Underprivileged seniors have been the hardest hit during Singapore’s circuit breaker measures. Seniors are no longer allowed to mingle. Home visits and social outings cancelled; senior activity centers closed.
Many lack human connection for mental wellbeing. Unlike the digital savvy, they are unable to turn to the digital world to pass time or stay connected online.
“Their leisure options at home are limited to television and radio, or chatting with their friends on the phone”, the TODAY report reads.
But what if seniors cannot afford a radio, mobile phone or television set? Socially isolated, our seniors feel increasingly demoralised or depressed.
Project Audible Cheer aims to provide mental and emotional support for our seniors who are too poor to own phones or unable to access digital content. We are fundraising for MP3 portable radio sets, to provide multilingual audio programmes and music. We hope the songs of yesteryears can bring daily nostalgic comfort and cheer.
Why radio, not TV or phone? Both mobile phones and televisions incur monthly subscription fees. Radios are cheaper than televisions so we can support more seniors, and are easier to use. We can provide customised content in the vernacular on the MP3 cards, and plan on monthly exchanges of content.
Our partners. Non-profit arts company, 3Pumpkins, is our content partner, loading the MP3 players with 大声D茶室 / Warung Cakap Apa, a programme supported by Our Singapore Fund and created in Mandarin, dialects, Malay and Tamil, as well as music playlists selected for seniors. Radio sets will be distributed via Lions Befrienders, which serves 6,000 at-risk seniors. We hope to support other beneficiaries in the near future as well.
Project Audible Cheer. This project has been featured onTODAYOnline and AsiaOne. The project will be executed in phases. We have raised $15,000 and have ordered our first shipment. Subsequent shipments will be activated as soon as we raise sufficient funds. Time is of the essence as we need to ship radio sets in from China.
We are hoping to raise awareness to widen our reach and impact. The more radio sets we can quickly bring in, the more vulnerable seniors we can support.
The radio sets and music can still accompany our elderly post-Covid. All contributions are eligible for 250 per cent tax deduction via official charity portal Giving.sg.
Contact person: Skye Yeo +65 9655 2644 clearblueskky@gmail.com
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