Serving the Community with Heart
A CSR project by the students and lecturers of BCA Academy
At the Singapore Christian Home - 12 March 2013
BCA Academy lecturers and students with Ms Yip Moh Han (in white), Executive Director and Ms Jane Long
(in blue), Head of Nursing of the Singapore Christian Home.
36 full-time Diploma students and nine lecturers from the BCA Academy volunteered for the
community service which was carried out at the Singapore Christian Home on 12 March
2013. The students carried out the work tasked to them with praise-worthy enthusiasm.
Their efforts did not go unnoticed by staff of the Home who shared with their Executive Director, Ms
Yip Moh Han, on how impressed they were with our students noting hard the kids laboured, without
any complaint and wished all volunteers were like them. Ms Yip went on to say that the “bags and
bags of refuse and the neat compound after they left testify to the efforts the students put in....
They made the Home more pleasant for our residents.” This was precisely the motivation of some
lecturers when they signed up for the CSR project - to be able to contribute to the wellbeing of
others.
Some of the students had never volunteered for a community service project before and this was a
true eye-opener for them. They signed up out of curiosity and were glad they did. Despite being
tired from the cleaning work, many shared that it left them happy and satisfied to have contributed
their time and effort for the Home. It got some of the students thinking of their own grandparents
and how they needed to value them. The students were inspired to take part in similar projects in
the future and some even expressed that they wanted to work hard at their studies so they can do
more useful things to help the elderly.
Mr Victor Tan, lecturer, SBD, summed it succinctly when he said that with limited time, the impact of
volunteers’ work on the beneficiaries may be minimal, but the impact on the helpers is usually more
significant. This is evident in the sentiments of the students, some of which are shared below:
Lei Jin Qiu, DME student:
The sons and daughters of the residents in the Home are busy with their work and can’t look after
them, so I felt I could go spend time with them.
The meaningful day may have passed, but I will want to do good things in my daily life.
I feel we could contribute by making regular visits to chat with the old people and warm their hearts
and make them happy.
Cui Bao Fu, DCE student:
I had a hard time before, so I know the feeling of people who need help; I always want to help others.
I don’t have much money to donate. I can only do little things for them.
I felt happy especially when I got to talk with the elderly. I felt they were happy when they saw us.
During my studies here, I want to participate in this kind of activity. I will do my course well and after
I have a good job, I will do something more useful and helpful for the old people.
Nyan Win Mint, DCE student:
While I am studying abroad here in Singapore, I miss my grandmother very much. This motivated me
to take part in the CSR activity. I want to help the elderly as I see them as my grandparents.
I was tired after the activity, but when I went to meet the old people, I no longer felt tired.
After this experience, I want to take part in CSR activities again. I hope to go to other old folks’
homes.
