Headline: ARTS for The Soul

Standfirst: Youths organised a performance event for the disabled

Byline: Lee Zi Ying, 21 March 2017

Lead: The disabled community danced and sang in an unusual arts performance organised by

youths for the underprivileged residents of Jalan Besar. (21 words)

Article: The performance event, named Ability. Redefining. The. Society. (ARTS), was held

at the Kreta Ayer People’s Theatre on May 20, to provide a platform to raise awareness for

the disabled among the under-privileged community of Jalan Besar GRC.

Performers at the two-hour long event included the Singapore Association for the Deaf

(SADEAF), Grace Orchard and Eden School.

The opening act of the event featured SADEAF performing Hokkien songs in sign language,

with the help of student volunteers from NTU’s Welfare Services Club (WSC).

Other event highlights include students from Grace Orchard School and Eden School

performing song and dance skits to Mandarin folk songs.

“Although they are children with disability, they can still do their part in community, so they

should not just be the receiver. That’s something that we want to teach our children, really
nobody owes them a living,” said X, Principal of X School, explaining the reason why the

school chose to participate in the performance.

Y, (Y position) of Jalan Besar GRC and VIP of the event, said in a Facebook message, “It

also helps to promote a more caring and inclusive society where we provide the opportunity

and platform for people with special needs to showcase their talents.”

Y added that citing the youths from Kreta Ayer and Kalom Ayer Youth Executive Committee

(YEC) contributed to the event’s success.

Z, 29, volunteer and (Z position) of Kalom Ayer YEC, said that although organising the event

was no easy feat, the event gave him “a sense of achievement” when he saw “how the events

are actually accomplished, how people are leaving with happy smiles”, adding that he finds

fulfilment in doing his part for the community and the marginalised.

Audience member, W, 54, said that the event was an important reminder that there are still

people who are “much weaker than us and needs help from us", and that she was very

touched by this rare group of performers on stage.

However, K, Chairman of K and sponsor of the event, said that although this event has raised

awareness, it is merely “one small little step” and that “there is a lot more that needs to be

done”, to help bridge the gap between the less privileged and the disabled, highlighting the

importance of increasing public education and awareness on the issue.

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