Special needs students help to deliver gifts to families

Nazurah Zulaikha Zaki, 14, spent the afternoon yesterday delivering gifts to families in Teck Whye.

It is a change for her because as a student of Grace Orchard School, which is for students with mild intellectual disabilities or autism, she is often seen as a recipient of help.

But this year's Girls' Brigade Singapore project to deliver gifts to 3,000 families involved persons with disabilities, not just as recipients, but also as givers.

A total of 16 students from Grace Orchard School's Girls' Brigade co-curricular activity (CCA) went door to door to deliver gifts yesterday, alongside 24 Girls' Brigade members from Kent Ridge Secondary School.

The launch, held at Grace Orchard School, kick-started the nearly two-month-long project, called Friend in Deed, which will provide gifts to about 300 persons with disabilities islandwide, among the 3,000 beneficiaries.

Residents can ask for items within a $60 budget. These can be for home use, such as toaster ovens and standing fans, health and wellness items like blood pressure monitors, and school supplies or toys for children.

Semiconductor equipment company Applied Materials - the project's sponsor this year - sponsored the first $15,000 of gifts. The public can contribute the remaining gifts on the wishlist at https://gbfd.certainty.is/public

President Halimah Yacob, who flagged off a fleet of minibuses taking the students to make the deliveries, said: "I am glad to see girls from different walks of life being empowered to perform great acts of service.

"I hope this will inspire fellow Singaporeans to do the same, and that the wishes delivered throughout Singapore will bring much joy to every recipient."

Glynnis Neo, a Secondary 2 student from Kent Ridge Secondary School, who delivered gifts with a schoolmate and two students from Grace Orchard School, said her group bonded over an interaction session.

"We made bracelets together and got more comfortable with one another. We got to know about how they go about their day, their CCA, what activities they do."

Ms Siow Wei Qi, a teacher who oversees the Girls' Brigade at Grace Orchard School, said: "The students are used to receiving, but now they have the chance to give. They get joy from it. It is a meaningful opportunity to learn."

Kapilaadev Thigaraji, a Secondary 2 student in Grace Orchard School's soccer club, was happy to get soccer boots and socks as part of the project, as he had been playing soccer in his school shoes.