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Written by Kanishka Selvakumar Scam cases are on the rise. However, do you know the true extent to which they are increasing? Victims lost a record high of over $385.6 million in the first half of 2024, a 24.6% increase compared with the $309.4 million lost in the same period of 2023 (Mid-Year Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2024 by the Singapore Police Force).  The elderly, defined as those aged 65 and above, made up only 7.2% of the scam victims. Although this is good news, it is concerning to note that the average amount lost per elderly victim is the highest among all age groups. The impact is much more detrimental for seniors, as they risk losing their entire life savings and are highly unlikely to financially recover if they are in the post-retirement stage.  What Makes Elderly Prime Targets You may wonder why scammers target the elderly. Apart from having an abundance of financial assets, the elderly often have more free time or may experience social isolation during their post-retirement stage. This makes them more inclined to respond to calls or emails from strangers. Existing studies  also suggest that the elderly have a more trusting nature compared to younger adults, resulting in a higher tendency for them to fall prey to scams.  Emotional and psychiatric risk factors like depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and memory issues might also cause them to feel more obliged to comply with the demands set by the scammer. Other factors, such as a limited social network, a lack of comfort and experience with technology, and a lack of awareness about scams, make them prime targets for scammers. Common Scams Faced By Elderly The common scams faced by the elderly include fake friend call scams, investment scams, and phishing. In 2024, among the elderly victims, 24.4% fell prey to phony friend call scams, 19.5% fell victim to investment scams, and 14.6% fell prey to phishing scams. In terms of the total amount lost, however, investment scams, job scams, and government official impersonation scams were the top three scam types in the first half of 2024. (Mid-Year Scams and Cybercrime Brief 2024 by the Singapore Police Force).  Fake Friend Call Scams Fake friend call scams typically involve scammers contacting victims via phone calls or messages, pretending to be someone they previously knew. After becoming a trusted acquaintance, the scammers would take advantage of the established friendship to request money for various made-up reasons. Victims usually realize that they have been scammed after they have transferred money, and the scammer then cuts off all connections with them. Investment Scams Scammers typically entice victims with investment opportunities offering unrealistically high returns. They then trick unsuspecting victims into transferring their funds to specific bank accounts. What’s worse? In some exceptional cases, scammers enhance deception by sending initial profits to attract larger investments. Phishing Scams There are different types of phishing scams, such as spear phishing , whaling , smishing , and vishing . These types of scams ultimately involve malicious text messages or emails posing to be legitimate government websites, organizations, or companies. Phishing directs victims to fake websites and the unauthorised installation of malware by scammers to obtain personal information or assets from the victims. Dos and Don’ts to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones While scams can be intimidating, here are some actionable steps you can take to protect yourself and those around you.  Dos Use strong passwords that include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols of an appropriate length. Use different passwords for different accounts. Regularly review reports and bank statements for suspicious activity. Secure important documents by using a secure cloud storage service. Proactively identify forms of manipulation (e.g., emotional manipulation, creating urgency, threatening consequences, use of deceptive language) to protect yourself from them. Use multi-factor authentication on personal accounts. Use call-blocking filters such as the ScamShield  app. EnhancedScamShield is equipped with artificial intelligence and can identify and alert users to potential scam threats across WhatsApp, Telegram, and Weblinks. Don’ts Do not log in to personal accounts using unsecured public wifi. Do not click suspicious links from unknown and untrusted sources. Do not share personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and passwords. Do not accept friend requests from strangers. Do not answer calls from strangers. If you want to learn more about how you can protect yourself and others, check out MTC’s Digital Arts For Life Workshops for seniors here .

Written by Kanishka Selvakumar Social enterprises. Big word, right? Before diving into the challenges faced by social enterprises, let’s unpack the term. Social enterprises are essentially businesses with a primary purpose of achieving specific social objectives. They aim to address social or environmental problems while generating a financial return, which can be used to amplify their impact further. They differ from traditional businesses in that the maximization of profits isn’t the central goal. Examples of local and international social enterprises include Bettr Barista Coffee Academy , Dignity Kitchen , Grameen Bank , and Aravind Eye Care System . Like any business, social enterprises face unique challenges, including insufficient funding, establishing credibility, navigating complex regulatory environments, overcoming unsustainable practices and competition, and managing costs effectively. In this article, we will explore possible solutions to three such problems and spotlight successful Southeast Asian social enterprises as examples that have made efforts to overcome these obstacles.  Navigating Regulatory Environments A regulatory environment encompasses the framework of laws, regulations, and guidelines in place to oversee and guide industries, organizations, and social enterprises. It presents both opportunities and challenges for social enterprises. However, regulatory environments can be stringent and outdated at times, hindering innovation and creating barriers to progress. Furthermore, complex legal requirements for business registration can ultimately delay the launch of new social enterprises.  A classic strategy to tackle this challenge would be to make educational workshops and digital platforms accessible, especially for young, budding entrepreneurs. These can provide step-by-step guidance by incorporating checklists, video tutorials, and direct access to legal advisors. Importantly, these tailored guidance platforms can open up new mentorship opportunities, fostering connections with existing entrepreneurs. This way, entrepreneurs can connect with like-minded peers to expand their collaborative network. The Singapore Management University  stands out as a strong example of this strategy in practice. Their Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) offers targeted training in different areas for aspiring business students. Established in 2009, IIE offers research, innovation, and entrepreneurship training to students. Some examples include the Innovation Academy, Protégé Ventures, and Incubator programs. Their goal is to empower entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to market by providing valuable guidance and support. Beyond these programs, there are also other opportunities, both online and offline, for greater accessibility. Hence, providing educational workshops and platforms is a holistic approach to navigating regulatory environments.  Unsustainable Practices Although social enterprises are built to address social or environmental issues, they are not immune to challenges such as waste generation, carbon emissions, and resource management. Like traditional businesses, social enterprises can unintentionally contribute to environmental harm if the right solutions are not in place.  A robust approach to these issues is sustainable supply chain management through partnerships. In other words, social enterprises collaborate with green and sustainable organizations to upcycle their waste materials into valuable products. What more? This practice reduces long-term costs and appeals to increasingly eco-aware customers. In some cases, the products created can even be merchandised to generate revenue, which can then be used meaningfully to fuel existing initiatives of the social enterprise. To give a real-life example, the Biji Biji initiative  from Malaysia partnered with Publika Shopping Gallery to create festive lanterns from recycled materials. These lanterns were used for Chinese New Year celebrations in Publika Boulevard, Kuala Lumpur. To provide more background, Biji Biji is driven by the aim of sustainable development through technology and education. Beyond Bins, a program by Biji Biji, enables small-scale plastic recycling, thereby creating an additional source of income for marginalized communities. When it comes to mutually beneficial partnerships like these, everyone wins—beneficiaries, communities, consumers, and the planet—all while contributing to a shared vision.  Insufficient Funding One of the significant challenges faced by social enterprises is a lack of sufficient funding. As mentioned, social enterprises are required to balance their financial objectives with their social aims due to their distinctive business structure. Since they prioritize social causes over profit, they may struggle to maintain a sustainable source of income and fund their projects. This financial strain limits their ability to invest in new equipment, develop their products, expand their impact, or even cover day-to-day expenses.   Here is where an innovative funding strategy comes into play. These approaches include crowdfunding, working with angel investors, social impact bonds, and variable payment obligations. Fundamentally, these allow social enterprises to secure capital to meet basic costs as well as expand to achieve their social objectives. A prime real-world example of this strategy is the Aravind Eye Care Hospital , a hospital chain in India that provides affordable eye care treatment to people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. By showcasing its high-quality medical care, results, and social focus, the organization successfully attracted investors aligned with its social mission. This has empowered them to raise funds to continue supporting low-income patients through medical treatments.  In closing, social enterprises face challenges such as navigating regulatory environments, offsetting their unsustainable practices, and receiving insufficient funding. However, as always, every challenge has a solution if there is innovation.

What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to you? According to the United Nations , Corporate Social Responsibility is “a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders”. CSR, in its early years, mostly revolves around cheque-writing for charities or environmental efforts like tree-planting. But it has evolved over the years and expanded into more areas of impact and social innovation. While it is applaudable that more companies are putting more emphasis on addressing social issues and causes, it also increased pressure to “dress up CSR as a business discipline” (HBR, 2015). This made companies feel obligated to give back to society and carry out CSR in order to fulfill the pressure weighing on them. Not only did CSR evolve over the years, human behaviour did too. It is reported that the younger generations are more socially aware and driven to care for the environment and social causes. They engage in more philanthropic acts, which explains their preference for socially responsible companies. Based on a Randstad Workmonitor research , it shows that 3 in 4 singapore employees prefer to work for a company with a strong CSR programme. An OCBC Bank survey in 2019 also reported that some 72% of young people find it important to give back and help others. Millennials take up a large majority of the workforce and together with their mindset shift in social responsibility, companies are ramping up their CSR efforts in order to engage, hire and retain the young population. The obligation to perform and deliver results from their initiatives have distracted companies from the main motive of CSR, which is to align a company’s “doing good” projects with its business strategy and core values. “A thriving CSR program is one that’s closely tied to the culture of a company, as well as being in the letter of its policies and guidelines. Successful CSR can be felt in your products and services, your customer experience, your charitable activities, how your staff behave and the kind of people you hire.” says Lauren, a principal consultant for Qualtrics and we couldn't agree more with this statement. From Xerox to Patagonia, some of the big names are practicing what they preach in their CSR programmes and what’s a better way to grow from your CSR model than learning from their successful ones. Here are 3 companies doing Corporate Social Responsibility right: 1. Xerox The printing giant not only excels in its business, but also in its commitment to create a more sustainable world. In 2018, Xerox was named as One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the 12th consecutive times. They were also included in America’s most JUST companies for 2 years in a row. With such credentials, it is no doubt that Xerox places emphasis on its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. According to their 2019 CSR report, they mentioned that “Design for Sustainability” has always been one of their main focuses as they recognise the environmental, social, and economic effects caused by their products. Hence, they have invested heavily into Research and Development to design more sustainable products and to minimise the use of toxic materials. As part of their waste-free initiatives, they have developed “a comprehensive end-of-life product takeback system”, which identifies parts of the products that can be remanufactured, refurbished, reused, recycled and resold. This facilitates multiple product life cycles as their materials can be constantly utilised over and over again, reducing wastage contributed to the landfills. In addition to their own waste-free efforts, Xerox also participated in several European Union member state Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) programmes. They were able to divert 8,600 metric tons of equipment and parts-related waste from landfills to their U.S. Reverse Logistic Center for recycling. Due to their responsible e-waste and end-of-life management, Xerox managed to receive the U.S. EPA Sustainable Materials Management GOLD Award for the 3rd time in a row. This speaks volume about their accountability to the environment, which strongly resonates with one of their values that states “We behave responsibly as a corporate citizen”. This brings us back to our point where we mentioned that a company’s CSR projects have to be aligned with its business strategy and core values. Xerox has shown the world how an exemplary CSR initiative should be carried out. 2. Levi's This company made denim jeans an ubiquitous piece of clothing and they are on their way to make water conservation an ubiquitous process in the manufacturing industry as well. Many organisations work towards treating the problem caused by their products as part of their CSR initiatives, but Levi’s believes in prevention. In 2007, they started researching and assessing their products’ impact on the environment so that they were able to create a more sustainable method in their manufacturing process. They started their analysis with their most iconic pair of Levi’s 501 jeans. Working with third-party organisations, Levi’s found out that more than 3000 liters of water were used during the full product cycle of one pair of jeans — from cotton in the ground, washing of jeans, to the eventual disposal of the product. Levi’s has always prided themselves in taking the "profits through principles" approach but their current method of creating jeans does not sit well with their mission statement. Hence, they set themselves the task to create the same pair of iconic jeans but with lesser water. This task was then transformed into their Water<Less initiative. Investing their time and efforts into their Research and Development sector, their designers managed to come up with 20 innovative techniques to use less water in the production of their jeans. One example was to tumble golf balls and bottle caps to achieve their soft felt jeans, in replacement of using fabric softener with water. Both methods achieve the same effect but the former one uses less water. Once their techniques were proven effective, they began implementing the Water<Less process into their design and manufacturing pipeline. They were able to reduce up to 96% of the water normally used in denim finishing, saving 3 billion liters of water and recycling more than 1.5 billion liters of water. By 2019, 69% of their bottoms were made with the Water<Less techniques. They even open sourced their innovation to other manufacturing companies so that all of them can work towards reducing water wastage. Levi’s efforts to conserve water is truly admirable as they were committed to identifying the underlying environmental effects caused by their manufacturing processes and rectifying it. This is closely tied with their mission and vision statements which embodies a model example of a CSR initiative. 3. Patagonia The outdoor clothing and gear company is no stranger to us especially when they made headlines in 2017 for suing the United States government and President Donald Trump after they have proposed to reduce two national monuments by 85%. As an environmental activist, Patagonia has always been vocal and transparent about their beliefs. Apart from integrating sustainability into their clothing, they have contributed heavily to environmental causes in terms of corporate philanthropy. For more than 30 years, the socially responsible company has been donating 1% of their annual sales to charities and grassroot organisations. According to CSR central, it mentioned that Patagonia views these contributions as “one of their standard costs of doing business and something that is as much a core element of Patagonia as selling shirts and jackets”. While the other 2 companies mentioned above strive to protect the environment with preventative and treatment methods, Patagonia leads the pack by engaging and deploying like-minded activists to champion issues in the areas of lands, water, climate, communities, and biodiversity. They have given over $100 million to grantees since 1985 so that they can come together to take actions on environmental issues. Instead of an individualistic approach, this outdoor company believes in a collective effort to bring about change. Patagonia has also ventured into new business models to better realise their values and beliefs. They became one of the first California companies to register as a B Corporation in 2012. This gives them the freedom to pursue more environmental activism without the legal requirement of delivering maximum returns to their shareholders. From their clothing to their CSR projects, their mission statement “We’re in business to save our home planet” is constantly at the back of their minds and their actions serve as a representation to that very statement they made. Similar to Patagonia, Make The Change is also a B Corp certified business in Singapore. This certification allows us to continuously measure and improve our accountability and responsibility to our people, our clients, and our planet. It also serves as a constant reminder that the impact we make has to be related to our tagline “Empowering and Transforming Communities Through Design”. In conclusion, a successful CSR is one that is aligned to the company’s values and business strategy. It is easy to tell others what your company believes in, but to fulfill that belief requires commitment and responsibility. Time and money have to be invested into curating a CSR initiative that is answerable to the company’s values. This is why many businesses opt for a more effortless alternative instead, which include one-off volunteering work or donations. BUT Make The Change can help you venture into sustainable CSR projects that are interlinked to your company’s principles. Leveraging on our network and experience, we will brainstorm and co-create CSR initiatives with you to create long term social and environmental impacts. If you are looking to create real change like the big 3 companies mentioned above, drop us a message at info@makethechange.sg, we would love to work with you.

Last weekend, we had the privilege of being a part of NTU SSC 2025 Networking Day  held at NTU's North Spine Plaza. It was a dynamic and purpose-driven gathering of industry professionals, student changemakers – to inspire and empower youth to create positive social impact. Our Contribution As part of the event, Make The Change  led a Masterclass on Effective Presentation . Our Community Engagement & Partnerships Senior Executive, Ms Nabilah Tai , guided students through a 60-minute interactive session focused on strengthening their presentation skills – a crucial asset for anyone championing a cause or pitching a policy. From structuring content to confident delivery, the workshop equipped participants with the tools they need to speak up for the change they wish to see. Later in the day, our Co-founder and Community and Impact Director, Mr Pedro Aguirre , joined a fireside chat  alongside esteemed industry leaders. He shared insights on driving social innovation and staying grounded in purpose. It was heartening to witness the thoughtful questions from students who were curious not just about careers, but about contributing meaningfully to society. Why This Matters – Inspiring the Changemaker Mindset What stood out most was the energy – the kind that signals a shift. These young individuals weren’t just passive attendees; they were eager listeners and critical thinkers. At Make The Change, we believe that social innovation begins with empowerment. Continuing the Movement Events like this reaffirm our mission. They remind us that when youth are given knowledge, skills, and encouragement, they rise to the occasion. That’s why we remain committed to co-creating learning experiences that blend creativity, civic engagement, and real-world impact. Whether it’s through workshops, mentoring, or collaborative projects, we’ll continue to champion youth-led change – because the future belongs to those who dare to imagine a better one, and act on it. To all the students we met, thank you for your enthusiasm. To the AISEC organising committee, thank you for pulling it all together. Here’s to more meaningful collaborations ahead!

Written by Kanishka Selvakumar What if the key to solving most societal problems isn’t just plain old problem-solving but empathy? No, we’re not talking about the future but the present. Problem-solving through design thinking is becoming increasingly prominent and is likely to lead to revolutionary changes in the future.  Design thinking is a user-centred problem-solving approach grounded in empathy, which seeks to understand and meet the needs of customers to develop creative solutions. Curious to find out more? Learn about the 5 phases of design thinking here. In this article, we spotlight three success stories of how Singaporeans have applied design thinking to devise innovative solutions to address day-to-day problems related to wellbeing.  Bus Stop Replicas help Patients with Dementia You may have read about a bus shelter that has appeared in the dementia ward of Yishun Community Hospital  (YCH). The identified problem was that the patients with cognitive impairments often became disoriented and expressed a strong desire to go home. Thus it was difficult for the hospital staff to control their behaviour.  Grounded by creativity, Ms Julia Lau (senior staff nurse at YCH) and her team decided to work with Shincon Industrial and the Land Transport Authority to install a customised bus stop in the dementia ward. How does the solution work? It distracts patients with the desire to go home by prompting them to look for a way home. The bus stop also plays a role in validation and reminiscence therapy, sparking natural conversations between healthcare staff and patients and triggering memories of past routines. This initiative is undoubtedly an excellent example of design thinking in action. By deeply understanding the emotional needs of dementia patients, Ms Lau and her team were able to innovate and improve their solution to support the needs of both patients and caregivers alike. Princess Elizabeth Primary School Students Foster Inclusivity If you have been reading our past articles, you would have understood that design thinking is not only used in solutions that “transform the world” but also in solutions in smaller contexts, such as schools and workplaces. In fact, it has been used by students from Princess Elizabeth Primary School to address a societal concern close to their hearts. A group of Primary 5 and 6 student leaders were required to work with patients from St. Luke’s Hospital . In the “ Empathise ” phase of design thinking, students interviewed patients to gain a deeper understanding of their user experience surrounding physiotherapy. In the “ Define ” phase, they identified the problem as patients being unmotivated to attend physiotherapy sessions. In the “ Ideate ” phase, they decided to turn physiotherapy exercises into tactile games, which were popular among the patients. In the “ Prototype ” and “ Test ” phases, the students created interactive games using the resources available to them. It is notable that they didn’t stop there but also solicited feedback from the staff at St. Luke’s to refine their solutions. Ideally, the patients enjoyed playing the games while undergoing physiotherapy. Through their design thinking experience, the students sparked change in the lives of the patients and developed a practical understanding of the innovation tool.  My Animal Buddy Programme by the Singapore Zoo  Now, this is a problem that kids have faced for a long time. They want pets, but their parents don’t. However, parents agree that having a pet is suitable for their child’s development. To address this specific issue, Mandai Park Holdings established the My Animal Buddy Programme.  Using the “Empathise” phase of the design thinking process, the team began by gathering insights into parental concerns from social platforms such as KiasuParents and Singapore Motherhood , as well as through interviews and observations. During this phase, Belina Lee, who heads the Group Strategy & Innovation Division, and her team made a significant discovery. In reality, parents are more concerned about their children’s development, not very much aligned with the aim of valuing and conserving wildlife. They used this insight to frame the correct problem statement. “The difference with design thinking is having deep empathy for the guest right at the start of any problem-solving” The insightful problem statement led to the concept of My Animal Buddy, which is a free-to-subscribe programme. To explain simply, children can befriend one of the zoo animals and interact with it from home through online messages, videos, articles and more. This initiative served as a stepping stone to achieving the goal of providing more opportunities for children to interact with animals. Hope you’ve gained some inspiration from reading these stories, which have taken place close to home. These serve as a reminder that anyone can use design thinking, regardless of age or profession, to catalyse positive change. This change is not only possible but already underway. So what are you waiting for? Start your personal design thinking journey now. References: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/design-is-not-just-a-job-its-a-way-of-thinking-lawrence-wong   https://designeducationsummit.sg/past-summits/design-education-summit-2021/social-change.html   https://www.straitstimes.com/life/whats-a-bus-shelter-doing-in-a-dementia-ward-in-singapore   https://www.mandai.com/en/about-mandai/media-centre/jurong-bird-park-sets-up-retirement-home-for-senior-birds1.html   https://designsingapore.org/stories/how-the-singapore-zoo-is-using-design-thinking/

In June, we conducted an engaging and transformative workshop focused on voice projection, an essential skill for effective communication. This workshop aimed to equip participants with the tools needed to project their voices confidently and clearly in any setting. Skill Development Breathwork To lay a solid foundation for voice projection, we began with breathwork. Participants learned the technique of diaphragmatic breathing, which is crucial for controlling and sustaining one's voice. This hands-on activity allowed everyone to practice and internalize the skill. Clear Communication Clear communication is key to effective voice projection. We introduced various vocal warm-up exercises to enhance this skill, including: Facial muscle exercises: To relax and activate the muscles involved in speech. Vowel activity: To improve clarity and articulation. Tongue twisters: To enhance diction and agility. Deliberate Pausing Understanding the power of pauses in speech can significantly impact how a message is received. We explored different types of pauses and their uses: Sentence pause : To give the audience a moment to absorb information. Paragraph pause: To signal a transition or new idea. Rhetorical question pause: To engage the audience and provoke thought. Participants had the opportunity to practice these pauses in various speaking scenarios, reinforcing their learning through practical application. Conclusion The workshop was a resounding success, with participants leaving equipped with valuable voice projection techniques. These skills are not only beneficial for public speaking but also enhance everyday communication. We look forward to seeing how these new abilities will empower our participants in their personal and professional lives.

With International Women's Day 2021 coming up on March 8, let us take the opportunity to highlight and acknowledge the accomplishments of 3 female Social Entrepreneurs in Singapore who have made significant contributions to the community. 1. Michelle Lim First and foremost, we have very very own awesome Michelle Lim, who's the Founder and CEO of both the reputable Chatsworth Medi@rt Academy’s M.A.D. School and the Social Enterprise which is also a Certified B Corporation, Make The Change . Michelle was born and raised in Johor, Malaysia. Coming from a humble family background, Michelle's parents who were charcoal wholesalers encouraged her to work and study hard, otherwise she would have to endure a tough life like they did. Michelle came to Singapore to study Economics at the Singapore Institute of Management, where she excelled in her studies and was able to land a cushy job as a trader at a top investment firm in Singapore. However, by her second day on the job, Michelle had pretty much decided that this career was not the life for her, and she left to pursue better career opportunities which were more suitable. Eventually, in 2003, Michelle started Chatsworth Medi@rt Academy’s M. A.D. (Marketing, Advertising & Design) School , and dedicated herself to equipping students with real-world working experience and skills that meet current market demands. She hoped that by doing so, fewer graduates would face a mismatch in their careers like she did. At M.A.D. School, industry players curate the syllabus, and students are taught only by current practitioners in the field so as to provide them with a realistic view of their future. This strategy appears to be effective. M.A.D. School is considered one of Singapore’s more avantgarde design institutions. Its students have bagged awards in the creative and design field, from Crowbars to Yellow Pencil accolades. In late 2012, she initiated Make The Change - a social enterprise that engaging design students and gurus to help NGOs in creative execution for campaign or fundraising. In short 3 years, her MTC has helped 58 organisations in various type of marketing campaigns and design execution, 40 skilled-designers and directors were activated for pro-bono services. As a self proclaimed CEO: Chief Everything Officer, Michelle continues to lead the M.A.D. and MTC family by example, strive in her personal mission to "Be the salt and the light of the world", and continue to leave a lasting impact in the community. 2. Elim Chew Next, we have the venerable Elim Chew, Founder of Singapore's most popular and successful streetwear retail chain in the 90s and early 2000s, 77th Street . While the 77th Street stores are no longer around these days, it appears that nothing can keep Elim's entrepreneurial spirit and zest for a challenge down. Despite knowing nothing about food and how to run an F&B business, she took a leap of faith and started I’m Kim Korean BBQ with the guidance of a Korean Chef. After the success of her first F&B store, Elim never looked back and that led to the birth of I'm Kim Korean BBQ and Shabu Shabu , Goro Goro Steamboat and Korean Buffet , and Captain Kim Korean BBQ and Hotpot. There is also a move into disruptive technology with Mr Adrian Ng from app development company Codigo, in the form of FastFast , an application which is the courier service equivalent of Uber. A Social Enterprise champion, Elim hopes that FastFast, which has 1,000 drivers in its stable and another 1,000 on its waiting list, will give the retrenched, the retired and those who cannot make ends meet a chance to earn some extra income. Elim also started ElimChewTV , her own YouTube channel in which she interviews men and women who are making a positive impact on society through the work they do. Through social media and other initiatives, she hopes to start a chain reaction of change, connecting these changemakers with those who can help them, those who will be inspired by them as well as those who will benefit from their efforts. Elim started her foray into entrepreneurship with the retail chain known as 77th Street in 1988 when she got the idea for the business. Before that, she had studied at a hairdressing school in the UK, and later returned home to work as a hair stylist in Singapore where she even opened her own establishment, Elim Emmanuel Hair Beauty and Training Centre. She later sold it to focus on the 77th Street business. Elim and her team were able to grow the business and take it to greater heights. At its peak, they had 16 stores around Singapore, and even had a 77th Street Plaza in a shopping mall in Beijing, China. The road to success wasn’t smooth, however. This time, they were disrupted by the rising price of rental, the lack of manpower, and e-commerce. Eventually, due to all of those factors, Elim had to reluctantly close all of her 77th Street stores and leave the China market. Her next venture with her siblings was into the F&B business, which turned out to be a wise decision and is working pretty well after all. Elim is very involved in philanthropy. It is, as she says, her "burden", a word she uses a lot. She has a fundamental wish to impact and change lives. According to her, only when she does something to help is her burden able to be lifted. She also has a particularly soft spot for young people and has launched many initiatives to teach the young life skills, hone their entrepreneurial instincts and develop creativity. A former director on the board of *Scape, a hangout for youth, Elim has launched two editions of My Voice (2004 and 2006) featuring the experiences of young people, written by youth from all walks of life. Proceeds went to various youth development programmes. A Forbes Philanthropy Hero 2010, she also helped to found PaTH (Pop and Talent Hub) at VivoCity, a space for individuals from marginalised groups to sell arts and handicrafts, as well as SIP (Social Innovation Park), an incubator for social enterprises. Elim is also well known for giving generously to City Harvest Church, which she has attended for more than 20 years. To her, "Every country has its issues, its doers and the rich who can fund. I believe everyone can be a changemaker." 3. Hazel Kweh Finally, we have Hazel Kweh, Founder of BloomBack , a Social Enterprise which has distributed repurposed flowers to patients at Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society , National Centre for Infectious Diseases , and Banyan Home@Pelangi Village , among other NGOs. BloomBack, which was started in 2017, uses beautifully preserved flowers in the crafting of gifts such as glass domes, jewellery boxes, and bag charms. By training and employing those from marginalised communities, including single mothers and persons with disabilities, and restoring their confidence and emotional well-being, Hazel hopes to help them feel more empowered. When Coronavirus pandemic devastated the world, her company initiated a Bloom It Forward movement, whereby customers donated preserved flower buckets and rose soaps to more than 300 frontline healthcare workers, to cheer them up and encourage them to not give up. Before starting BloomBack, Hazel was working as a highly successful Financial Adviser, and rapidly rising through the ranks after achieving the industry’s most coveted Million Dollar Round Table membership. However, she felt incomplete as she spent so much time and focus on building her career that ended up drifting apart from her family. Hazel’s drive for success stemmed from growing up under challenging circumstances and in a dysfunctional family. Her mother not only had to provide for three young children but also pay off debts left by her father. To make ends meets, her mother took on multiple jobs, including helping out at a hawker stall and a provision shop. Hazel’s elder sister, Faith, who struggled with hearing and partial visual impairment and couldn’t find a job due to her disabilities, suffered from depression . To escape the difficulties at home, her elder brother, Alan, got into bad company and was arrested for substance abuse. It affected her ability to trust people and to show them love without reservation. She thought that wealth would make her happy but she became a workaholic and suffered burnout instead. The turning point and BloomBack's genesis came when Hazel and her sister attended a friend’s wedding, after which they repurposed flowers from the event into bouquets and gifted them to the lonely and needy elderly. The happy faces of the recipients made the siblings realise, despite their own difficulties, that they could help make a difference in others’ lives. In Hazel's own words: “Running BloomBack made me stronger and trained my patience. It’s essential to work on what’s inside of me before I can take on bigger things in life. That’s why my favourite flower is the wildflower — it isn’t deliberately seeded but simply grows in the wild — because it symbolises resilience amid rest. And that reflects my attitude these days.”

Make The Change is excited and happy to share that we have been recognised as one of the Best for the World™ B Corps of 2022! To be BestForTheWorld, B Corps must have scores in the top 5% of one or more of the five impact areas assessed towards the certification. At Make The Change, we have been recognised for our efforts in providing inclusive and equitable quality education, promoting inclusive hiring and gainful employment, reducing inequality, offering pro bono services, achieving net zero, among a few others. As all BCorps are already businesses that meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose, this is a recognition that makes us incredibly proud! Even though this is our 3rd year receiving the certification, we are still just getting started! We will continue collaborating with the global BCorp community to improve and positively impact all our stakeholders. Check out the full BFTW2022 lists on bcorporation.net/best-for-the-world

The Youth For Change   (YFC) program, powered by the National Youth Council (NYC) , successfully wrapped up its latest edition, leaving a lasting impact on young changemakers. Over the course of the program, participants gained invaluable skills in critical thinking, project management, and collaboration , while working on real-world community initiatives. Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders At its core, YFC is more than just a youth program—it is a launchpad for action . Participants engaged in hands-on learning, guided by experienced mentors who provided structured training in leadership, problem-solving, and social impact strategies. Beyond the Showcase: Inspiring Long-Term Impact One of the highlights of the program was the Final Showcase , where participants presented their projects and shared their journey with an audience of peers, industry professionals, and community leaders. However, the impact of YFC went beyond the showcase, inspiring more youths to explore opportunities and collaboration to sustain their initiatives. Building a Stronger Youth Community Through YFC, we saw the power of collaboration, with participants forming lasting connections, turning ideas into action, and creating tangible impact in their communities. The enthusiasm displayed by the youths reinforced the importance of sustained engagement, and we are excited to further scale these initiatives. As we celebrate the success of this cycle, we are already looking ahead to welcoming the next batch of passionate youth. We are committed to refining the program further, expanding outreach efforts, and bringing in even more opportunities for young changemakers to thrive. If you are eager to drive social change, develop essential skills, and be part of a vibrant, impact-driven community, keep an eye out for our next call for applications! 🚀 Check out what happened!

Learning with iPad Workshop at Qihua Primary School As part of Make the Change’s Learning with iPad initiative, we had the opportunity to visit Qihua Primary School  and host a hands-on workshop to help teachers maximize the potential of iPads in their classrooms. Our goal was to empower teachers with the confidence to use the iPad to enhance learning, create content with Apple apps, and demonstrate effective technology use to their students. We believe the iPad is an important tool for supporting all-round student development and promoting inclusive learning. The workshop covered essential functions, including photo annotation , the use of Apple TV , and Augmented Reality (AR) . Workshop Overview The teachers who joined the workshop shared their variety of motivations, including using the iPad for subjects like Science and Math, and improving how students use their Personal Learning Devices. To start, we walked the teachers through the iPad’s basic functions — navigating the home screen, organizing apps, and adjusting settings. This gave all participants a solid foundation to build upon, even if they had not used the iPad before. Next, we introduced tools that would help teachers create interactive, engaging lessons. We demonstrated how to annotate photos and PDFs directly on the iPad, enabling teachers to mark up images and highlight key concepts. We also explored the iPad’s speech-to-text feature , which can be particularly helpful for students with reading difficulties or those learning new concepts. Finally, we introduced Augmented Reality (AR) , a tool that overlays digital content onto the real world through the iPad’s camera. The teachers were excited to explore how AR could be used to bring lessons to life. One teacher, for example, suggested using AR to demonstrate the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly! It was inspiring to see the teachers’ enthusiasm as they began experimenting with the iPad. By the end of the session, they were eager to integrate these new tools into their classrooms. As a team, we were thrilled to be able to help them gain the skills to transform their teaching and inspire their students with technology. Are you looking for similar workshops for your colleagues? Let us know here !

We’re proud to launch Life Skills for the Future , a future-ready education programme designed to equip secondary school students with essential life skills to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. In an era shaped by rapid technological change, AI, climate challenges, and global shifts, academic knowledge alone is not enough. Students need critical life skills like future thinking, digital literacy, financial literacy, systems thinking, resilience, and leadership for social impact . Life Skills for the Future is a workshop specially designed for Secondary School students. Through interactive sessions, real-world challenges, and design thinking activities, students will develop: Adaptability and future-readiness Digital and AI literacy for the 21st century Financial literacy and personal finance skills Problem-solving and systems thinking Leadership, social responsibility, and changemaker mindset Career planning and life design based on Stanford’s Life Design Lab framework This hands-on programme helps students build confidence, prepare for post-secondary education, and develop the skills they need for career success and meaningful impact in their communities. 👉 We can bring the programme to any Secondary School, contact us if you are interested to learn more!

We proudly announce that Make The Change is now part of the Apple Consultants Network . The Apple Consultants Network consists of independent technology service providers specializing in Apple solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Apple Consultants can help businesses identify the best Apple technology for their needs and set up and support their IT solutions. Make The Change is focusing on helping schools to bring Apple Technologies into the classrooms. You can visit iPad For Learning to get started. #apple #Appleconsultantnetwork #edtech #education