Over 75,000 children from 1,100 pre-schools take part in annual community project

SINGAPORE - More than 75,000 children from close to 1,100 pre-schools will do their part for the community this year.

The five- and six-year-olds will take part in activities such as food donation drives for the less fortunate, writing cards to show appreciation to healthcare workers, and caring for the environment through gardening and recycling.

The eighth edition of the annual President's Challenge initiative, Start Small Dream Big, was launched by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on Monday (April 25).

This year's instalment has as its theme Our Family, Our Community, in support of this year being designated the Year of Celebrating SG Families by the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

The focus also echoes the President's Challenge 2022 call for the community to help support lower-income families .

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, who was at the launch at Bright Kids School House@Punggol Blk 173D, said: "Families are the bedrock of our society... I am heartened to see families involved in their children's projects and hope it will inspire our young to express love, respect, commitment and care and concern towards their family members, as well as others in their community."

He added: "This is how we produce resilient individuals who will be inculcated with good values of giving back."

The annual initiative was started by ECDA in 2015 with 8,000 children and 150 pre-schools, and entails pre-schools involving children to design and carry out community service projects.

The children play an active role in deciding who they want to help and what they want to do, and parents are encouraged to be involved in supporting their efforts.

At Bright Kids School House@Punggol Blk 173D, children use resource materials from the Families For Life Council to learn about family values such as love, care and concern, commitment and respect. The children and their families will deliver care packs to an elderly home, and set up an art exhibition to thank community heroes.

Two new partners, the Centre for Fathering and the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, have come on board this year, bringing the total number of partners supporting the movement to 25.

The Centre for Fathering has also developed an e-resource, titled My Grandfather's Story.

It allows fathers to help their children get to know their grandfathers better through storytelling and the creation of a simple photo journal.

One of the schools participating in this year’s initiative, Kidz Meadow Childcare and Development Centre in Eunos, launched their Start Small Dream Big programme last Friday with a fashion parade. Students wore costumes – made with their parents’ help – that were constructed from recyclable materials. 

Ms Rafeah Abdul Aziz, the centre’s principal, said the launch of the initiative was in conjunction with Earth Day.

She said another project the school will be working on is to partner  Pertapis Senior Citizens Fellowship Home for a Zoom concert. She said students, with the help of their parents, will make shakers for the seniors at the home, to be used on the day of the concert. 

“Our main objective is for the children to care and show appreciation for their families and also share what they have with their community,” she said.

“Even though they are small children, we want them to know that together with their families and friends, they can make a meaningful contribution to their communities.”

Six-year old Nur Khaliesah Shirin Mohamad Khalifee, who participated in the school’s fashion parade, said: “I feel excited because I can make people happy.”