Anbarasu Rajendran CEO of SINDA (Singapore Indian Development Association), never fails to remind his audience of the importance of inclusivity and sharing happiness with all irrespective of soci-economic standing.
In the spirit of Deepavali, which is essentially about spreading happiness, SINDA will kick off its annual flagship initiative, Project Give (PG), on October 14, 2023, to ensure that the needs of less-privileged students and families are looked after during the upcoming Deepavali festive period, said an official release.
The month-long initiative will also aim to promote greater awareness of initiatives that the less-privileged can benefit from and encourage the spirit of giving back to the community.
According to the release, for the first time, PG will bring the festive celebrations to more people in the heartlands this year, with the launch of Project Give Heartlands (PGH).
PGH aims to bring the festive spirit closer to the doorsteps of the wider Indian community in Singapore, with pop-up booths in community centres in Tampines East, Yuhua, Henderson and Nee Soon GRCs.
Through PGH, SINDA hopes to reach out to over 1,200 low-income families in the community, to support them during the festive season.
These households will be able to collect SINDA’s Celebrate! Festive Gift Packs (FGPs) at PGH booths, which will contain essentials and Deepavali-related items to help alleviate the cost of celebrating the festivities.
They will also have the opportunity to participate in festive activities organised by SINDA and its partners, including performances by artistes, meals sponsored by the Little India Shop Owners and Heritage Association (LISHA) and more.
PG will launch this year with cyclists from the Ride to Serve organisation carrying the Project Give flag from SINDA and riding to the Project Give booth at the Indian Heritage Centre, symbolising the launch.
In support of the Healthier SG initiative, a mass kuthu/bhangra aerobics dance, will commemorate the official commencement of the endeavour.
Throughout the month-long initiative, activities such as traditional games, craft-making, story-telling sessions and cultural performances have been planned at the booth, with SINDA, community partners and volunteers working together to engage the Indian community during the festive season.
PG will also attempt to enter the Singapore Book of Records by collecting wishes written by members of the public and displaying them on a 1.6-metre-wide heart, in a show of community togetherness.
Running in tandem with these activities will be various SINDA initiatives that focus on supporting the needs of the community during Deepavali.
These include:-
Deepavali Elderly Engagement (15 October, 2023) – 20 elderly beneficiaries will be treated to a murukku-making workshop with youths from the SINDA Youth Club and NUS Gen 2000, followed by lunch and festive shopping; this initiative is aimed at bringing festive joy to seniors living alone.
Project Shine (29 October 2023) – an initiative to clean the houses of the less privileged and seniors in the Indian community during festive seasons, allowing them to welcome their festive celebrations with brighter, fresher homes.
As per the release, 220 volunteers will visit 55 households to spruce up their homes in time for the festival of lights.
SINDA has hosted Project Give since 2001 to support the educational needs of disadvantaged students and families. Since then, the campaign has evolved to become a community-centric month-long event that rallies several partners and individuals towards community and social good causes.