A-Better-Home @ North East

Growing up in a middle-lower income family where my father was the sole breadwinner with my

mum doing some part-time jobs on and off, I feel that even with this little money we had, we had a

pretty decent life. We had a nice flat to live in and proper food on the table every day and that made

me believe that it is the same everywhere else in Singapore. I was naive enough to believe that

there were NO poverty in Singapore. I mean if I compare with places like Africa or even some of the

slumps I saw on Hong Kong TV dramas, Singapore really looks pretty decent right?

You know what they said about ignorance is bliss? I guess they are pretty right this time. A good 20 -

30 years has passed and I have gotten more in touch with what is happening in Singapore. As

much as I thought there is no poverty in Singapore, I'm actually seeing it in Singapore NOW! Just

look at the situation of a house I visited recently with the North East Community Development

Council. I mean this is not the first time I am seeing such situations considering that I've always been

in touch with community services projects back in the days when I was part of Lions Club Singapore

as well as doing my part during my school days. Despite not being my first time, I can't say I am not

 surprised at the situation. Can you imagine staying at such a place?

The place was so old and rundown that many youngsters might not even have seen as a power switch before.

A strong sense of nostalgia isn't it.

While I'm standing in the house soaking myself up in sense of nostalgia and feeling all poignant,

channeling my inner Lang Leav to write a poem, it hits me that this place is actually someone's

house where they eat and sleep in everyday.

I can't help but to feel how fortunate we are and at the same time a sense of shame because all we

are "suffering" from everyday are our typical first world problems such as internet too slow or went

and queued for hours but failed to get that limited edition shoes that we always wanted while there

are people out there that do not even have food on the table or living in a house where most people

wouldn't bear staying in. Because you know, no aircon. LOL. #firstworldproblemmuchright

Don’t' say I exaggerate hor, just see for yourself.

So thanks to the good people at North East CDC, they have launched a new program - A-Better-

Home @ North East. Yeah, it's the same good people that I've covered a few other stories for

recently which includes Heart Baker as well as Get Healthy. As you can see, there are a lot of things

happening in Singapore and there are many good people who are willing to do their part for others. I

mean I might be getting my hands dirty but the war journalist is just as important as anyone in the

war right? Okay lah, or at least I choose to believe so.

A-Better-Home @ North East is an inaugural pilot programme by the North East CDC to improve our

less privileged residents’ living environment. A group of contractors will provide pro bono services in

repairing and replacing broken fixtures such as damaged doors, dislodged tiles, faulty electrical

wiring; as well as carrying out painting works.

North East CDC has teamed up with 7 Contractors to provide pro bono and/or subsidised repairs for

these less privileged residents. These socially-conscious contractors have donated $350,000 in

services to assist 300 under-privileged households. This pilot collaboration would run till March

2019. The initiative complements North East CDC’s existing Home Needs programs such as Project

Refresh where volunteers helped less-privileged residents to spruce up their homes.

The scheme has made homes safer for seniors such as 76-year-old stroke

patient Mr. Tan and his Wife. The couple has to put up with a leaked toilet system and

the paint on their walls were peeling. Mr. Tan, who has difficulties walking and

speaking, relies on his wife, 69-year-old Mdm Lee, to take care of him. They recently welcomed

Chinese New Year with a rejuvenated home as the contractors had fix their toilet leakage and

repaint their home.

Mayor of North East District, Mr. Desmond Choo is excited that different

stakeholders are coming together readily to tackle community problems. He said,

“While national programs such as Home Improvement Program (HIP) tackles essential

repairs, there are residual and exceptional needs that can be tackled by the

community. Through this collaboration, we can create safer and better homes for less-

privileged residents and strengthen community self-help and resilience.”

I know such effort of helping one at a time might not change the whole country overnight but like the

starfish story  we help who we can with what we have even if it's one at a time.

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What is your motivation?

"Man's greatest motivation in life is Fear and Greed." 

According to Phil Jackson's book "Sacred Hoops", that is what his CEO of Chicago Bulls believe. And how true is that and how untrue is that?

Being a marketing and advertising person, it's not uncommon that we try to go into the head of our target and think from their perspective. How will I make them buy my product? How will I make them join my contest? Basically, what are the consumers' behavior towards our product. We might not be psychiatrist but we do spend a lot of time doing that and sometimes the answer we get is pretty good. So how often do we use greed and fear to motivate them and does it work?

Fear 

Honestly, this use to be my bread and butter as a sales man selling events and planning services. We will always make event planning sounds so difficult. The trouble of getting the right licensing for the right kind of show. PELU, Compass, NEA, BCA, SPF and many more. It is so mind blowing that the client will say it in his mind "Wah, so many things to do just for a roadshow? Damn, I always thought I just need some girls in bikinis to give away my flyers." Thanks to all these ruling in Singapore, it makes events planning kinda intimidating and that's where I come in to help you with getting the paper work done and best of all we do it all the time and it is like a snap of a fingers to me.

I guess it works the same for many other sales man from insurance to the guy who sells magic mop or some super sharp knives or even the property agent. One of the classic would be " I've got another person viewing this unit too. So let me know if you are interested else the other person might want to put the down payment 1st." Tar dar. And more often than not people fall into such "motivational traps". All you need is someone to push you over the top on saying yes.

Greed

Looking at this two motivational source, they sounded more like vice and sins to me than anything else and the bad news is that they are something that I work around.

How do I use greed? Familiar with these terms?

"50% Discount"
"Was $299 now $149 ONLY"
"Buy 1 get 1 free"
"LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE AND GET A FREE APPLE PIE!"

So I guess that rest are self-explanatory isn't it. Greed has always been the easiest form of motivation even in day to day case. "I buy you lunch if you...." "I give you this if you...." And our basic performance bonuses, year end bonus and what not bonuses at work. But are all this monetary bonus something that keep people in companies and making them happy and work in 100% effort or even 110% effort?

Zen master says... 
it's love and community. That is what Phil Jackson believes. He believes that the power of community and love beats Greed and Fear anytime. And he wrote that book in the 90s. And do you know what he just said? He just pointed out at us the beauty of social media - which is Love and Community.

Community and Love

The best motivation as pointed out by Phil. Greed and Fear and only bring you this far but a good community brings you further. This is what social media is. Viral. How someone shares something and everyone else buy. The logic of why we prefer to read blogs and try things that are being talked about online. The community. The basic logic of "when everyone is trying it out, it can't be wrong." The Love when your friends ask you to do things as a team when you feel accepted as something as a team - Oneness.

I remember how I spent my money like water thanks to community love. Forums. I used to collect toys, I still do but not as crazy and how did things got out of hand? Mass orders at forum, people sharing what they just gotten and what is a must buy. You have no idea how many of those toys I got just because everyone else has it and sometimes because they needed one more person to buy as a group before they deliver it to Singapore.

How did some girls start losing weight on internet? The motivation of community. Challenging each other who loses more, the comments on Instagram that goes "Looking good XXXX".

How did some people started cycling. running or any other form of hobbies? The power of community. Word of mouth. And this is exactly how Facebook and other platforms are doing it isn't it? Sharing the latest food or the latest happenings.

In a good office environment, we have heard something like this too often, "The job sucks but a job is just a job and having good colleagues is important and make things worth it. We laugh and cry together as a team." That is always why HR experts always stress on the importance of team building, company trips, dinners and dance which will allow organization to create better results. It's not just about another day running under the sun trying to find clues or doing trust falls. Those are just activities to help speed up community building. Solving problems together, achieving something as a team. These rewards are priceless and it is something that will keep building. And this is the power of community and love.



So what is your motivation? Choose your poison.

Mr.Smith, come come, kor kor give you love.

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