With the global landscape forever changed through the impact of Covid-19, it is only natural for anxiety levels to soar while morale takes a dip.

Such times, however, present opportunities for us to review our priorities, rebuild our infrastructure and strengthen our collective resilience.

Covid-19 has shown us that it is resilience that will determine whether or not the Singapore ship veers off course. We are only as strong as our weakest links.

Constructing a city of good not only allows us to strengthen our weakest links, but also enables us to build social and economic resilience.

Constructing a city of good entails more than offering aid to the less privileged. It is about adopting a mindset of empowerment - that every individual has the ability to empower and be empowered.

When we empower an individual, through, for instance, the teaching of computer skills, that individual can in turn either empower society through imparting the skills he learnt to others, or empower our economy through applying these skills in the workforce.

When we construct a city of good that is based on a mindset of empowerment, we forge new bonds or reinforce existing ones. We obtain a thirst to acquire new skills or master existing ones. And these qualities can withstand the test of any crisis our nation will face.

Therefore, while it is important to help our less privileged brethren cope with their immediate needs, we must also widen our horizons and think in terms of empowerment to truly build resilience through a city of good.

Covid-19 necessitated isolation, but resilience will demonstrate that our collective strength is greater than the sum of its parts.

Andrew Ee Changshun