Kampong Of Care: A Carnival of Care

With the weather on our side this morning, we held Kampong of Care@Jalan Kukoh (KOC), a half-day carnival aimed at building a caring society with “kampong spirit” and promoting social inclusion through sport, at the rooftop of the multi-storey carpark of Block 8A, Jalan Kukoh.

KOC is part of a series of celebratory events for SportCares’ 10th Year Anniversary focused on engaging the different segments (persons with disabilities, children & youth from vulnerable backgrounds, and isolated seniors) that we serve in the community.

In particular, KOC intended to engage seniors living alone in rental flats in the Jalan Kukoh area and saw more than 300 seniors participating in fun activities such as mass workouts and modified sports.

Our guest of honour, Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth, joined the seniors during the mass workout too.

The carnival also allowed us to build on the momentum created through our ‘Morning Exercises by SportCares’. A weekly programme to engage seniors through elastic band and towel workouts with music, launched last June in collaboration with three branches of the Kreta Ayer Seniors Activities Center (KASAC) in Jalan Kukoh, Chin Swee and Banda.

There are plans to bring our ‘Morning Exercises by SportCares’ to more SACs across the island to reach out to more isolated seniors living in rental blocks.

Mr Retnam Krishna taking part in the mass workout at Kampong of Care @Jalan Kukoh 2022.

A participant of KOC, Mr Retnam Krishna (pictured above), a 72-year-old senior with diabetes who has been living alone in a rental flat since 2018, said, “I recently did an operation on my left leg, so I don’t go anywhere much. It is actually sad to just go downstairs, not do anything and then come home. So, I am grateful to be part of the exercise group at my senior activity centre and happy to participate in this event. Most importantly, we stay active together as doing physical activities keep diseases away.”

There were also sports activities at KOC for children and families living in the area to participate in with the seniors and offer opportunities for the residents to get to know one other, form a community around these seniors, and provide them with neighbourly support and companionship.

Such opportunities can also spread the sense of integration and engagement across the different generations of residents living in the rental blocks.

(From left) Mr Marcus Tan, Chief of Sport Development Group, Sport Singapore and Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth, at Kampong of Care @Jalan Kukoh 2022.

Speaking to us at the event was Mr Marcus Tan, Chief of Sport Development Group, Sport Singapore, who oversees SportCares, mentioned, “Kampong of Care@Jalan Kukoh is a collaborative effort by stakeholders from the community care sector to engage seniors who are living alone and may be socially isolated, through fun sporting activities that they can take part alongside residents in their estate.

“Through such opportunities, we hope residents will get to know one other and form a community around these seniors, providing them with neighbourly support and companionship – a kampong of care. Beyond today’s event, SportCares will continue to use sport for social good and work with partners to deliver relevant sporting opportunities that reach out to these seniors so that they will be socially connected and active at the same time.”

Echoing Marcus’ thoughts was another participant of KOC, Mdm Loh Yoke Khuan, a 73-year-old senior who stays in a rental flat with another senior. She added, “I participated in the elastic band workout this morning and really enjoyed myself. This event is something different from the usual activities at the Senior Activity Centre (SAC). I make it a point to go to the SAC everyday as it gives me an opportunity to socialise with my friends and join in activities such as aerobic exercises, Taiji, and the occasional workshop. I’ve even managed to invite some of my friends to join me in leading an active and healthy lifestyle.”

With the successful completion of KOC, we now start preparing for our next celebratory event in the series for our 10th Year Anniversary, the final matchday of the 10YA HEARTS Football League 2022 at Serangoon Stadium on 15 October 2022.