engaging and interactive approach in order to convey the intended message to our audience in a more constructive manner.

It was indeed reassuring to have been able to furnish the foreign workers with the much-needed psychoeducation with regards to mental wellness.

Deepavali 2018

One of NuLife’s outreach programmes is Festive Celebrations and within a blink of an eye, it is time for our annual Deepavali project 2018. Last year, we were honoured to have generous donations from the community that assisted in donating both monetary as well as rations. We were privileged to be able to give out food rations not only to our own beneficiaries, but to other organisations such as Project Smile, Marsiling IAEC, Grace Haven, Chen Su Lan Home, Church of St Vincent De Paul, Silat Sikh Temple, Church of St Theresa, The Society of Teng San Tian Hock Temple and Masjid Al-Istiqamah. Many beneficiaries have shared how they were thankful for the rations and being able to have a good meal with their family due to the generosity of our donors. This year, NuLife will be taking a unique approach, your donations will be going towards repair and refurbishment for our beneficiaries and conducting research on suicide, a prevailing concern in today’s society. We as an organisation believe that every individual deserves a home that they can celebrate festive celebrations without feeling any shame or inadequateness. By repairing and refurbishing our beneficiaries’ houses, it will offer long-lasting assistance. By ensuring that their house is in good condition not only helps them physically, it will also help them mentally by uplifting their mood coming to a house with all the basic necessities. NuLife has assisted countless beneficiaries through our Robinhood project, ensuring they have the necessary household items, which our generous donors have kindly donated for our beneficiaries. As Winston Churchill says, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give”. In addition to the repair and refurbishment, a portion of your donations will be utilised for suicide research. There has been a spike in suicide in Singapore over the recent years and this calls for concern. We are currently living in a society whereby it is defined as weak to be vulnerable and everyone puts on a facade that their lives are “perfect”. Sometimes, suicide is not about the act itself, but it is a silent cry of wanting to live. This prevalent issue is rampant throughout our society and it calls for concern. As such, NuLife is moving our niche towards suicide awareness and prevention. We will be conducting research, to better understand and serve such cases. As Paul Shane Spear once said: “As one person, I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” All it takes is one person to have a ripple effect on the people around you.

Zakat 2018

Zakat, is the giving of alms to the poor and needy which is one of the five pillars of Islam (the others are declaration of faith, prayer, fasting in Ramadan and Hajj). It is obligatory upon every adult Muslim of sound mind and means.

“They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it.” [Al-Quran 2:215]

NuLife Care and Counselling Services Limited has numerous of outreach programs of which one of them would be festive celebration. We would organise different festive celebrations from Chinese New Year, Zakat, Deepavali as well as Christmas. We do different things during our festive celebration which range from giving out rations, giving out cooked food as well as repair and refurbishment.

This year, we are extremely grateful towards a group of total strangers coming forward to prepare cooked food and donated packet drinks for 100 people. They decided to bless the people with Chicken Masala Biryani (Halal Certified). The group of strangers has asked to remain anonymous and they did not want their actions to be publicised on social media. Like what Carol Ryrie Brink says: “The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.”

Its heartening to have people stepping forward and being so willing to collaborate with us in blessing the people around us. A little action like this not only brings warmth to one’s stomach, it also brings warmth to one’s heart and soul. It is always a greater blessing to be able to bless others, what more, in the season of a festival whereby Muslims will be ending their fast which is also known as Hari Raya Puasa.

NuLife Care and Counselling Services Limited is thankful for the opportunity to be able to bless the Muslim Community amongst us. To make a change, we have to be the change, and all it takes is one person to start the ripple effect.

Zakat 2017

NuLife Care and Counselling organised a food distribution drive called “Zakat – NuLife” on 18th June 2017 to reach out to the less fortunate in Singapore. Zakat is an act of giving that is considered as a religious tax. Although it is not considered as a charitable contribution in the Islamic religion, part of the sum will be used to help the poor and new joined Muslim groups. Even though the practice was originally an obligation act among the Muslims community (Zakat, n.d.), it is now a voluntary decision for sponsorship in the modern society.

The “Zakat – NuLife” event was made possible by the generosity of many individuals who graciously donated their time, money and effort. We had a mixed group of 60 volunteers that consisted of Malays, Indians and Chinese. With donations from the public through social media, contribution of labour from our volunteers, 2000 packets of food were prepared and delivered by Braveheart movers for who graciously agreed to help us deliver the packets of food for free. You are kind. You are thoughtful. You are appreciated by the NuLife family.

The volunteers were split into 4 teams to deliver to the different locations in a short period of time to distribute food to the community before their dinner time. The food was prepared by Casuarina Curry which consists of chicken curry and two vegetables for a nominal amount of $1.50 per packet. These packets of food were distributed door to door to residents living in 1 to 2 room HDB rental flats in Buangkok, Serangoon North, Lorong Liew Lian, Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh.

Throughout the day, our volunteer group manage to distribute the food quota given. The highlight for the day was when we encountered elderlies who appeared rundown and hungry. Upon receiving the food, the smile on their faces warmed our hearts and motivated us to continue with the distribution.

Despite the heavy rain that shows up towards the end of the event, we strongly believe that all the volunteers would have been extremely proud of themselves and felt a sense of personal satisfaction when the day was over.

Overall, we cannot deny that it was a wonderful and precious experience for all of us. This event also nurtured the value of kindness and the importance of giving to those who are in need, to both volunteers and receivers. This is a valuable lesson to learn as many of us have lost ourselves in this busy society and forget to pay attention on other beautiful things. Beautiful things can be simple, with a packet of rice to brighten up the day for those who are in need and remind them they are not forgotten by this world.

How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.