Raffles City Singapore wants your lipsticks

Art-centric mall Raffles City Singapore has launched the Lipstick Art Campaign, a community programme which aims to involve the public in transforming daily objects into art. The mall is collecting unwanted lipsticks as a medium for artists from Very Special Arts (VSA) Singapore to showcase their talent.

Lipsticks in different colours.

Cultural Medallion recipient Chng Seok Tin, a visually-impaired multiple printmaker, sculptor and multimedia artist, has been engaged to helm the entire creative process. The finished artwork will be exhibited at Raffles City Singapore for the enjoyment of the public from November.

Raffles City Singapore kicked off the collection drive for unwanted lipsticks during this year’s International Women’s Week in March with a collection point at the mall’s Concierge.  To make it more convenient for members of the public to donate their lipsticks, additional collection points have been set up in six CapitaLand office buildings since September.

Raffles City Singapore is further targeting to raise up to S$20,000 in donations from CapitaLand’s philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF), for VSA Singapore’s use in supporting art programmes that cater to the development of children with special needs.  Since its founding as a public limited company registered under the Charities Act in 1995, VSA Singapore has initiated numerous programmes aimed at empowering people with disabilities to express their artistic visions.  VSA Singapore also works with communities, special education schools and organisations to conduct workshops, classes and other activities that promote art appreciation. 

Collection box at Raffles City.

Margaret Khoo, GM, Raffles City Singapore, said: “Raffles City Singapore has always believed in engaging our stakeholders and giving back to the community.  As an advocate for the arts, we hope to combine our mission of spreading the love of art among the community and earning donations for a meaningful cause through our Lipstick Art Campaign.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Singapore’s pioneering visual artist Chng Seok Tin under VSA Singapore and her assistants to give unwanted lipsticks a new lease of life by turning them into art.  We hope the public will come forward to support this campaign and help raise donations for VSA Singapore by donating their unwanted lipsticks.”

Interested?

From now till 31 October, members of the public may drop off their unwanted lipsticks at the collection bins at six CapitaLand building office lobbies:

CapitaGreen, 138 Market Street
Capital Tower, 168 Robinson Road
One George Street, 1 George Street
Raffles City Tower, 252 North Bridge Road
Six Battery Road, 6 Battery Road 6
Twenty Anson, 20 Anson Road

Shoppers can also make use of the collection bin located at the concierge counter of Raffles City Shopping Centre. 

National Kidney Foundation Malaysia starts mooncake campaign

This year the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) of Malaysia is fund-raising with assorted halal mooncakes.

Partnering with Oversea, the mooncakes are presented in a custom designed gift box in red and white.
The type A box includes a 1 kg set of pure lotus paste, lotus paste with one yolk, golden emerald with one yolk, and red bean paste mooncakes for a donation of RM68 per box. The premium presentation box includes a 1.35 kg set of mooncakes in the following flavours:
White lotus with one yolk,
Lotus paste with two yolks,
Golden starlight with one yolk,
Assorted fruits and nuts,
Green tea with red bean and
Shanghai style with one yolk, at a donation of RM88 per box.

The proceeds will go towards the treatment and support of underprivileged dialysis patients, as well as funding NKF’s efforts to educate the public about kidney disease. Members of the public can also sponsor mooncakes for NKF patients and their families.

Interested?

Order online, or download a booking form

Email fundraising at nkf.org.my with questions. Tax-exempt receipts will be provided.

Donors will be informed when the mooncakes are available for collection at the NKF Secretariat office in Section 14, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. The mooncakes can also be delivered for a charge.

Ibis Styles Singapore on MacPherson times first charity event for year-end

Source: Ibis Styles Singapore on MacPherson. The poolside.

Ibis Styles Singapore on MacPherson will be hosting its first charity event together with the Friends of The Disabled Society (FDS) charity as part of the year-end festive campaign. 

Various handicrafts and accessories will be available for sale to members of the public on 17 November, 2016 at the hotel lounge area and poolside. All proceeds will be donated to the FDS. The hotel will also be hosting a dinner for the FDS on 3 December, 2016 as part of the festive celebrations. 

The events are part of the hotel’s drive for corporate social responsibility to create awareness in helping the less fortunate. GM Mrs Shamila Rolfe said, “It’s great to give back to society during this time of the year and we are very pleased work with FDS to do our part in helping the less fortunate. The campaign is our first CSR project of the year since the hotel opened and we look forward to creating more memorable activities like this annually.”

“A component of our Skills and Entrepreneurship Program is Art and Craft Development and Marketing Skills (ACDMS). This programme not only taps on the creativity of our members, but also allows them to earn an income through the displayed items for sale. Members can also undergo training to become arts & crafts instructors which gives them an opportunity earn a living. This programme helps them to lead meaningful lives and allows them to participate and contribute to the community,” said S. Roogmanny, Executive Director of FDS.

Ibis Styles is AccorHotels’ economy brand that offers design experiences in a myriad of styles at an all-inclusive rate. Located at the corner of MacPherson and Aljunied Road, the 298-room Ibis Styles Singapore on MacPherson features a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a pool bar and a modern gym. 

Beautiful.me invites Singapore shoppers to donate rice to the needy

Source: Beautiful.me.  Beautiful.me signs the memorandum of understanding with Community Chest. From left: Elise Wong, CRM Executive, Beautiful.me; Mae Kng, Senior Associate Director, Community Chest; Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me; Wileen Chen, Manager of Relations & Engagement, Community Chest.

Beautiful.me has launched the Giving Is Beautiful campaign in collaboration with Hak Yong Company, a rice importer and distributor, and the Singapore Community Chest. The initiative aims to inspire Singaporean online shoppers to donate money that will be used to purchase rice for the needy.

According to the Singapore-based members-only online shopping platform, which offers high-quality beauty, health, personal care and baby products, some 12% to 14% of Singapore residents live in poverty. As part of Beautiful.me's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, every S$1 donated will be used to purchase 1kg of rice, which will then be distributed to 10 local beneficiaries:

AWWA 

Metta Welfare Association 

Viriya Community Services 

The Singapore Cheshire Home 

Whispering Hearts Family Service Centre 

Fei Yue Family Service Centre 

Pertapis Education and Welfare Centre 

Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities 

Young Women Christian Association of Singapore (YWCA) 

Food From the Heart 

In addition, Beautiful.me will reward each donor with 'beauty coins' which can be used to purchase items on the Beautiful.me website. All proceeds from the Giving Is Beautiful campaign go directly to the participating beneficiaries. 

“CSR is always one of the focuses for Beautiful.me, as we believe that ecommerce sites are not only for shopping but a platform to do good. Many would like to donate items such as rice but are deterred by its bulkiness. Beautiful.me serves as a medium to enable the public to do good, and deliver rice to the beneficiaries,” said Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me. 

Chairman of the Singapore General Rice Importers Association Andrew Tan, said, “Compared to toys, clothes and other items commonly donated to the less fortunate, rice is one of the most essential items when comes to a meal for the needy families It is also one of the most bulky items to be delivered and donated by individuals public. That is why Beautiful.me and Hak Yong decided to step in and fill up the gap.” 

Ng Lingling, MD, Community Chest and Group Director Fundraising & Engagement of the National Council of Social Service said, “We are heartened by Beautiful.me's efforts in encouraging their online buyers to donate rice to the less fortunate through the charities supported by Community Chest, with their commitment to match a dollar to each kilogram of donated rice. This initiative will bring joy to those in need and demonstrate the collective impact of giving in building a caring Singapore.” 

Interested?

From now till 31 December 2016, donate as little as S$1 to donate an equivalent number of rice in kilograms. A confirmation notice and invoice will be sent by email. Donors need to sign up for a free account at www.beautiful.me to track the amount donated, trace invoices, and receive updates on CSR activities.

View the video about the Giving Is Beautiful campaign

Bare Your Sole 2016 barefoot walkathon to be held in Singapore this September

Source: Habitat for Humanity Singapore.

Bare Your Sole, Habitat for Humanity Singapore’s annual barefoot walkathon, is back once again to raise funds and awareness for the less fortunate in Singapore. This year’s edition, the tenth, will take place at OCBC Square on September 10, at 7:30am. 

Funds raised from the 2.5km and 5km charity walkathon will go towards Project HomeWorks, a local initiative that aims to improve the living conditions of the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities living in poor conditions across the island. Since its inception in 2006, Project HomeWorks has benefitted over 1,600 vulnerable households with the help of more than 8,000 volunteers.

Over S$350,000 was raised from last year’s edition of Bare Your Sole, where more than 6,000 participants turned up to show their support. Organisers aim to raise S$400,000 this year. “Bare Your Sole has always served as an opportunity to shed light on the plight of the less fortunate in Singapore and for fellow Singaporeans to step up and lend a helping hand,” said Yong Teck Meng, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Singapore. “This year’s Bare Your Sole is particularly special for us as we celebrate 10 years of good work through Project HomeWorks. My sincere gratitude goes out to every participant, volunteer and corporate partner for your continuous support.”

Aside from the walkathon, Bare Your Sole 2016 will showcase the work of Habitat for Humanity Singapore, both locally and abroad.

Interested?

Bare Your Sole 2016 begins from OCBC Square (Stadium MRT Exit A, in front of Kallang Wave Mall)

Register for Bare Your Sole 2016. Registration closes on August 19, 2016. Contact melodie at habitat.org.sg for corporate and group rates.

Contribute to World Vision in the Philippines via the Gift It app

Charity World Vision has partnered with Gift It, a “crowdgifting” app that allows people to launch personalised gift campaigns to fund gift items from merchant shops or charity causes from foundation partners.

“Gift It makes it very easy for people to give anytime anywhere, while at the same time making them more aware of our programmes. The help goes a long way in our efforts to empower children through programs in education, disaster risk reduction and management, livelihood and economic development,” Jun Godornes, World Vision Director for National Resources and Development said.

Gift It has a social aspect, allowing friends to share in contributing to the amount. 

Piloting in the Philippines, the app offers payment facilities like Internet banking, ATMs, over the counter options, payment centres, and GCash, the mobile phone-based micropayment service.

The app will soon be available in other countries like India and Indonesia.

Interested?

Download the Gift It app

Web In Travel's heritage race launched in Bangkok

Source: WIT.

A travel industry-led event created to uncover local stories about places and to raise funds for good causes, the Bangkok Heritage Race is organised by local travel industry volunteers and Web In Travel (WIT), and sponsored by Accor Plus.

The inaugural race will focus on uncovering heritage stories along the famous Chao Phya River. The trail is curated by Asian Oasis, owner and operator of unique experiences in Thailand, and Local Alike, an online marketplace for community tourism.

Local startup Coin Back, which encourages travellers to donate loose change through a “smart” donation machine, will provide the link between the race and the beneficiary of funds raised, the Goodwill Group Foundation.

The first two races in Singapore, organised jointly with Ramada-Days Inn Hotel at Zhongshan Park, raised a total of S$26,000 for the Lee Ah Mooi Old Aged Home.

“We are excited to bring this event to Bangkok, one of the great cities in Asia, and which has such a rich and deep heritage. As travellers, we all know the famous Chao Phya River but do we really know the history behind it and had a chance to discover and learn about the local places dotted along its path?” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder of WIT, a Singapore-based news and events platform focused on travel and technology.

“With this Race, curated by experts on the ground, we will uncover local secrets plus raise funds for a good cause and that’s what this event is all about – it will be a great team-building event for travel companies and a fun day out for travellers and locals in Bangkok.”

Said Chananya Phataraprasit, Executive Director of Asian Oasis, “The Bangkok Heritage Race will centre on historical places in the old quarter of Bangkok. Most of the people in this area have been living here for generations and continue their family businesses. During the race, you will be amazed to find out how an old and dangerous activity was held ...and sample a variety of delicious local food.”

“Our staff had the opportunity to participate in the last Heritage Race and we are delighted to be a sponsor of the upcoming Bangkok event. The Heritage Race vision is well aligned with our brand values and positioning and we look forward to expanding our support of the Heritage Race going into 2016,” said Dino Mezzatesta, CEO Accor Plus, Asia Pacific.

The race will kick off and finish at Saranrom Park on November 8 and participants will be required to find up to 17 designated stops and complete challenges in order to qualify for the winners’ draw, with attractive cash prizes to be won.

The race will begin at 8am in Saranrom Park where participants will convene and be briefed about the rules of the race. The key objective is to uncover the stops along the trail, complete the challenges and collect stamps along the way as proof of visitation.

The teams to complete the race and challenges will get to participate in the Winners’ Draw, which offers cash prizes. The first prize will win US$1,000 cash, second US$700 and third prize US$400. Attractive travel prizes will also be offered.

Registration is at US$20 per person and participants can form teams of two to six persons each.

Interested?

Registrations for the race open November 1 at www.heritagerace.com. Updates will be posted on Facebook

Add your own branding to SPD paper and electronic greeting cards

Source: SPD website.

SPD, an organisation dedicated to working with people with disabilities to develop their potential to the fullest, has a sheltered workshop* that produces both paper and electronic greeting cards for various occasions, including birthdays, Hari Raya, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year.

Cards can be customised with corporate logos, specific messages, or designed for other occasions.

Interested?

Visit the e-shop to view the full range of cards. Christmas 2015 and Chinese New Year 2016 cards are already available
Enquire at +65 6579 0742

*A sheltered workshop is a work environment for people with disabilities. 

Someline Apple Tree app grows apples for charity if you stay away from your phone

Source: Google Play.

Libern Lin, a student entrepreneur from Singapore's Republic Polytechnic, has taken his Someline Apple Tree app to the next level with the help of funding from the Singapore Computer Society (SCS).

The app encourages face to face interaction, with users growing digital apples for rewards if they leave their phones alone. Said Lin, creator of Someline Apple Tree: “After some thought, we felt that we could use this concept for the greater good. Hence, we decided to use the S$30,000 development fund provided by SCS to further enhance the app (by creating) a charity component for IDA’s Code for Charity*. 

"Moving forward, we are also looking to partner with retailers to provide users with additional incentives to put their phones down, as any apples grown will earn the user discounts and freebies in the store.”

Lin hopes to unlock S$10,000 worth of digital apples, sponsored by Singapore Pools, for the SG Enable charity. SG Enable runs a day activity centre aimed at providing care and skills training to adults with disabilities.

Interested?

Download the app from the iTunes store or from the Google Play store  

*IDA's Code for Charity initiative enables participants to learn about coding while contributing to a good cause.

Roxy Charity Car Wash, Roxy Charity Bazaar to be held at Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy

Get some colleagues together and express support for the needy through the Roxy Charity Car Wash on 15 May 2015, which is in its 8th year at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy. 

The 7th Roxy Charity Car Wash was a resounding success. In May 2014, the management and staff at Roxy-Pacific & Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel ran a charity car wash at the hotel's driveway. Together with Tan Chuan Jin, Minister of Manpower and Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, and the Marine Parade Citizens' Consultative Committee, S$113,000 was raised through this activity with the support from business associates and members of the public. 

Together with sponsors, the car wash aims to raise funds for the recently-launched Roxy Foundation that will be distributed to NGOs, voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and schools.

The car wash will be held on 15 May from 10 am to 6 pm, with the goal of raising S$100,000 for the Roxy Foundation, which was set up in February 2015 by Roxy-Pacific Holdings, a property and hospitality group and owner of the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy. Roxy-Pacific Holdings will contribute S$60,000 for the event. 

Lim Biow Chuan, MP for Mountbatten single member constitutency (SMC), is to be the Guest of Honour and will wash the car of the person with the highest donation, together with the Directors of Roxy Pacific Holdings and General Managers of Accor Singapore Hotels. Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore is managed by Accor.

Needy families, sponsors and VIPS will also be invited to the Children Are Our Hope For the Future 2015 dinner on 28 May 2015 that will also be hosted at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy, with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong as guest of honour.

Up to 100 children from low income families living around the community will each receive S$300 from the money raised in the form of vouchers. Fifteen students from Nanyang Polytechnic will receive tuition fee grants of S$1,000 each that will go towards their tertiary education tuition fees.

“It is great to engage with the community and giving back by raising funds for the underprivileged through the annual charity drive here at Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy,” said Klaus Gottschalk, General Manager of Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy.

The car wash is mainly organised by Roxy Pacific Holdings, Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy and the Marine Parade Citizens Consultative Committee and supported by Accor Asia Pacific and five of its Singapore hotels - Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay, Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen, Ibis Singapore on Novena, Sofitel So Singapore and The Singapore Resort and Spa Sentosa. 

The car wash is followed by the Roxy Charity Bazaar on 16 May. Approximately 20 vendors will donate new and pre-loved items to be sold at the Roxy Charity Bazaar, which will be open at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy from 10 am to 6 pm. A full 100% of the sales will go directly to the Roxy Foundation. 

The organisers of the Bazaar hope to create awareness and encourage philanthropy by donating and selling items and also through the arts. Visitors will be able to buy one-of-a-kind art pieces and pottery owned by local potters, refurbished clothes, bags and accessories, jewellery as well as household items.

Local potter Mark Lee said, “It is heart-warming to see people come forward to support this Bazaar by donating items that are very dear to them.”

Please call +65 6344 8000 to ask about the Bazaar, or email H3610-SL15@accor.com. Admission is free.

Accor brands include luxury-upscale Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery and Grand Mercure, The Sebel; midscale Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure and Adagio; and economy ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, adagio access and hotelF1. 

Love Kuching Project appeals for donations

Source: Love Kuching Project website.

If you're looking for a cause to support, animal welfare is a possibility. Cat rescue group Love Kuching Project is moving to a bigger space in Joo Chiat to provide more services and accommodate more cats and is appealing for donations to cover the higher monthly rentals. The group promotes pet adoption, rescues stray cats in need, and conducts sterilisation of strays in neighbouring estates in Singapore.

As of early April, Love Kuching Project raised enough funds to pay for deposit and the first month's rent on the new premises, but is appealing for funds to grow its Boarding Fund so that volunteers can focus on the cats and limit the appeals for donations to urgent situations instead of focusing on rent on a monthly basis.

Those which would like to support this cause for the long term can create a standing instruction with their bank to send funds to Love Kuching Project on a monthly basis. Donations of cat litter and food through Pawfection are also welcome.

Besides donors, the group is happy to consider volunteers as well as those looking to adopt cats. The cats available for adoption can be seen on its blog here, and updates can be viewed on Instagram here.

Bare Your Sole walkathon open for registration

Source: Habitat for Humanity.

Registration is now open for Habitat for Humanity Singapore’s annual walkathon, Bare Your Sole, which returns for its seventh year on 30 May. 

Bare Your Sole brings together people from all walks of life to raise awareness for the plight of a large number of people living in poverty without the ability to afford basic amenities, such as shelter or footwear. 

Funds raised from the 2km and 4km barefoot charity walkathon supports Habitat for Humanity Singapore’s Project HomeWorks programme, which is a local initiative aimed at improving the living conditions of the elderly, the sick and the physically challenged living in one-room flats in Singapore. Over S$300,000 was raised from last year’s edition of Bare Your Sole, for which more than 5,000 participants turned up.

“Bare Your Sole continues to be an avenue for Singaporeans to come together to lend support to our fellow Singaporeans who need help,” said Yong Teck Meng, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Singapore. “Since the inception of Project HomeWorks in 2006, Habitat for Humanity Singapore has been able to engage close to 7,000 volunteers to assist disadvantaged Singaporeans in refurbishing over 1,000 of their homes. This would not have been possible without the continuous support of every participant, volunteer and corporate sponsor at Bare Your Sole.”

Aside from the walkathon, Bare Your Sole 2015 will feature a wide range of activities such as a high elements course with flying fox and rock-climbing wall, a Habitat Village and a kids’ corner, as well as martial arts demonstrations and musical performances.

The event will be at Palawan Beach, Sentosa, from 8am to 12pm. Register online at www.bareyoursole.org.sg. Registration for adults costs S$40 (early bird S$32). Corporate and group rates are also available. Early bird registration runs until 19 April 2015 while regular registration closes on 23 May 2015. Click here for more information, to donate or to volunteer, or email info@habitat.org.sg.

Corporates can participate in For a Golden Home charity campaign

Design portal and social media platform Cromly.com's For a Golden Home online charity campaign includes a platform which allows organisations to create their own fundraising projects towards the same cause: a better Chinese New Year for the needy elderly in Singapore this year.

Source: Cromly.com. Companies can pledge a project to help raise funds for the charity campaign. Eunice Olsen and Paul Foster are For a Golden Home ambassadors.

The website will go live on 3 February, a Tuesday, in support of the Giving Tuesday movement, and will close two months later in March. Funds raised will be fully channelled towards restoring basic living conditions for the occupants of approximately 30 one-room flats through Project HomeWorks by Habitat for Humanity. 

Through an invitation to pledge, an organisation can take ownership of its own fundraising project, with its own goals and means to do so. Suggested pledges include pledging corporate fundraising efforts towards a particular target, or pledging a percentage of corporate profits, for a certain period.

Corporate sponsorships are also available, through matching donations dollar-for-dollar to a specific maximum amount, or sponsorship-in-kind of meaningful incentives to encourage donors.

Email alexa@cromly.com for more information about corporate partnerships.

Hainan Airlines expands Change for Good to more flights

Source: Hainan Airlines. Hainan 

Airlines flight attendants 

distributing Change for Good 

donation bags to passengers.

Hainan Airlines is expanding a successful onboard giving programme, Change for Good, to all flights on an additional 16 routes. The airline launched this programme in September 2013 on its Beijing-Haikou route to support UNICEF's work for children.

Hainan Airlines is the first mainland China-based carrier to join UNICEF's Change for Good alliance. The airline aims to raise at least RMB10 million over five years starting September 2013. As of August 31, 2014, it had raised RMB2 million, which will be transferred to UNICEF.

The additional routes include domestic flights Beijing to and from Guiyang, Sanya, and Nanning; Haikou-Zhengzhou, and Haikou-Pudong; Guangzhou to and from Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Weifang, Dongying as well as international flights Beijing-Chicago, Seattle,Toronto, Boston, Berlin, Moscow, and St Petersburg.

The spokesperson for Hainan Airlines said, "After a one-year pilot launch on the Beijing-Haikou route, based on performance and passenger participation, we have decided to expand this programme across an additional 16 routes, in a move to invite more of our passengers to join in the Change for Good programme and voluntarily give to support UNICEF's work for children."

A passenger on flight HU495 from Beijing to Seattle said, "I have donated RMB10, and this is the first time I have taken part in a charitable activity aboard a flight. Although it is a small sum, I believe that little by little, it will turn into a substantial resource that can be used to improve the lives of children."

With the expansion from one to 17 routes, Hainan Airlines has taken a big step to ensure the success of Change for Good, demonstrating its willingness to commit its support to children's welfare, as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Change for Good, established in 1991, is a partnership between UNICEF and the international airline industry. The programme appeals to travellers to donate onboard the aircraft, to help UNICEF to improve the lives of children, and to help them to develop to their fullest potential. So far, Change for Good has raised over US$120 million funds globally in partnership with 11 international airlines including Cathay Pacific Airways.

CruCycle gives unique spin to Singapore fitness scene

Krewfit has launched the latest spin concept and studio CruCycle in Singapore to local fitness and fun enthusiasts. CruCycle's classes revolve around the mantra of 'Riding with the Pack' - encouraging friends to work out in a group, focusing on teamwork and fostering camaraderie with a Cru workout, and adapts very well to corporate bonding situations. 

Source: Crucycle.

Founded, owned and operated by the Ding siblings - Valerie. Calvin and Beatrice - who took their inspiration for CruCycle from the Los Angeles (LA) community where they grew up, the 50 minute CruCycle spin class is an all-rounded experience for spinners. The signature class not only involves indoor cycling. but also incorporates exercises for abs and arms. 

Beatrice, Instructor and Co-founder CruCycle and also an Apparel Designer, conceptualised the idea with Calvin, Co-Founder & Managing Director of CruCycle, while they were studying in Los Angeles, where there are many fitness options available. Calvin picked up indoor cycling from the spin studios in Los Angeles, finding it a natural fit for his athleticism, having competed in rugby, tennis and bowling competitively in high school.

"Coming back to live in Singapore. we quickly realised that there wasn't a spin studio here that was anything quite like what we loved in LA," Valerie, Director and Co-founder of CruCycle said. "This realisation of what we enjoyed from indoor cycling classes in our LA experience spurned us to create the CruCycle brand of indoor cycling. In CruCycle classes, we want to share with the Singaporean community the LA vibe - one that is not only high-energy but also first and foremost, fun and community oriented. We want friends to come in a group to workout. to encourage each other and have a good time while keeping fit." 

The Ding siblings are highly involved in every aspect of the class by ensuring every bike is prior-fitted to each rider's unique measurements. They personally curate playlists for each class, setting the tempo and mood for the high-powered sessions, which target both mental and physical strength-building.

Cru's sessions are suitable for all levels, says the company. The 'pack' promotes togetherness as they ride close together in a dark room, in sync to the same beat at all times. Four types of rides are offered:

• Beginners: introductory rides that allows riders a chance to learn new methods and exercises involved in indoor cycling. 
• The Pack Ride: Ride with the Pack. This signature class is for riders of all levels who wish to challenge themselves by riding hard and heavy. Light weights and core exercises are incorporated into the 50-minute ride. 
• Charity Event Ride: welcoming riders from all levels of fitness, Cru will be organising charity events throughout the year, whereby proceeds go to a foundation of choice. 
• Private Rides, which are suited to corporate bonding events: PRIVATE RIDES - All levels Cru is open to private rides at your convenience with your own pack. Suitable for private events, birthdays and special occasions. 

Visitors to CruCycle may bump into Bandit, CruCycle’s Brand Ambassador and resident husky mascot. Bandit loves meeting new people and inspiring them to give it their best in each spin class. Together with the Ding siblings, Bandit helps champion awareness for Woof Infinity, a community project that Valerie founded to help support animal welfare in Singapore.

At Woof Infinity, Valerie aims to raise awareness for the many problems that exist within the industry of puppy mills – overcrowded housing, unsanitary conditions, inadequate food and water and no water nor veterinary care. Through Woof Infinity, she hopes to eradicate this problem, promote adoption of these abused animals and at the same time, help with donations in aid of medical bills needed to keep the pups in shelters happy and healthy, ready for adoption.

S$1 from the fees from each rider at CruCycle goes towards supporting this project. The money will be donated to a local shelter partner monthly to assist with their medical bills.

Valerie also co-founded Send A Light, which donates inflatable solar lamps to households in Myanmar and Ladakh, India without access to electricity. 

Barter and location-aware services help Jualo take off in Indonesia

Teenage programming prodigy and entrepreneur, explorer, and philanthropist. Dutch native Chaim Fetter incubated his first online venture which focussed on developing e-commerce websites for companies in his late teens, travelled across Southeast Asia in his twenties, and then started the Peduli Anak Foundation for former street children on Lombok in Indonesia in 2005. 

Source: Jualo website.

Last year, Fetter decided to transfer the reins for the charity over to a local management team and move to Jakarta to start an entirely new business: Jualo, Indonesia's first consumer to consumer (C2C) marketplace that uses geo-search functionality. "Jual" means to sell in Bahasa Indonesia.

"Indonesia’s online market is growing fast and the country’s 250 million people have a tremendous fascination with the Internet," said Fetter. "Over the years, I’ve learned quite a bit about the Indonesian consumer and the buying and trading behaviour of people. Many people do not have sufficient money to buy goods - instead they trade them against other goods or services." 

Source: Jualo. Fetter, Founder of Jualo.

Jualo is a marketplace for second-hand goods that is tailored for Indonesian buyers, rather than sellers. The goods can even include used office furniture.

"The e-commerce industry has key issues of distribution - Indonesia has 17,000 islands and distribution is expensive; payment solutions - not many people have access to online payment solutions; and trust - most buyers do not trust online sellers," Fetter explained. 

Jualo's geo-search functionality makes it possible for buyers to find a seller for what they want which is close by. "In line with traditional Indonesian customs, Jualo also allows users to barter their goods for other goods and services. Seller verification further provides comfort to online buyers, especially first-timers. My aim is to turn Jualo into the country’s most trustworthy and user friendly market place for second hand goods and services," said Fetter.

The beta version of Jualo, created at Fetter's kitchen table, is now live. "In September, we hit one million unique visitors a month, 4.5 million page views, while the platform turns over US$6 to US$8 million dollars in second-hand goods. Although still small, we are proud of the early results," shared Fetter. "We got more than 100,000 active users within seven months, even though we do not have multi-million dollar marketing budgets at our disposal and have funded the business from our own savings to date. Having said that we have started our search for dedicated investors who can support us in growing Jualo to become a strong Indonesian and eventually regional player."

Source: Peduli Anak Foundation. Some of the
beneficiaries of the charity co-founded by
Fetter.

Fetter noted that Jualo is incorporated in Singapore, as there is easy access to qualified staff and financial institutions. "Singapore will be the next market where the platform will become active. We are even thinking about providing Singaporeans and Indonesians with access to goods and services that are sold in each others’ markets," he said.

Fetter says that 5% of Jualo’s profits are donated back to the Peduli Anak Foundation. "If many businesses and entrepreneurs in emerging markets such as Indonesia decide to follow the example of sharing their early success with the people who have less than they have, millions of people who currently live on or below the poverty line could benefit. This thought provides me with inner fulfilment I was always looking for, and reflects the ideal combination of doing business while caring about others," he said.

In the UAE, Zakat Fund leverages social media to educate, communicate

In the UAE, the Zakat Fund is reaching out to the public through social media in a bid to increase public awareness of zakat and transparency on the dealings of the Fund.

The authority specialising in collecting money for zakat and charity and spending it on the eight legal channels of zakat deploys Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Google+ to enable the public to follow on-going activities and initiatives and to act as a conduit for queries, notices and complaints, said H.H Abdullah ibn Aqeedah Al Muhairy, Secretary-General of the Zakat Fund.

H.H. disclosed that January statistics from the Arab IT News Portal stated that about 81% of UAE users use the Internet to log into social networking websites, representing 3 hours and 17 minutes of daily use each. 

Facebook is the most popular social networking platform used in the UAE, followed by Google+, then Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram respectively. The study stated that 74% of UAE users have smartphones, which 38% use for e-shopping and 90% use for searching for local services. 

*Pictures from the Zakat Fund website