Singapore Disability Sports Council

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Sport Valentines turns SDSC into a garden

If you visit the SDSC office, you will find a handcrafted butterfly, bee or flower made out of stockings and wires at almost every staff’s desk. It isn’t that we are falling into a romantic mood or celebrating summer. Rather, we are showing our support for the efforts of this compassionate group of students called ‘Sports Valentines’.

Four young students from Choa Chu Kang Secondary School - Ng Qi Yun, Yeo Aimin, Jessica Teo Li Qing and Neo Yan Ting - decided to form their group named Sports Valentines and applied for the programme, after learning about the Citibank-YMCA Youth For Causes call for social entrepreneurship projects.

Piloted in 2003, the Citibank-YMCA Youth For Causes programme provides ‘seed funding’ for young social entrepreneurs to kickstart business ideas that benefits voluntary welfare organizations. Besides receiving initial capital, project teams are guided by qualified mentors who are working professionals from Citibank and YMCA of Singapore.

Choosing SDSC as its beneficiary, Sports Valentines targeted to raise funds for the organisation and promote the awareness of disability sports. With an innovative proposal - a result of extensive research and detailed planning - Sports Valentines was selected as one of the teams to receive the seed funding.

In the process of executing the planned activities, the group learnt quickly that fundraising was much harder than they imagined. They had to make several changes to their initial plan of selling sports keychains and holding a 24hr basketball tournament, due to many unforeseen difficulties. Finally, they decided to set up a fruit stall along Orchard Road. Things were not smooth-sailing. Firstly, they only managed to get the various licenses approved at the very last minute, resulting in a mad rush for equipment and materials. And after a long day selling chocolate fountains and fruits under the hot sun, the group realized that they still suffered a loss.

Jessica commented: “I always know that earning money is tough but I did not realize that it is that tough and tiring. This experience teaches me to look things on the bright side and in a positive way.”

Yes, facing that many difficulties, most groups would have given up. But not Sports Valentines, who demonstrated a spirit far more resilient than most groups of students which SDSC had encountered. They were not discouraged by the setbacks, and instead, took the failures as learning experiences and resolved to do better next time. Heartened by their attitudes, SDSC proposed to the group to make handcrafts instead.

After some consideration, the group decided to adopt the idea and set out to learn the techniques of making butterflies, bees and flowers from stockings. The intricately-made handicrafts touched the hearts of many and orders started rolling in from their school and the public, through word of mouth. Success finally goes to those who never give up. Though no major advertising was done, the group managed to recoup the losses made initially, but also earned some profit!

It was a pleasant reward for their hard work. The group, together with many volunteers from their school, had spent many weekends making the handicrafts, which was extremely time-consuming. There was even once when they had an overnight stay, just to produce as many handicrafts as they could to boost sales.

“I was touched when people eventually bought the handicrafts and that brought a smile to my face. They give me hope to carry on,” said Angeline Tan, a volunteer who helped Sports Valentines in their project.

The group did not stop there. Collaborating with their school, they set up an inter-house badminton tournament, sacrificing their weekends to organize the activities. Because of the school’s kind sponsorship of event trophies and all, the group managed to raise more funds.

Despite going though a tough journey, the group managed to make the project a fruitful one, enabling them and their peers to learn many skills and life experiences which were not taught in daily school, like presentation skills, teamwork, compassion and optimism. Sports Valentines has also expressed that they would like to continue helping SDSC in future charity events.

“[This project] has spurred me to look for other opportunities to help the needy. Through the eyes of the Singapore Disability Sports Council, it can be seen that though [the disabled] may be disabled physically, they are not disabled spiritually.” – Hong Xian Wei, volunteer for Sports Valentines.

The Citibank-YMCA Youth For Causes initiative was a beneficial experience to both the youths who participated in it and the organizations that have been involved. Sports Valentines has not only touched the lives of the disabled through their efforts, but also the staff of SDSC with their enthusiasm and perseverance. The butterflies, bees and flowers which so cheerfully decorate our desks now will serve as a reminder to us that there are youths who would still help to paint a better future for the underprivileged community. 

Like Desiree Yah, a volunteer for Sports Valentines, puts it: “By giving my help in raising funds, I helped some of these people to continue participating in the sports activities they like and have something to look forward to in life.”