Photo Credit: South West Community Development Council (SWCDC)
We hoisted up our ankle socks to fulfill another 3,000 wishes for vulnerable residents – this time living all across Singapore
GBFD 2022 reaches Singaporeans islandwide
After the success of the first ever GB Friend in Deed project in 2021, the Girls’ Brigade Singapore hoisted up our ankle socks and set out to fulfill another 3,000 wishes capped at $60 each for vulnerable residents – this time living all across Singapore.
The GBFD 2022 marked a special first as GB Girls with mild mental disabilities from the 91st Singapore Company (Grace Orchard School) delivered the very first GBFD wishes alongside the Girls from the 54th Singapore Company (Kent Ridge Secondary School). This was the first time both companies played such a big part in this major GB event, which was graced by our Guest of Honour Patron of the Girls’ Brigade Singapore President Halimah Yacob, and Special Guest, Mayor of South West district Low Yen Ling.
“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.”
– President Halimah Yacob. (quoted from The Straits Times, 2022)
Ms Esther Kwan, principal of Grace Orchard School (Foreground), Girls’ Brigade President Ms Sharon Liat (Left), President Halimah Yacob (Centre) and Mayor of South West district Low Yen Ling (Right) taking a group photograph with GB Girls from the 54th and 91st Singapore Companies.
From arranging parcels onto carts to wheeling them up to multiple floors, the GB Girls worked hard to deliver the first GBFD wishes, much to the appreciation of the recipients.
Watch the Launch event proceedings below! You can read more about the launch in this Straits Times article here.
Volunteers and Girls make it work
Over the June holidays, hundreds of GB Girls, Officers, and volunteers made the very most of the opportunity afforded by lifted Covid measures and the long break to do their part for GBFD.
Volunteers from the public wowed us with their generosity as they took time off with colleagues and loved ones to buy and/or send wish items through the gates of the Girls’ Brigade Headquarters at 795 Upper Serangoon Road, or straight to our wish recipients.
Meanwhile, GB Girls in the GBHQ dutifully collected, checked, repackaged, and sorted the individual wishes out for delivery to their recipients living across the country.
What came out of this harmony of selfless effort was the realisation that many of us involved in the GBFD were now better able to empathise with how people from different walks of life lived – through handling the items that had been requested.
GB Girls helping to sort and process wishes at GBHQ
An assortment of wishes
“It was interesting seeing all the gifts. What they’re asking for isn’t a lot. Some people want really simple things.”
– Natalie Goh, 62nd Coy, Hillgrove Secondary School
“The preparation and distribution of gifts allowed me to empathize with others and taught me to be grateful for all that we have.”
– Sage Chai, 84th Coy, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School
The Joy of being a Friend in Deed
From rental flats in Chai Chee to activity centres in Yishun, and even the iconic estate of Pearls’ Hill, Chinatown, many of our GB Girls and Officers who signed up to deliver wishes had the privilege of befriending GBFD recipients at their homes.
Having witnessed so many door to door encounters, we’re still not sure who’s more delighted to see each other – our recipients when they receive the items they wish for, or our Girls when they see them smiling back at them with gratitude!
GB Girls delivering wishes to a recipient in Clementi
“Our experience delivering the wishes for GBFD during June Camp was extremely meaningful. Meeting the elderly made me realise how we can make someone’s day by simply taking the time to interact with them.”
– Faith, 45th Coy, Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary)
“The look of happiness on people’s faces when you give them the gifts, and the way they say thank you, you really know it’s from the bottom of their hearts.”
– Anya, 59th Coy, Greenridge Primary School
When Girl never Meets Boy
A Friend to 3,000…and counting!
GBFD will always be a season of generosity and gratitude for both givers and recipients. We are thankful to the 28 organisations who partnered with us in this initiative, and honoured by the residents who entrusted their wishes to us.
Above all, GBFD will always be about Girls applying what they’ve learned about loving their friends and neighbours in the classroom, in real life.
We hope that every experience encourages them to make better and bolder differences in the lives of communities here in Singapore.
To more years of friendship, friends, and good deeds!
Keen to find out more about GBFD or partner us for GBFD 2023? Email us at [email protected]!