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VIA : Building Community Champions
LUMEN
Community : Building Bridges and Safe Spaces
By
Zachary Yan Tjun ( FN401 )
Singapore ’ s migrant brothers are everpresent in our lives , playing a crucial role in building our homes , the schools we study in , and the malls we visit regularly . Their dedication and hard work , as well as their spending hours toiling in Singapore ’ s hot weather , allow us to study and play in comfortable spaces . Yet , they are also the people who are rarely ever thanked by us . Therefore , the student-initiated “ Building Community Champions ” VIA project led by Benjamin Lien ( LE401 ) aimed to change the outlook of Josephians towards this issue and cultivate a “ gratitude ” mindset towards these unsung heroes .
Through close collaboration with Ray of Hope ( ROH ), an organisation which focuses on providing hope to individuals in need , Josephians were able to understand the needs of our migrant brothers and plan activities which best suited their interests . Furthermore , Josephians got in touch with the migrant brothers at each dormitory , enabling them to interact with the migrant brothers even before the event . With the help of ROH , over 120 volunteers and migrant brothers were brought together to spend a day with each other , have a meal together , and play various sports . The migrant brothers taught Josephians how to play cricket , in the process proving their remarkable skills at the sport . Meanwhile , Josephians taught them how to play sports such as football , ultimate frisbee , and captain ’ s ball . The sports events were followed by an exhilarating game segment , where the migrant brothers were quizzed on their general knowledge of Singapore . Josephians found the ice-breaker session the most eye-opening , as members of each group were invited to show a picture from their gallery which they hold the most dearly , and many were moved by what the migrant brothers showed . More often than not , it was a family picture , which is testament to the