It is a well-worn stereotype that because Singapore, with a population of a little over five million, is scarcely the demographic size of a municipality in India, it is easy to “get things done” in the city-state.
To an extent, it is true that “diseconomies” of scale — exacerbated by corruption and discrimination — in the subcontinental behemoth of a nation that is India make it harder for even well-intentioned government policies to work effectively. But there is something to be learned from the sheer focus and exceptional institutional design of social care policies in Singapore, especially when they serve as examples of creating sustainable social impact by harnessing the power of technological innovations.
On a recent visit to Singapore, I met with representatives of a range of social care institutions that seek to bring material, practical improvements to the lives of the most vulnerable communities there, including the differently abled; and organisations that think long and hard about how to adapt to the changes and challenges of the 21st century.
A teacher assists a student with a digital illustration at ART:DIS. | Photo Credit: ART:DIS
Some of these were introduced to us by the Singapore International Foundation (SIF), an institution supported by the government but with an independent mandate to manage projects in the arts, entrepreneurship, public health, and sustainability spaces across 28 countries and tapping into a support base of over 5,500 volunteers from Singapore across the public and private sectors.
Tech for inclusivity
Consider, for example, the case of an incredible support community for the differently abled, situated in the heart of Singapore, called Enabling Village. SG Enable, a focal agency for disability and inclusion in Singapore, works in this thoughtfully designed, technology-enabled setting to ensure that persons with disabilities can live, learn, work, and play in an inclusive society.
From wheelchairs that resemble miniature spacecrafts and offer a mind-boggling range of technological enhancements to sensitively curated ambiences for libraries, cafes and other common areas keeping in mind the needs of persons with neurodivergence, Enabling Village creates equitable opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Tech Able, an assistive technology centre, at Enabling Village in Singapore. | Photo Credit: SG Enable
Take the case of Edric Wong, a participant of SG Enable’s Institutes of Higher Learning Internship Programme. To him, the agency was among his university life’s “biggest cheerleaders and mentors”. “It has helped me unlock many opportunities in my career and upgrade. Gaining experience from three internships was the biggest testament to that,” he says.
At the broadest level, Enabling Village is more than a community space; it is a testament to Singapore’s commitment to integrating and empowering persons with disabilities — and in that mission, a key element is the principle of universal design, which embraces the diverse needs of individuals with physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities, and autism. From the inclusive preschool to the gym and dental clinic equipped with specialised equipment, this community has achieved many “firsts” making it a pioneering example of inclusivity.
Confidence via art
The campaign to give everyone, including the differently abled, a fair chance to experience a decent quality of life doesn’t end with the basics of mobility and access in Singapore. Rather, the goal is to facilitate their enjoyment of the arts, leisure and sport.
This is where an organisation such as ART:DIS, formerly known as Very Special Arts Singapore, comes in. ART:DIS is a leading non-profit dedicated to creating learning and livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities in the arts, by organising art programmes, projects, collaborations, exhibitions and performances.
During a visit to the brightly-coloured and meticulously organised studios of ART:DIS, I witnessed the profound impact art can have on those with autism, for example. Engaging with art can help mitigate some of the more complex personal and emotional challenges that they face. A particularly inspiring moment was when a group of students from neurodivergent backgrounds taught some of us visitors special artistic techniques they had perfected even as they worked collaboratively and as a community supporting one another.
A young artist with Down Syndrome co-facilitating a hip-hop dance workshop for children at ART:DIS. | Photo Credit: ART:DIS
“I am given the opportunity to create pieces I never thought I would make. The things taught during foundation class are being applied to open studio and vice versa,” says Nurul Natasya, ceramic artist at ART:DIS. It is that opportunity to be a member of the mainstream of Singapore’s art community that is truly valued by ART:DIS students, including Annette Soh, who says it has helped her gain “recognition to be a trainable person [and] more confident as a potter”.
Reimagining waste
Innovation at an institutional level in Singapore focuses not just on improving the lives of people directly at the micro level but also includes macro environmental concerns — seen as critical to the very survival of an island nation, at risk of the deleterious effects of global warming and rising sea levels.
The guiding philosophy is that every action, no matter how small, matters to the big picture. Consider, for instance, the waste sector, particularly food waste. Singapore’s cost of living is notoriously high in part because most retail food products are imported, though social enterprises such as City Sprouts work on rejuvenating urban communities by nurturing green oases amidst the glass-and-concrete jungle.
An organisation called MoNo seeks to bring about a fundamental change in consumer mindsets regarding foods past their best-before dates that are still safe for consumption. It does so by diverting food from the bin or incinerator and redistributing it to a community supporting the vulnerable, including migrant workers, students, the elderly, and lower-income families.
In India, where there is an unmeasured amount of food waste on a daily basis, such innovations could bring about a dramatic reduction in waste. I can vouch that neither the taste nor the quality of products such as the chocolate cookies from MoNo was any less than what would be available off a “normal” store rack.
There is much by way of institutional learning that Singapore’s experience could offer to other countries. Already some of these learnings are being transmitted to partner organisations in India in joint projects with the SIF. After all, what counts most at the end of the day in assessing the global potential and prowess of a nation is the way it treats its most vulnerable.
narayan@thehindu.co.in
