SLIPPERS FOR A CAUSE
Project Happy Feet
As part of a regional initiative, Young SMOU Chairman Terence Tan brought smiles to the faces of Cambodian Children as Young NTUC embarked on “Project Happy Feet” – a community service project that reaches out to underprivileged children both locally and within the region. Reaching out to children in Cambodia in late March this year taught Terence how a small gesture of kindness can go a longer way. SeaVoices speaks to the Young SMOU activist to find more about his experiences on the project.
SV: Describe your Project Happy Feet (PHF) and Cambodia experience.
Terence: It was a rewarding and fruitful experience for me and a great learning opportunity for the whole group, as we learnt how to work together and how our decisions affect the people we were helping. We reflected nightly on each day’s happenings and discussed about the beneficiaries and whether any further assistance could be rendered.
SV: What were some highlights of your trip?
Terence: One amazing experience was the visit to Smach Village in the Kralanh District of Siem Reap adopted by Shinta Mani Foundation. The 2-hour, backbreaking ride through kilometres of bumpy dirt road brought us to a school with many children without footwear. We immediately set out to work, distributing the slippers sponsored by Havaianas under the hot sun.
While fitting the slippers onto the kids’s feet, I noticed many of them bore wounds and scars on their swollen feet. I could not imagine how these kids walk to school on bumpy roads in the scorching heat without any footwear. I tried walking barefooted myself, but the road was just too hot and riddled with pebbles and stones.
The supply of slippers was insufficient. After some planning, we ended up at the Siem Reap market to purchase additional school supplies and slippers for the children. I learnt that what these children needed was not just money; they needed life skills to equip them for a better livelihood.
SV: What compelled you to participate in PHF?
Terence: I got to know about PHF last year as they held a slipper race in Singapore. Like NTUC, they are passionate in helping people by improving members’ working conditions and enhancing their economic and social statuses. Young NTUC introduced the project to some of its committee members, and I took the chance to learn more about it. This was where my learning journey began.
SV: How are you inspired by PHF as an activist?
Terence: I’m inspired by the people around me who dedicate so much time and energy to the different causes they believe in. I also learnt that not everyone is as fortunate, especially people outside Singapore. Putting in a little effort to make their lives better can indeed go a long way. What I offer may not be enough to change the world, but I could at least try to change someone’s day for the better. Changing the world is a collective process, and I want to be a part of that process.
