Cultivating a Grateful and Gracious Society

Organization: Mercy relief

Mercy Relief was one of the major NGOs that provided aid during the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 and Japan Earthquake 2011.

Like the hand extending help in the logo, Mercy Relief provides assistance to disaster stricken communities in Asia.

Mercy Relief also focus on long term development projects for the impoverished and locally aims to develop a caring and socially-conscience society.

What does Mercy Relief do?

Internationally:

•  Disaster relief by providing first hand relief, rehabilitating victims and reconstructing affected areas.
• Contributing to sustainable development through education, healthcare, shelter, water and sanitation and teaching people skills for people to have sustainable livelihood.

Distributing rations during the 2011 Bangkok Floods

Locally:

•  School outreach to encourage students to appreciate and take action for humanitarian causes.
• Cultivating a Gracious and Grateful Society, Cultivating a Gracious and Grateful Society
• MOVE: Mercy Relief Volunteer Expeditions for volunteers to participate in projects complementing Mercy Relief’s current projects in Asia

Students on the MOVE expedition conducting English lessons for children

 Let’s play!

What we did:  

In 2011, Saints Advocate collaborated with Mercy Relief to organize the second Cultivating a Grateful and Gracious Spirit(CGGS) exhibition in school. Through CGGS, Mercy Relief aims to make Singapore a more gracious society and for people to appreciate and treasure more what they currently have.

Located at netball court, the CGGS tent showcased photo exhibitions of past projects by mercy relief in various disaster zones.  The exhibit included the amazing water purifying bicycle! This amazing bicycle could purify water as long as someone was peddling on it!

Saints Advocates teacher Mr Ho riding on the magical bike for CCA day!

As part of the exhibit, pledge booklets were also distributed to encourage people to pledge to become a more gracious member of society. 

YFC: Wheelchair basketball Association (WBA)

Story of Team N-ABLE '11

Team N-ABLE 11’ came about when 4brave souls decided to take up the challenge of raising funds for Wheelchair Basketball Association (WBA), a non-profit organisation that provides qualified individuals with physical disabilities the opportunity to play, learn, and compete in the sport of Wheelchair Basketball. We saw that WBA was deeply in need of funds as they lack sufficient facilities for their trainings, and we felt the urge to help them overcome their difficulties, so that they can excel in their passion for basketball.

From this burning desire to help, we applied for Youth for Causes so as to acquire seed money to start our project running. We came out with multiple ideas and in the end; we adopted the strategy of raising funds by selling merchandise and organising events. We made badges, shirts, straw hearts, cookies, and more! 

Shirt Design

Badges

We also wanted to advocate to the public about WBA so as to allow others to accept them and support them. Thus, we had our very own Wheelchair Basketball competition, where we saw many able-bodies competing in wheelchairs to have a firsthand experience of how WBA personnel would feel.

Participant in wheelchair taking a shot

Also, through mobilization of volunteers who shared our same passion, we managed to spread the word about WBA through our street sales in orchard, as well as churches in Singapore. In total, we managed to raise a profit of $1440.15 for WBA! Throughout this project, the greatest achievement would definitely be the growth in each of us, to be better servant leaders with the passion to advocate changes.

Everyone wants to change the world but not everybody wants to change. What about you?

Brought to you by:

Team N-able '11