S’porean who feeds and organises reunion dinners for lonely seniors wins Silent Heroes award
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Mr Thomas Chua and Ms Kyra Sing are among the five winners of the annual Singapore Silent Heroes Award.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Koh Ming Lun
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- Thomas Chua, despite past bankruptcy, runs GOLD Ministry, providing food and activities to lonely elderly residents at Jalan Kukoh since 2018.
- Chua received the Singapore Silent Heroes award for his unwavering dedication, funded by friends, churches, and his own savings as a Grab driver.
- Kyra Sing, 19, also received an award for volunteering, shown through hours at NKF and community events.
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SINGAPORE - Even after filing for bankruptcy in 2015, Mr Thomas Chua never stopped caring for the elderly.
He and his wife started distributing food packets to seniors in 2008, first in Mei Ling Street and Bukit Merah.
In 2010, they moved on to Ghim Moh and Holland Village, before finally serving the community in Jalan Kukoh from 2018.
They funded this on their own at first, after learning that few organisations distributed food on the weekends.
In 2010, they started receiving support from food charity Willing Hearts. The couple have three children now in their 30s.
Mr Chua continued providing food and organising activities for seniors during his financial troubles from 2012 to 2015, when his various business ventures failed because of technological disruptions.
Today, with support from friends and churches, the 64-year-old runs GOLD Ministry from the first floor of an HDB block in Jalan Kukoh, where he and around 20 volunteers serve the community.
“Many people tell me: You are not paid, you still have to come out with the money and time to do all this. I will always tell them that I am paid. I am paid by the smile on their faces,” said Mr Chua, who now works as a private-hire driver.
Mr Chua’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. He is one of five individuals who received the 12th Singapore Silent Heroes (SSH) award at Shangri-La Singapore hotel on Sept 27, chosen from a pool of 124 nominations and 24 finalists across five categories.
Organised by non-profit organisation Civilians Association (Singapore), the annual awards recognise individuals who have carried out acts of humanity and compassion without seeking recognition or reward.
To Mr Chua, volunteering is not a matter of having extra money or time. It “comes down to having a willing heart to share your time and money with people”, said the recipient in the Outstanding Adults category, who received the award from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah.
Mr Chua’s work stems from his desire to show love to the elderly population in Singapore, many of whom struggle with loneliness. He also organises events, mainly funded by friends, churches and his own savings. More information about his initiatives can be found at www.facebook.com/goldministrysg
Noticing that many seniors spent Chinese New Year alone without their families, Mr Chua began organising reunion dinners for them at the Jalan Kukoh GOLD Ministry centre. He hopes more volunteers will join him to expand his efforts, through more door-to-door visits to check on the welfare of elderly residents. Just last week, he learnt that a senior who came regularly to his centre had died alone in her flat, only to be discovered about a week later.
Another recipient, Ms Kyra Sing, 19, received the award under the Inspiring Youth category, which recognises young people who have inspired others through their volunteering work and contributions to the community.
The first-year business student from Nanyang Technological University spends every weekend volunteering at organisations such as the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), where she befriends patients or helps out at events.
She started volunteering at the age of seven, influenced by her father Herman Sing, who had previously donated 67 per cent of his liver to a stranger.
“Through him, I feel more motivated and inspired to give back, because if he can give back so much to society, I can do my part to give back as well,” said Ms Sing.
She has clocked more than 238 hours, helped over 1,100 families, and befriended hundreds of dialysis patients at NKF. On her own, she has organised events such as beach clean-ups at East Coast Park, and encourages friends and family to join her.
At the ceremony, five outstanding students were also honoured with the SSH APEX Award, recognising their empathy, leadership and civic spirit at a young age. They were chosen from 84 primary, secondary, and junior college students who had received the SSH Student Award on July 5
