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Anddd Design For Good is back from Phnom Penh! Other than the great weather and fun Tuk Tuk rides, here are our top 5 things that we would like to share from our travel journal :) 1. Skilled Volunteerism One of our primary goals this trip was to learn more about skilled volunteerism, and how we can connect the right people to the right place, at the right time. Besides a willing heart, a pair of skillful hands speak volumes on how we can add value into the lives of others. Help given in an accurate and timely fashion is akin to an iced glass of fresh water drank under the scorching desert-hot sun. For our Krafters, there is ample space for skilled volunteerism to take place. One of them is product design to put their braiding, sewing and wood crafting skills into good use. Other than that, skills in their other local budding enterprises like landscaping and cooking are great. 2. A community of hosts SMILE Village has been a great community of hosts welcoming students from OCIP and YEP programs. A great learning experience, students are in for a fruitful endeavour as they exchange their understanding and knowledge with the residents. In turn, they get to see how changing contexts and environments demand for different factors and needs to be met. Education is never meant to be confined within the walls of an institution. As the future of work is morphing indefinitely, surely the way we shape our thinking to learn, unlearn and relearn has to go further as well. 3. The dangers of “Ecotourism” We also noted on some of the potential dangers and cons that “ecotourism” might bring. A loosely defined term, ecotourism can bring in more harm than benefits for local communities. A lack of in-depth understanding might send off the wrong message and a mismatch of ideas and resources. For example, the practice of guests is of paramount importance. What is their mindset prior coming for the trip? Sometimes it seems like us city people have everything- but do we really? If we have so much to offer those who don’t live the way we do, then what do we have to offer that they don’t already have? On the state level, many policy makers warn against a superficial giving of foreign aid without sustainable planning. On the individual level, the art of giving propels us to delve in deeper, and challenge ourselves to offer something more that births value and meaning for days to come. 4. Storytelling for SMILE Another one of our biggest takeaways was also a deeper understanding and update of how our Krafters are doing at SMILE Village. Armed with a hearing heart, helpful translators and a bunch of equipment, we set off to capture more creative assets for us to tell their stories through their lenses. Similar to our previous trip, we got a couple of good shots and clips this trip, and the conversations we had with our Krafters and the team at SMILE have realigned our perspectives and grit for the coming seasons. 5. Gratitude Last but not the least, we took this chance to show our appreciation for our Krafters as well. It is not an easy task to discuss and check on ideas consistently for the past six months, and we often had to spend time clarifying the orders of our customers, details and product codes to facilitate a successful delivery. Everyone knows that Rome is not built in a day, and we are truly thankful for the team’s patience and grace shown to us all these while. Moving forward, we see ourselves reaching out to new markets to open up new learning opportunities for our Krafters to turn the skills they have into sustainable businesses of their own. It is a tough calling to remove poverty from the heart, mind and hands, but there is so much potential to change lives, mindsets and hearts for the better, together.

It's the start of the New Year and Design For Good is making a trip to Phnom Penh again! Since our last trip in May 2017, our team has been working closely with the Krafters in Cambodia in the choice of materials, product development cycle, logistics and delivery procedures while keeping each other in sync with the bigger picture (eg. feedback from customers, event exposure). We are thankful for growth in so many ways. For one, we have a more streamlined process in the sending and receiving of orders, with a more precise colour chart to reduce chances of miscommunication. Moving forward, we are looking at how our whole team can grow further in tandem with SMILE Village's plans in the future. Aligning ourselves with their ABCD (assets-based-community-development) model, we seek first to understand what are the strengths, skills and talents of the community before looking for ways to develop them into sustainable businesses. Not only are we looking forward to seeing our Krafters again, we also want to show our appreciation for their hard work invested in so far :')

The general sensing of 2018 flickers a warm touch for those of us at Make The Change. At the beginning of every new year, #newyeargoals help us to reflect on our past year and refresh our perspectives for the next. Seeing how we always had 3 main pillars of impact, there is little surprise that we would come up with 3 resolutions for the new year ;) In the shortest and sweetest sense, 2018 is about growing wisely. Here comes our 3 New Year resolutions: 1. Use what we know to lift others up Creative Services Stepping into our fifth year, Make The Change has been narrowing the gap in the social service sector through the provision of creative services. More often than not, many amazing social services organisations regretfully sell themselves short in communicating their vision, services and why they do what they do. Sometimes a simple, minimalistic brochure or a succinct 30-second video can reflect the gold of the changemaker. Be it an appreciation of a group of dedicated volunteers or the creative documentation of an annual event, creative services help to sharpen the sword so that the social service sector can fight better, from victory ground. Not only is branding crucial to the sustainable growth and advocacy of these fighters, they help to strengthen their competitiveness in the marketplace as well. Many of these organisations have very lean teams, and they often require advice from a seasoned designer’s perspective to generate value for financial and social sustainability. That’s the gap that MTC envisioned ourselves to fill, and we aspire to reach out to more social service organisations in 2018. Sieving out the gold of our clients with storytelling, we will also multiply our impact with the MTC Give Back Programme, where we provide creative service packages for free. 2. Spend quality time with our changemaker community Community Development The MTC team has always been thankful for the opportunities and platforms given for us to grow. Last year witnessed robust development as we took on more projects, workshops, programmes and courses for schools and social service organisations. In addition, talks were peppered throughout the year to gather passionate minds, challenge the status quo and inspire change. Maintaining a few of our existing collaborations, we want to spend some quality time with our friends who have supported us all these while. Bringing our family forward together, we will be taking on a few more projects in 2018 with the plan of building an eventual, sustainable ecosystem for good. 3. Be the bridge connecting social service organisations to the marketplace Corporate Social Responsibility The traditional lines separating business, government and the civil society have been smudging over the years, and more are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of partnerships and cross-sectoral collaboration. Social enterprises land on this exciting space; there is so much potential when we connect the right people to the right place at the right time. In 2018, we see ourselves as a bridge to bring the social service sector closer to the marketplace. Be it through our DFG marketplace, where we function as a business solution to develop quality products and services for social service organisations, or our CSR (corporate social responsibility) projects that aspire to create an MTC chapter in every corporate setting, we see so much potential in connecting and facilitating these conversations. All in all, our new year resolutions resonate with growing wisely. We are excited to see how our year will unfold as we continue to use what is in our hands to help others, celebrate our community and reach out to new partners.

Rolling into the first few weeks of 2018, those of us at DFG sat down to take a look at how 2017 has been for us. 2017 has truly been an amazing and special year for Design For Good. Kickstarting our marketplace in May, we came a long way in showcasing what collaboration looks like between artists, designers and communities-in-need. Starting from scratch, we experienced many humbling breakthroughs and incredible growth spurts. Here are our 7 most precious: 1. We built relationships People matter the most to us. Throughout the year, we have had the opportunity to work with the passionate team of Solutions To End Poverty (STEP) to understand the context of SMILE Village in Phnom Penh. A well thought-out venture, community-mapping was one of the primary tools used to design their living space, meeting the needs of each household. During our trip there, the DFG team also got the chance to meet up with the friendly Krafters and see how we can leverage on their skills in sewing, rug-braiding and wood-crafting to create a sustainable business model. Following that, we maintained close contact with the team in Phnom Penh to further develop products and ideas from Singapore while sharing information, challenges, improvements and updates with each other regularly. 2. We told our story After knowing more about them, we used the captured footage from the trip to draft out their story. We thought about how DFG can play a role in lifting them up. Exploring different channels and strategies, we tried out several channels to get the Krafters’ story out. We filmed videos, each focusing on differing aspects such as the rug-making process, life in SMILE Village and aspirations behind the Krafters’ perseverance. One challenge we had was the translation from Khmer to English, as we sought help to express the Krafters’ feelings in the most accurate way possible. Setting up our website, www.designforgood.sg, the DFG team went on further to design the user interface that best displays the Krafters’ products and profiles. Consistent is key in storytelling, so we make it a point to post regularly on our blog, Instagram and Facebook for engagement as well. 3. We developed product ideas Product ideation was one of the most precious journeys to us. Be it the shade of colour on the rug or the sourcing of raw materials in the local Cambodian market, there are many details to note, experiment and discuss on. As our rugs are mostly made from the excess fabrics in manufacturing factories, the texture, material and colour of the fabrics are usually predetermined. The Krafters accepted the challenge to use what they can find to produce quality rugs and coasters. The product cycle doesn’t just end here. We followed up with our customers after their purchase to find out about their user experiences. Was the material and size good for everyday use? Would tote bag users find the length of the straps comfortable? From there, we noted on several details to improve on our next batch of products. For one, our newest tote bags feature pockets on the front, an additional feature included after getting sentiments from the ground. Of course, it is important for us to take the time to check on the responses that are less than positive. Once, a laptop sleeve had a faulty zip even before our customer used it. We sincerely apologised for our negligence and provided a 1-for-1 item exchange for the customer. This incident has reminded the team to be (1) mindful of the product checking and (2) facilitate prompt and accountable responses for our customers. 4. We explored packaging options Packaging design has been yet another major breakthrough for us as well. It is no easy task to look for packaging that (1) creates little waste, (2) has a style complementary to our brand and (3) is within our shoestring budget at the same time. Due to our relatively diverse range of products in our first collection (think wooden handphone stands and huge, 80cm-wide circular rugs), we sought to have a consistent label that represented Design For Good. Recycling the commonplace charkwayteow wrapping paper, we printed our product description and included a tag of the Krafters’ story. To us, the final packaging was crucial as it embedded our appreciation for the customer who believed in DFG’s model for sustainable good. Especially during Christmas, we included a free gift card for customers to write in their notes for their loved ones. 5. We held booths Externally, the Design For Good team has also been actively setting up booths at shopping malls and schools to showcase our products and story. In the 7 months since our inception, we have set up a total of 9 booths across Singapore. It heartens our hearts to receive encouraging words from people who saw the gold in what we do. Moreover, it is also humbling to see how we are part of a larger community that is striving to rise by lifting others up as well. Furthermore, DFG also started her first showroom to invite and welcome people to stand with us. The room is designed with a few main highlights, with one of them being a simple showcase of the Krafters’ rug design improving in colour combinations, material choice and braiding skills as the months go by. Often, we would let our Krafters know of the feedback and support that we have been getting to encourage them in their own journey. 6. We shared on why we do what we do Other than booths, we have also been involved in events for publicity as well. Ultimately, Design For Good is purposed to be a business solution to help alleviate poverty in the mind, heart and hands. By helping to leverage on the talents and skills that communities-in-need have, we can celebrate all abilities and grow them into sustainable businesses of their own. More often than not, these changes start from a simple mindset change. By choosing to sieve out the gold in every situation, using frameworks such as the asset-based community development model, social businesses can have their niche and competitive advantage in the marketplace too. Moving forward, we would love to work with other social service organisations who are looking to transforming receivers into givers. 7. We made new friends Last but not the least, we have made many new friends within the short time frame. The DFG team is truly thankful to have met several individuals who have supported us in ways more than one. Be it volunteering or helping us to advocate our cause, our friends have been a pillar of strength for us this season. We look forward to walking the journey together with them in 2018, and we are excited to new doors, roads, rivers and ways that will open for us in the new year. :)

Eight months into our journey with the Krafters’, Design For Good (DFG) has been constantly looking for better ways to understand the ground, improve and strengthen the collaboration. Seeing how the Krafters is developing their existing skills into sustainable businesses, the DFG team in Singapore is heartened to strive on further in the future. Moving forward, our marketplace is looking to welcome more local partners on board to expand on our capacity to design, for good. Showcasing how collaboration can be meaningful between artists, designers and communities-in-need, our heart has always been to alleviate poverty in three areas: the heart, mind and hands. Transforming the receiver into the giver, here are 3 things communities-in-need can expect when they work with us: 1. Community of passionate designers Leveraging on Make The Change (MTC)’s existing network of industry practitioners, students, volunteers and lecturers in the design industry, our DFG partner can receive valuable insights on storytelling, marketing and product visuals. What are the existing talents of the beneficiary? What raises the perceived value of his/her product? Where can we improve on product quality for the end user? How can we best tell the story in the most impactful, respectful and meaningful way? These are the challenges that our DFG community want to take on, to help social service organisations such as charities add a competitive edge to their products in the marketplace. 2. Commitment to grow together Design for Good is designed with a purpose. Both financial and social goals are embedded into our short and long term plans, and we are committed to grow with our partners throughout the journey. As we all know, growth usually happens outside the comfort zone and we are constantly preparing ourselves to go beyond the parameters for change. By putting our heads and hearts together, we work on facilitating opportunities to bring the people we know, the ideas we are inspired by and the passion within us to encourage our partners to continue fighting the good fight. 3. Transparency and accountability In most, if not all cases, trust is the lifeblood of an organisation or partnership. On a business-to-business (b2b) level, Design For Good helps to craft out effective business solutions for communities-in-need. Believing that we exist to exit, we look forward to seeing our partners stepping up to own the entire project at the end of the day. It is then when we can exit to help other organisations with their problems. With a transparent profit-sharing model, we are accountable to nurture and develop ideas in the initial and executional stages, and strive to see the project bloom in sustainability. One by one, we can connect and bridge existing projects in the social service sector together to foster an ecosystem to design, for good.

Since its inception earlier this May, Design For Good (DFG) has been intensively improvising on its first collection with the Krafters’. An exciting and ambitious venture, the Krafters’ feature a group of 20 Smile Village residents who used to be slum-dwellers who scavenged litter for a living. Coming in as a platform, Design For Good strives to help them develop existing skills into sustainable businesses of their own. Here are 3 key insights we’ve learnt in our journey of ideating, designing, sourcing and experimenting to develop the extensive product range that we have today. Listen to your community-in-need DFG exists to transform the receivers into givers. As our focus is set on helping these individuals to grow their skills into sustainable businesses, it is natural for us to prioritise their needs, skills and context into the process of product development. Throughout these 7 months, our team went to understand the Krafters’ story, talents, skills and lifestyle. The machines that they use, the marketplaces where they bought the raw materials and their typical day at work matter in the process of developing products that they are able and willing to make. A few of our products were first ideated by the Krafters themselves, like the powerhouse weekday totes. While we were at the village, we suggested producing the thick totes together with the thinner versions that have been popular with students in Singapore. Listen to your customer This can never get over-emphasised. The art of listening is arguably the most crucial in understanding how your product will fit into the market. With numerous brands fighting against shortening attention spans, a great product will find its way to be an integral part of people’s lives. For us, the rugs featured in our Christmas collection were weaved thinner and larger after feedback from our loyal supporters. What are some of the existing gaps or sentiments in the market? How is the consumer behaviour like? What are the things that our products can better than everyone else? When does the user experience begin and end? Other than the planning, we also keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to receive feedback from our existing customers. What are some of their concerns after purchasing our products? How can we show our appreciation for their support and make helping the communities a collaborative effort? Listen to your team Other than facilitating communication between the customers and community-in-need, it is also essential for us to take the time and listen to our own team. As what many HR experts opine, it is important to assemble a good mix of team members to create an innovative group of problem-solvers. The diversity of thought helps stem a variety of approaches and chemistry to an issue at hand, fostering a conducive environment that is forward-looking and nimble. The other consideration is third party-integration: how can we become the platform that our partners can benefit from? What’s in it for them, and how can we make collaboration easy? Great listeners produce great products All in all, the marketplace calls for more listeners than speakers today. Contrary to first impressions, product development is a precious journey that requires soft skills to make the right changes at the right time. The facilitation of deep, meaningful and consistent engagement between the teams will help create convenience and trust for existing and future customers.

Now that we are reaching the edge of 2017, the very last page is just about to be turned over for a brand new year. More often than not, we can only see how much we have grown when we take the time to breathe, rest and look back. The past 11 months have been bustling for us at Make The Change (MTC) as community development took on a major role in driving the change that we do. On top of providing creative services and corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, MTC has been focusing on the chemistry forged through projects, events and programmes held in the community to share, grow and journey with our partners. What has 2017 been like for the MTC family? 2017 looked a lot like collaboration and a rhythmic exchange of ideas as we built on genuine, existing relationships and reached out to establish new, exciting ones. Here are some of the noteworthy highlights, in no particular order, within the MTC community in 2017: 1. Our signature programme is the main course This year, we facilitated social entrepreneurship programmes to students from Yuying Secondary School and Pioneer Junior College. With the opportunity to test out their business ideas and contribute tangibly to social causes, the students became social entrepreneurs in their own right. Beyond schools, we also crafted special introductory workshops, Social Entrepreneurship 101, for the public to join us. 2. DFG’s more-than-a-poster youth competition Because its whole purpose is more than the poster itself. This year, we collaborated with Disabled People’s Association (DPA) to encourage young minds to design and speak up for persons with disabilities. It was awesome to have received entries that addressed a spectrum of different special needs from physical (eg. lift access for wheelchair-bound) to societal (eg. employing persons with disabilities) aspects. 3. Our interestingly lovable interns How can we forget our interns? 2017 was a year that welcomed young interns from Raffles Girls’ School and ZhengHua Secondary School. We hope their time here has been a great one as they experience and learn something new beyond the classrooms. Spearheading with raiSE for the Young Talent Programme, we also opened our arms to interns from NUS and SMU. It was a highly rewarding experience for us as we went the team over to Cambodia for the first collaboration under Design For Good (see point 7). 4. Paving the designer’s way in disability Disability is more common than we know. Much of the social stigma today can be attributed to societal perceptions. For example, being short-sighted is a disability that has been compensated by the proliferation of trendy glasses. Today, glasses are seen to be more of an accessory than an assistive tool. Following this rhetoric, we believe that what the person with disability needs to carve out his/her future today is a better chisel. We offered courses in Essential Communications, Digital Marketing , Website Design and E-commerce. 5. The potluck party for social good Festival For Good was a great event for us to meet up with our fellow social entrepreneurs and witness how the landscape has been growing and changing. We got to check out many interesting ideas that embedded both goals of social and financial sustainability. Lastly, we also got to see how our students eagerly share on their own products as the last leg of the hands-on experience as a social entrepreneur. 6. Sharing what it means to communicate Social Media For Good was a series of meaningful discussions with youths. Held at various venues, the sessions dug deeper to explore the meaning of communication and how to build up your own voice on social media. Powered by NYC, we had fun seeing how participants took part in the activities and applied the concepts on their own profiles. 7. Our ambitious venture into Cambodia for good Armed with a start-up mentality, we sent our team of interns to begin from ground zero. Using Design For Good as a marketplace to showcase collaboration between artists, designers and communities-in-need, they created numerous visuals, marketing campaigns, product development and handled the logistics from scratch within the short span of three months. Continuing that, DFG worked on storytelling and expanding the capacity of the platform. Our Krafters have also grown alongside us, particularly in skills of product development and marketing. What does 2018 look like for us? We are really thankful for the opportunities given to us this past year. Moving forward, we see ourselves taking on more projects that connects different sectors together to take the chance and make the change. Collaboration still remains as our priority as aligned social goals scale to sustain social value and touch lives. If you or your organisation feels for what we do, we would love to meet up. Just drop us a mail at http://www.makethechange.sg/contact or leave us a text on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MakethechangeSG/ ;)

The DFG team is really happy to announce our partnership with Singapore’s circular events platform, X-hebit! As a platform to help source for eco-friendly venues and other event essentials, X-hebit is an open, responsible and convenient one-stop channel that gathers all these resources into one place. Looking at the bigger picture, event management has always been an area with immense potential to reach deeper into the roots of environmental consciousness. Often, many of these events take up a lot of resources only to be used once or twice. This results in high and sometimes, unnecessary costs on the organisers. So where does Design For Good come in? Sustainability calls for the culture of mainstream door gifting to change, with more environmentally options mushrooming across the landscape as potential alternatives. Here are DFG's top 3 ecogifts: Braided by hand, our assorted rugs are made from excess fabrics sold by huge manufacturing factories. By weaving new life into unwanted fabrics, these lovely rugs are interesting conversation starters that complete the look of any well-lived space. On the other hand, their smaller counterparts take up the spotlight on dining tables, coffee tables and kitchen counters alike. Not only are our assorted coasters up-cycled, they also come in two reversible sides. Washable and child-friendly, they can be reused as well. Lastly, our handphone stands are the newest addition this Christmas. Crafted from quality pine pallets, these handphone stands are up-cycled to hold your gaze through your favourite television series. With these three products launching on X-hebit, we are super hyped to be part of the shift towards a more environmentally-concious culture in event management locally. For more details, check out the platform at http://www.xhebit.com

The last leg of MTC’s Design For Good Youth Competition comprised of a special mentorship week at Make The Change. The finalists of the competition were invited from Pasir Ris Secondary School and Serangoon Garden Secondary School to join the MTC crew for a full, 5-day programme. Crafted for the secondary three students to learn more about design and social entrepreneurship from industry experts, the finalists gained from both sides of the coin last week. On one hand, they went through insightful lessons on how to further develop their artistic abilities while expanding their horizons on social entrepreneurship at the same time. What does it mean to design, for good? Here’s a glimpse of what it’s like to kill two birds with one stone at DFG’s Mentorship Week: To Design: essential tips on visual literacy On one hand, the mentorship week opened a door for the promising talents to further develop their aesthetic sensitivity. MTC invited a seasoned and esteemed lecturer, Mr Kenji Choo, to elaborate on what it really means to be visually literate. One of DFG’s finalists, Sherine, mentioned that the course content was helpful in showing them how they can further improve on their shortlisted works. Mr Kenji touched on varying visual elements such as typefaces, shapes and colours. Interestingly, each and every one of them carry a distinct meaning and evoke specific emotions. An effective visual storyteller will have to understand what these elements stand for and arrange them into melodic pieces of work. These pointers on composition can be translated to help the finalists in their final examination as well, as all of them have taken Art as a school subject. For good: experiential learning with MTC’s partners Besides developing a keener sense of design, the finalists are also invited to pay a visit to two of MTC’s partners. One of them was MDAS (Muscular Dystrophy Association Singapore) while the other was St Luke’s Eldercare. Another finalist, Evelyn, recounted that the group activity at St Luke’s Eldercare was the most memorable for her, as the team built a periscope together with the elderly. On the other hand, Ashley felt that conversation she had with an 18-year-old girl from MDAS was her key takeaway. There is a general consensus amongst the finalists that they would love to experience more of such trips in the future. Combining the two to design for good Our last finalist, Hui Qi, also mentioned that the DFG mentorship week was an unique experience for her, citing the social entrepreneurship project ongoing at St Luke’s Eldercare was highly similar to what she wanted to do in the future. We wish her all the best ;) With this, MTC’s mentorship week has ended on a beautiful note for 2017. We hope that this mentorship week has been a meaningful one and we would like to wish our finalists and all the secondary school students a happy holiday!

For all its’ joy and jingle, Christmas can be quite the frustrating occasion; tiring even, with the multitude of chores to do as the occasion nears — yet, nothing is especially vexing as getting the right gift for friends and family. Giving someone a gift for gifting’s sake is something we’re all guilty of, and while it’s a well-intentioned gesture, the hands which made the gift you bought and mother nature might say otherwise. So why not, in the spirit of Christmas, get a gift that spreads love even further? At Design for Good, our gifts are not just simple trinkets courtesy of our industrious Krafters at Cambodia’s SMILE Village — they are aspirations for a better future for families in Cambodia, and a commitment to ensuring a cleaner, greener tomorrow for the generations that come after us. Every product is a gift of love not only to your loved ones, but to those whose hands made these gifts possible, and to mother nature. With DFG, give a gift that gives thrice with these 5 handmade products this Christmas! 1. Merry-Go-Round (SGD 119.90) The highlight of our collection, Merry-Go-Round puts a creative spin on traditional Cambodian weaving and features more complex, spiralling patterns in an unconventional circle shape. Every weave is carefully made to evoke a consistent pattern throughout the generous 80cm-wide rug; the elegance of the patterns is made possible only with the skilled workmanship and dedication of our Krafters. Look no further for a gift of perfection this Christmas. If the colour scheme isn’t to your fancy, check out the calmer hues of Winter Wonderland! 2. Olaf’s Rug (SGD 69.90) Do you want to build a snowman? Drawing inspiration from the well-loved character of Frozen, This rug is arguably the closest physical manifestation of a melted Olaf under the sizzling Singapore sun. A jolly addiction into any space, Olaf’s rug is a great gift idea to convey your gratitude to someone special for the past year because some people are just worth melting for. 3. Polar Express (SGD 69.90) If someone close to you’s moving into a new apartment this Christmas, why not add a finishing touch or two with a nifty Polar Express? Deceptively simple, our handwoven rugs adhere to traditional Cambodian weaving techniques with a minimalist style. Laying out the beauty of timeless art, Polar Express spans a spacious area of 805mm by 710mm, and functions as an inviting conversational starter for every guest. For a sweeter and more festive hue, why not check out Cinnamon Roll as well? 4. Handcrafted Wood Stand (SGD 15.90) Know someone who’s a super fan of lettering or a tad more serious about their writing act? This is one gift you cannot miss. Up-cycled from industrial pallets and sporting a simple finish, our multipurpose wood stand is crafted with quality pine Know someone who’s a super fan of lettering or a tad more serious about their writing act? This is one gift you cannot miss. Up-cycled from industrial pallets and sporting a simple finish, our multipurpose wood stand is crafted with quality pine patterned with unique wood grain. Embodying the wabi-sabi world view of transience and imperfection, it is a all-in-one workstation — slots are carefully carved to fit standard ink bottles and most pens. If a pen doesn’t quite work out, name-cards fit just as nicely too! 5. Handmade Journal (SGD 19.90) With so many distractions today, it’s little surprise that journaling is making a huge comeback. A tried-and-tested productivity booster, having a simple journal constantly on hand provides a convenient space to anchor and organise your thoughts amidst the relentless chaos of everyday life - A perfect companion for just about anyone in today’s fast-paced world. Eco-friendly, the reusable journal cover also comes with two notebook inserts. 6. Christmas Coasters (SGD 10) Anddddd we added a sixth cos we didn't want you to miss out. Everyone knows that cups and coasters make best buddies, but DFG’s Christmas coasters will keep even your heart all warm and fuzzy! Upcycled from leftover fabrics and meticulously hand-sewn by our dedicated Krafters, each DFG Christmas coaster showcases our commitment to achieving environmental and social sustainability with creativity. Each and every coaster bears a unique human touch - a story only you are privy to, embedded with every thread. Christmas is all about the spirit of giving, and here at DFG, every gift takes love and hope a stretch further. Whether a rug or coaster catches your fancy, every product is a gift that gives thrice - perfect for making Christmas a little warmer and fuzzier this 2017. ;)

Did you hear the school bell ring? It’s the first day of school for our incoming batch of new students for MTC’s Essential Communications Programme! Make The Change (MTC) Singapore has always been innovating and exploring better ways to facilitate her programmes . With the insights gleaned from our two intakes previously, we have been developing a specialised creative programme that allows students to enter the creative industry with the relevant skills that employers seek. With 22 students trained to date, we are humbled to be part of their growth in gaining new skills and building confidence for themselves. Their excitement have always been evident in the way they look forward to lessons, and their willingness to learn has been a great source of motivation for the MTC crew to keep going. Here are the 3 #learninggoals from MTC’s Essential Communications programme : Photo by Edho Pratama on Unsplash 1. Paving creativity’s way to employment Designed to introduce the fundamentals of design, MTC’s Essential Communications Programme seeks to show and share what communication really means. With an understanding on design for business needs, learners can gradually build up an awareness and sensing for the demands of the marketplace. This also spells a great start of many great portfolios, as passionate individuals can use it as a springboard to venture into the creative industry in Singapore. Bridging opportunities, MTC will also liaise with her partners in the marketplace to source for industrial projects for the learners upon graduation. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash 2. An inclusive space to sharpen social skills The classroom environment is a great space for new friendships to be forged and strengthened. Facing the same journey of learning and trying out the tools and techniques for themselves, it is common ground for learners to know more about each other. For MTC, it has always been about the people. Peer-learning, encouragement and joy come from the social circle formed during class. Trying our best to cater to every special need, MTC strives to make the most ideal arrangement for learning. For instance, there will always be a sign interpreter for classes with deaf students, and ample space for mobility for wheelchair users. By mentoring each learner on his/her individual strengths and weaknesses, MTC seeks to prepare them with necessary interpersonal skills for future employment as well. Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash 3. Be known for who you truly are Undoubtedly, personal growth is one of the key takeaways from the programme. Through the provision of relevant know-hows for self-branding, MTC’s Essential Communications programme provide the platform for learners to build on their profiles. In the disruptive world today where change is imminent and necessary, a key to rise above is arguably the ability to discern and foster an anchored identity. Knowing who you are and what you stand for allow others to know and stand with you in what you believe. With more and more people seeking for a purposeful life, self-branding is important to growth both inwardly and outwardly. The ability to communicate and express these ideals are also one of the key learning points that the programme seeks to bring across. Photo by Ravi Roshan on Unsplash Do you have a project for us? With all 3 #learninggoals in mind, Make The Change (MTC) Singapore is geared for her third run of the Essential Communications Programme in collaboration with SGEnable. For those who are interested in learning more on specialised aspects, MTC also offers two other courses. With website management and e-commerce , learners are given the platform to solve issues and manage entrepreneurial challenges from online to offline portals. On another note, digital marketing is another programme that leverages on day-to-day technology to equip learners with the ability to communicate effectively and develop a career in the digital space. If you are a corporate who sees the gold in what we do, and would like to engage our passionate learners with potential design-related projects , do contact our business development manager at pedro@makethechange.sg . We would love to meet you :)

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. – Albert Einstein Birthed from hope, the Krafters’ rug has come a long way. Braid by braid, each 50cm-wide rug takes a Krafter two whole days to complete. Be it the braiding process or the sewing after that, precision and consistency are keys to creating these unique pieces. An authentic conversation starter, the Krafters' rug is a great accessory to complete the look of every well-lived space. As Einstein puts it, imagination wields the power for breakthroughs and innovation. Starting with #therugmovement, the Design For Good team has been brainstorming for #101waysofusingrugs with our friends. The sky’s the limit. This is what we have gathered so far: 1. Fancy a game of darts? Yes, a dartboard that complements your colour scheme for recreational play. One of our friends suggested having the 2kg rug mounted on the wall with a sturdy hook. Probably with a template sticker marking the scores, this might spark off as a new hobby or as an affordable de-stress alternative on stressful, draggy days. 2. Cushioned by comfort The Krafters purchase excess fabrics from factories and weave them together to give it a new life. Not only does upcycling promote environmental sustainability, these quality fabrics are also super comfortable seat cushions on your chairs, stools and floors. 3. A treat for your special one Sometimes we all need a tough cookie to last through the seasons. As much as our pets have been there for us, the Krafters' rug will be there for them. Made of either fleece or cotton, these giant frisbees are also pet-friendly and safe for biting. If one of your dearest friends is a pet-lover, the Krafters' rug can be a meaningful gift idea as well. 4. Frame your life the right way Adding a personal touch to any room, a pin board helps to frame precious moments to remember and be grateful for. A simple collage of handmade cards, photos or even movie ticket stubs on the Krafters' rug can be hung or laid against a wall. 5. Self-care is good care The world has never moved this fast, and it will never move this slowly again. Going through the incessant big and small in life calls for the need for some time alone. Meditation or quiet time journalling can be done on the Krafters' rug. Each representing a housewife's hope to learn new skills and move on from their past as slum-dwellers, the rug is a constant encouragement to remind us that we are not alone in the pursuit for a purposeful life. Thank you for your support, Together with all the #101waysofusingrugs that we have gathered, we are deeply grateful for the support given to us since the beginning of the Krafters'. Moving forward, we are now providing varying sizes for our pieces to suit varying spaces and purposes. The Krafters' rugs are available now at https://www.designforgood.sg/round-rugs. The possibilities are now endless: you can order and specify sizes ranging from 50cm to 80cm. Not only can the rug can be a worthy addition to your room, it is also a great housewarming gift for your soon-to-BTO friends and a token of appreciation for your corporate associates. At the end of the day, the Krafters' rug is more than a rug in itself. It stands for a housewife, a family and a community fighting to be uplifted from poverty. Poverty is often the disturbing chain weighing down painful problems such as poor sanitation, inadequate housing, lacking healthcare and unequal opportunities in education. "I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act." – Bill Gates