"Little Steps, Big Changes” book launch

Mr Tony Lim, Chairman of Love Empowered Co-operative Limited

Ms Si Yanci, Founder of Fun Of GrowinG (FOGG) Limited

Mr Tng Ah Yiam, Chairperson, Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF)

Mr Vernon Khoo, Chairperson, Central Co-operative Fund Committee (CCFC)

• Thank you very much for having me. It’s interesting that this launch is called "Little Steps, Big Changes." Why is this significant on Singapore's 60th birthday? Because Singapore 60 years ago looked very different from what you see today.

• We were worried that Singapore might not survive because it is a small country. There were cities in the world that were much bigger than Singapore as a country. It was difficult for us to survive as we have no natural resources.

Singapore's Journey: From Small Steps to Giant Changes

• To reach where we are today, I want to offer a few simple examples of little steps that created big changes. We decided to take small steps to ensure the country could stand on its own two feet - small steps like fixing the education system, fixing the healthcare system, and creating an armed force. We made sure the DNA of the country was right: zero corruption and ensuring things work. These are not giant steps; they are little steps, but they created giant changes in the past 60 years.

Celebrating Young Creativity and Community Support

• But why are we able to do this so differently from many other countries around the world? It's really because of all of you here today. We honour our young children who have great creativity and have written wonderful stories. There are 60 young authors who have written their stories, and 36 who have illustrated those stories, bringing them to life. This is remarkable - being able to identify young, creative minds and nurture them as we go.

• But it's not only the young minds. We have parents who have been very supportive. Many people might have felt like giving up, but the parents pushed through and helped the children get their stories out.

• The Power of Grassroots Organisations and Cooperatives

• We also need organisations such as FOGG and Love Empowered Co-operative, and the co-operative system. We just celebrated the hundredth year of co-operatives. The Central Cooperative Fund, Singapore National Cooperative Federation, and Empowering Communities Fund are all initiatives that have supported parents and students, with NGOs bringing creatives and cooperatives together to create something magical on Singapore's 60th birthday.

• These are not solely government efforts; these are efforts of the community as a whole. We believe in creating strong communities where everybody contributes and makes a difference, through the co-operative movement which MCCY has been very supportive of. The Singapore Co-operative Movement is 40 years older than Singapore - its 100th anniversary was celebrated this year.

Community Collaboration: The Singapore Way

• It's important for all of us to come together. FOGG and Love Empowered are not entities without names or faces, they are staff, teachers, administrators, volunteers, supporters and donors, who have helped to make a difference. This is how Singapore works - it's not one person's effort alone. It's everybody coming together, everybody determining that this is something worth developing – children, parents, supporters, organisations, and government all coming together to create what we have.

• It is not easy to coordinate this and support new ideas. We need a community to build our Singapore, not just for today but for the future as well. Without this, it would be very difficult to compete with larger countries. But the difference in Singapore is that we're able to make it all work, ensuring the left hand speaks to the right hand, and at the end of the day, all of us are well-coordinated and in this journey together.

A Personal Story: Miss Veal and Inclusive Community

• Let me share the story of Ms Viel, a devoted mother of an 11-year-old son with an intellectual disability. To Miss Viel, the Little Steps, Big Changes project offered something deeply personal – a chance for her son to proudly share about his swim club, which was a big part of his life. This is how we celebrate everyone, regardless of abilities, where you are in life, or your economic status.

• As the primary caregiver in a single-parent household, Ms Viel has faced many challenges. Through this project, she found a safe and supportive space for her son to write about what he truly believed in and loved.

Closing

• This is the Singapore we need for the future – one that's inclusive, supportive, and creative. Projects such as this allow us to develop the skills we must have as a collective nation – to support one another, ensure we are creative in dealing with the next leap, make sure all of us are supported in doing so, and ensure no one is left behind.

• In a country this small, we know who are our people and who may need help. We can target our help to those who need it, and the community can come together to support them. I hope the whole of Singapore will maintain that ability to ensure no one is left behind as we create a "We First" society.

• Thank you.