Crafting a Community for the Kids of Kebun Bahru

Creating connections

Abhishek feels strongly about community making. At his former job with Beyond Social Services, he found that the kids of Kebun Bahru were feeling disconnected. He describes how there were those who were unused to structure in their lives—children who have to make decisions on their own, from what to do to what to eat and whether or not to study. On the other hand, there were also kids whose parents were afraid to let them out, closely guarding their activities and interactions. Seeing space for a common platform where both sets of kids can mingle safely, the 27-year-old hopes to revitalise neighbourliness through 6th Sense, with everyone in the community, from homes to schools and neighbourhood shops, stepping up to make the children feel safe and secure.

"Kids are very intuitive," he shares. “If we can provide a platform for teach them to express their feelings, process their emotions, resolve conflicts and be comfortable in their own shoes, they can strengthen the support they bring to one another.” It becomes especially important when the youngsters transition from primary to secondary school, and 6^th Sense trusts their friendships will continue.

Abhishek wants to see community ties deepen even more in the follow-up. He muses, "Once kids know each other, where do they go from here? We must have a long-term vision for them."

For now, though, he is encouraged by the response. “The kids show up, they’re excited, they’re happy," he says. "It's a start."