As Singapore celebrates her 50th birthday in 2015 we at 50Faces would like to take this opportunity to thank our forefathers' contributions. Over 50 weeks starting from August 2014, 50Faces will feature video interviews, photos and personal stories of 50 pioneers from all walks of life in Singapore.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
It all started with a chance meeting with an elderly couple.
It was a weekend and we (2 of the founder members of the team) were sitting outside a shopping complex. At that moment, a Taxi pulled up and an elderly Indian couple stepped out. Both of them were well into their 70s. The man had a long flowing white beard reminiscent of the legendery social activist Periyar from Tamil Nadu- India and the lady was neatly dressed in a batik sarong and blouse. Both had difficulty in walking; the man needing a walker to steady himself and the lady whose legs were quite swollen, was using a walking stick. They painstakingly made their way from the taxi bay towards the shopping centre. Almost everyone there were quite surprised to see an elderly couple in their condition, coming to a shopping centre without any assistance. As they struggled to find the entrance to the complex, we stepped forward to assist them and instantly connected with them.
Seeing their difficulty in moving around, we decided to sit them down at a restaurant and went around looking for the particular item which they had specifically come here to buy. But unfortunately, non of the shops carried the item. Although we came back empty handed, the couple were very understanding. We then sat down and talked to them and that is when the elderly Mr Chandran opened up to us about his life. Through the course of the chat, we realised that a good part of Mr Chandran’s life was spent helping others. This man literally could not say no to anyone who needed help. After spending a good 1-2hours talking to Mr Chandran and his wife, we bid farewell to them. This chance meeting got us thinking about how individuals like Mr Chandran, had in their small ways contributed to what is Singapore today. Born from this initial thoughts is 50Faces.
We are proud to feature Mr Chandran as one of our 50Faces.
ABOUT ORDINARY SINGAPOREANS
50faces is a project dedicated to the pioneers in the Indian community who have contributed to nation building. It is an effort to show that Singaporeans of all walks of life have the ability to help our nation. These people who are not necessarily the movers and shakers in Singapore, would have been quietly contributing from the side-lines as foot soldiers, followers and individuals with an innate desire to help others. They are Singaporeans from our pioneer generation who volunteered their time and effort to help the community in small ways going beyond their call of duty.
By sharing the extraordinary stories of these ordinary individuals, 50Faces hopes to inspire fellow Singaporeans to step forward and contribute in some small way too.
DO YOU KNOW A PIONEER
If you know anyone whom you would like to nominate to be featured on 50Faces, do drop us an email (contact@50faces.sg) with the following details.
Pioneer's Name:
Details of their contribution:
WHO WE ARE
This project is made possible through the dedication and passion of our (TEAM 50FACES) group of over 20 volunteers made up of students as well as working professionals. Driven by our interest in the project as well as wanting to contribute to the celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday, we wish to honour the pioneers among us and surface the stories of people that has not been told before. This we hope will add to the rich history of Singapore’s early years and specifically the contribution of Indians to this important part of our collective history.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Do you have any feedback or want to know more? Visit our ‘Contact Us’ page or send us an email. Don’t hesitate to visit our YouTube channel and Facebook page to check out the videos as well! Thank you for your interest in the project and together, let us commemorate our pioneers!
Email contact: contact@50faces.sg
