More than fixing things: Singapore’s volunteer-led movement builds community muscle
From repairing household appliances to rescuing unwanted food, these groups are plugging gaps they see around them.
Small volunteer-led groups in Singapore are addressing gaps they see in their communities, with their impact extending beyond the immediate problems they aim to solve. Repairing appliances and rescuing food are two examples of how ordinary people are finding purpose in their work. In Repair Kopitiam, volunteers repair old appliances, passing on practical skills to owners, while The Red Collective rescues fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste.
These efforts are driven by a desire to make a difference and build community muscle. The pandemic has also spurred a surge in ground-up initiatives, with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre estimating that 450 such groups were active in 2023.
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