Diwali is the time when the global Indian communities — both resident Indians and the Indian diaspora — literally bring the brightest of lights into their lives, a symbolic victory of good over evil.
To ensure that no one in Singapore feels excluded from the celebrations, the crowdfunding charity Ray of Hope has returned with its annual Diwali campaign ‘Lights for Hope’, which supports people in need.
Started in 2020, the year of the pandemic, the campaign is now six years old, and its beneficiaries for 2025 include several Indians in Singapore, such as:
● a 57-year-old widower, Mohinder, who suffered a terrible family tragedy and now lives in trauma and with little money other than social aid;
● a single mother, Ananya, with a 13-year-old son, Kiran, whose employer has stopped paying her, leaving her in dire straits;
● and a 63-year-old woman, Rani, who has suffered the kind of injury that has left her in a wheelchair and unable to work as she did before.
In the past five years, the ‘Lights for Hope’ crowdfunding campaign has raised SGD 40,369 and the money has been distributed to 116 families, benefiting 216 adults and 44 children, says Elisha Vishinpir, Marketing & Communications Manager, Ray of Hope.
The distinguishing feature of any Ray of Hope campaign is that every dollar donated goes into the benefit pot. “On top of that, donations [this year] will be matched under the Tote Board’s Enhanced Fundraising Scheme. That match helps keep Ray of Hope standing — so we can verify every story, support our clients thoroughly and protect the sanctity of giving donors have entrusted to us,” says Elisha.
This being the year of SG60, the crowdfunding charity is hoping for a bigger response from the community, and it has scaled up its fundraising ambition, setting the target at SGD 50,000.
As for how the beneficiaries are selected, Elisha explains the process: “The support is directed to individuals and families who celebrate Deepavali/Diwali and have not received assistance from previous Lights for Hope campaigns. Each case is verified to ensure that the recipients genuinely require help and fall within our campaign’s intended scope. This helps us extend the festive support to as many new families as possible within the community.”
The reason for raising the crowdfunding target is that while Ray of Hope has, in the past years, contributed to significantly brightening the occasion of Diwali/Deepavali for Indians in Singapore, the charity wants to take its support further.
Elisha says, “In the early years of Lights for Hope, we raised funds so that families could also cook a good meal, put on some new clothes, and share the joy of the Deepavali festivities. It mattered then, and it still does now.
“But, as the years went by, we realised something else. When the lights came down, the struggles didn’t end — parents still wondered how to stretch groceries to the end of the week; caregivers still chose between milk powder or medication; children still needed bus rides and books. That’s why we decided to stretch this year’s target amount for Lights for Hope, with a big goal to raise SGD 50,000.”
The Lights for Hope goal amount of SGD 50,000, if it can be raised, would support Indian-origin families in Singapore even beyond Diwali 2025.
With an Indian-origin population of approximately 700,000 in Singapore, it goes without saying that every dollar counts and every dollar helps. The donation of even a single dollar from everyone who can spare it would help Lights for Hope 2025 not only reach its campaign target, but also easily cross it.
“This year’s target isn’t just about raising enough funds for one Deepavali celebration. It’s about making sure families of Indian origin with ongoing campaigns aren’t left waiting,” says Elisha. “By raising more now, we can close these gaps sooner, while also being prepared for the families who will come to us in the months ahead.”
She sums it up: “When someone gives towards Lights for Hope 2025, they’re not only lighting up Deepavali for one family, but also helping us carry families beyond the season, and making sure no campaign is left behind.”
