Hi Ms Low,
I am a final year architecture student doing my final year thesis on re-thinking community integration in neighbourhood centres. Many small shops in neighbourhood centres have closed or are closing due to competition from bigger supermarket chains like Sheng Siong who have truly made their presence felt in the HDB neighbourhoods over the past few years.

I see this as an opportunity to re-configure the existing shops in a innovative way that will allow new programmes to be included. These programmes are very much influenced by the idea of social enterprise - eg. a cake and bread shop that is also a baking school catering to the needs of the low-income stay-home housewives leaving within the residential neighbourhood. The shop then also becomes a place for these housewives to sell their cakes which they have learnt to bake at the school. In time, the cake shop can even hire these housewives as their own chefs. Another example is a cafe that functions as a tuition centre in the afternoon (when there is less business) but becomes a full fledge cafe that promotes young talent during the evening to night times. This cafe could then hire some of the students as their own waiting staff, the condition being they need to clock in certain hours of tuition.

All these happen within the existing infrastructure of the HDB blocks, so that minimum rebuilding is necessary. Part of my proposal was also to include a Social Enterprise Development Centre within the same premises. This will be a new building that will function as a resource centre to educate and enrich the public and potential social entrepreneurs. Trainers at the centre can then bring their students down to the neighbourhood centre to see firsthand how some of these ideas work. I was excited to read about the SIP that you are spear-heading.

I was wondering if you be able to give an idea of some facilities or functions that your ideal Social Enterprise Development Centre would contain, eg. meeting rooms? auditoriums? resource library etc... I hope to hear from you soon. I've included my personal email where you can reach me. Thanks in advance for your input. I am really excited at look forward to social entrepreneurship taking off in Singapore in a big way! (Contact me at cherubim@pacific.net.sg)

With all due respect, I must explain why I have to repudiate any sentiments of prejudices on my part. Ultimately, our goal is to help Singapore advance particularly socially, since the major topic is social enterprise. Please bear and read to the end.

If the honourable Ms Penny Low indeed allows for constructive arguments just as glaring as the positive vigour she displays in promoting the SIP then she deserves the utmost respect and support from any group including myself.

The reason I post is to raise awareness that for a long time many Malays had to put up with patronizing double-standards that signal that the prejudice of Malays lacking those aforesaid virtues are in the minds of the majority. Photos of prominent figures handing awards, bursaries or donations to minority groups in the mass media are not going to fool people into lullaby-land who are awakened to the economic reality that they are gradually lagging behind and feeling the pinch.

If a penny is earned for every time a Malay in Singapore hears of how courage, hard work and dedication is needed he/she would have been in a financially equal standing with other races and would have no need for the Malay voice to be heard.

There are Singaporean Malays albeit few in numbers who are doctors, lawyers, pilots, some have philosophy degrees, some even have theoretical physics backgrounds, yet the mindset of majority seems settled to use lack of qualities as quick and easy excuses either to sidestep the issue of Malay backwardness or to maintain the status quo, the ever widening income gulf between Malays and other races.

For the Malays then they had to somehow play the submissive immature youngest sibling within the Singapore Family when faced with insecurity expressed by the majority.

However when a Malay shows courage and hard work he is expected to "fit into" a particular role else he would be seen as a rogue. Somehow he is transformed to a safe "yes-man", or a typical footballer or techie man, or lately even a performing artist-type. Ask a non-Malay and and he would hardly have heard of a corporate Malay entrepreneur or an intellect.

That is one sure-fire way to thwart the enterprising spirit and will among Malays.

How then can a Malay help in the development of our country further if his individual creative efforts are stunted? You won't hear Malay Sinatras singing "I did it my way" in Singapore.

If any virtue that is understated is that the Malays have considerable patience or tolerance all this while.

And am I not daring enough to speak up for the community? And without the typical Singaporean self-aggrandisement here I will only hint at where my hardwork shows in attaining an educational qualification that many Malay youths can only dream of, but would be met with supercilious remarks by the "affluent" non-Malay.

And if a Malay were to have the courage and tenacity to compete with the Richard Bransons of Singapore would you see him as a threat or support him instead? Most groups that would be interested in S.E. would have already transcended beyond material wealth as the end goal but rather they would be more passionate about the message that groups such as cancer victims want to put across.

So I do hope Members of Parliament and the government acknowledge for once that Malays can be critical and patriotic at the same time and that there is no need to compare neighbouring countries or bring world affairs into the mental picture when it comes to Malay social issues.

And a big thanks for Ms Penny Low for the gracious invitation which I assume is exemplary of the kind gestures to be expected of the government in acknowledging that the country's true worth lies in the hands, hearts and minds of its citizens.

Dear Sharizal, thanks for your interest in SIP. I encourage you to get to know both SIP and PaTH better. Ironically, perhaps your starting point is already prejudiced and 'pigeon-holed'. Still, the fact that you wrote, probably means you care. So take a leap of faith, join us and find out how you too, can make a real difference on the ground - regardless of background and ability. We believe everyone has a latent potential to be the best one wants to be - albeit it takes courage, hard work and sometimes, a little hand-up!

Hi Mindy, good to hear from you. SIP has been a chief advocate of social entrepreneurship education. Recently, after our Social Innovators Forum in mid December 2007 and the recent H.E. President S.R.Nathan's visit to SIP's Pop and Talent Hub (PaTH) - where we incubate some 50 social entrepreneurs (many from marginalised background but now feel confident and optimistic about life,) who are unified by their artistic talents; we have been innundated with a number of speaking request both locally and overseas. Nevertheless, if you can give me a number or email address, I will get someone to make your wish come true. Alternatively, you can send me a email on SIP facebook.

tks.

One wonders about the ulterior motive of this SIP although it does sound good using terms like empowerment and so on.

I love all animals and all creatures great and small but...

Here's the analogy: what in essence is being created is like a modern zoo. But not run by the keepers(?). Why a zoo and not a farm? Because there is an inclusion of the convoluted element of "ecology" (?)...

Each species in a zoo is named and put in a cage, fed regularly and allowed to roam free, but still within that restricted designated incubation zone. Sometimes allowed to roam free but with the wardens and keepers ever watchful. Funds is the fear-instilling tool that keep them in line. Profits - the ultimate goal of the zoo.

Are they allowed to cross into zones that were previously prohibited and NOT be identified as of a particular species? The answer I'm afraid is still no, because the keepers still insist on having control. Of Orwellian...

Releasing the "previously" caged stereotypes into free-roaming fenced compounds and caring for them is only a half-hearted effort at best in a world dominated by "the mainstream animal". What we should be doing is not to exacerbate problems associated with compartmentalising citizens but rather a total eradication of barriers and set them free! Well, within the law of course.

Bipolar? Epilepsy? Visually-impaired? Cancer? What if you come across species that have multiple traits? The existing situation already is full of such problems with cross-boundary complications and abuses AND people just don't want to be identified as having those labels. Well, would you? Of course every one only wants to be identified as a jet-setting, yuppie with a swiss account and piece of titanium in the shape of a buy-all card or a car's hood ornament.

How do we address a case that don't fit those stereotypes but just simply do not have the means to jumpstart a dream? Is the park prepared for a neverending classification bureaucracy?

The "affluent" are not even aware of the growing predicaments of "abled" Malay men finding it hard to get accepted and recognised by the mainstream, arresting positive efforts and development, which forces them to either resort to healthy but inwardly guerilla survival strategies, or identify outwardly with unhealthy radical groups. Facing lack of incentives to be entrepreneurs, many seem just resigned to prejudged society-given labels and fates.

By identifying and categorising "marginalised" groups one would be guilty of pigeon-holing individuals who better deserved to be recognised by their real talent or potential, not just by mere empathy for the euphemised challenges, inherited or perceived, that they have to cope with.

True love is blind to the warts and all and I do hope the way this project is executed is based on true love (earnest in human development) and not some cutthroat agenda to dominate the disenfranchised market.

To truly empower is to give total freedom (control of own destiny) and support REGARDLESS OF whatever background (remember the pledge at school?) that beset the individual - as long as they qualify i.e. they lack the necessary means to be enterprising. The REAL need however is to educate so that the mainstream is more affirmative and receptive.

Let the spirit of enterprise roam free in SIP...And let's not transform it into a circus if it's neither a zoo nor a farm.

Hi i'm a tertiary student doing a project on social entrepreneurship. would be keen to have some social entrepreneurs to come to class and share their personal experiences to bring classroom learning to a higher level.

pls email me regarding this.

Thanks

Hi Hidayah, sorry for this very delayed reply...I was moving from Yale back to S'pore adn busy with the Singapore President, H.E. Mr Nathan's visit to SIP's PaTH...and al, whcih happened today....Also, I wasn't checking this site too often. The event today was well received and got quite good media coverage. It would have been even better if you were there to see. In any case, the event will be on until 3 Feb, and you may be delighted to know that in addition to the usual arts by the social entrepreneurs, we also had a record-breaking feat of hosting the largest ever art exhibition, with more than 3000 pieces of art contributed from the public. The event was called 'Arts from the HeART'.

If you're interested to learn more about SE, do let me know your contactable number and address.

Oh yes, i shld also apologise for the many typo mistakes in my last email. It appears that I was typing too fast and the sensitivity of my keyboard is uneven.

take care.

Anything that promotes entrepreneurship versus charities is most welcome in my book. Singapore has one of the most charities per capita in the world, and most of them really shouldn't be around.

I've seen how social entrepreneurship has really turned around many communities in the UK, especially for the 'marginalised' as mentioned.

Looking forward to the businesses that rise out of this challenge.

Hi Ms Low,

Great to read your reply! Where can I get a list of these incubatees? I am highly interested in SE for 2 reasons - I keep abreast with such developments to highlight within my magazine - The Executive (am the editor for a local business publication). Secondly, I am trying to set up an SE myself to facilitate training and education for young single mothers (their demographics - under 30, with young children, mostly from low-income and low education backgrounds). they are a blind spot compared to other marginalised groups of people. however sourcing for funds is a perennial challenge.

In any case, thank you for the response, I look forward to greater development in the area.

Hidayah

hello Hidayah, you are right that the govt can't do (and shouldn't to) everything! That's why teh Social Innovation Park Ltd (SIP) is started as a non-govt, impartial and non-profit organisation. Check our currently over-simplfied website www.socialinnovationpark.org for our board of directors - they're all from teh private sector (which includes myself!).

The market place remians the most efficient and innovative space for long term sustainability. But the market place is changing fast and now comprises other stakeholders like the public and people sector. Hence the SIP model of triple stakholders collaboration. If you're in Singapore, go check out our Pop and Talent Hub (PaTH) @Vivocity on the 1st and last weekend of every month, and see how our 50 SE incubatees are doing. They are 'previously' known as 'marginalised' as they all have special conditions like hearing/visual impairment, bipolar, epilepsy, physically/intellectually challenged, cancer, low education, etc. They are today recognised as assets and special talents due to the space SIP & PaTH created - where they can operate within their most empowered mode, and mainstream themselves. Of course, it's still needs fine-tuning and innovative thoguhts and action to create an even bigger space. But the key is to get started.

FYI, I understand there's been a great deal of publicity in the Chinese paper about it lately, which adds to the flurry of English print and tv coverage in August this year...and that's just great for furthering the cause.

Why not get into the action to get the ball rolling faster ?

Hi Thomas,

I'm not going to burst Ms. Low's bubble, but social entrepreneurship (SE) has a long way to go in Singapore. Yes, it's in a nascent stage, and it's too soon to seal its fate on the island; but to be honest there's just so much the government can do. We need to, instead, encourage SE from the private sphere. A non-governmental initiative needs to be created to highlight to entrepreneur wannabes to revolutionise the business landscape; one that empowers those lacking the means to lead normal lives. I believe this lies in the hands of business honchos. Why? Simple - reduces any political implications, etc.
We have to galvanise efforts from the public and private sectors. Question is how?
Social entrepreneurship has always been my pet topic; I am keeping my eyes peeled on the park's development.