Stories Of Children From One Of Singapore’s Poorest Neighbourhoods

[@ellew8926]

i feel people living here has more kampong spirit :3

[@bsolutions525]

These children need to be taught financial literacy. How to start a business, marketing and accounting, how to avoid credit cards/ debts Break the cycle of poverty

[@MarkzOng]

These should be taught to all children. They do not teach these in school. I read a primary school science assessment book, it is asking the kid to name different segments of an insect. What you want the primary school children to be ? Biologist ? I rather they have knowledge of compound interest and how to have a passive income in the future . At least it's useful.

[@bsolutions525]

@@MarkzOng Agreed!

[@aggaratano1018]

Poorest neighborhood in Singapore looks like a middle to high economic class neighborhood in Indonesia

[@ellew8926]

haha ikr TT

[@raissasabrina2970]

We are all kelas menengah ngehek tho? LOL

[@MrBenHaynes]

"Her English, very pro one"! I miss SG english. You almost have to grow up there to understand it (or to be understood by the locals when you speak English). Singapore is a lovely place if you can keep up with the time demands and societal expectations. 😳

[@lil__upz]

the societal changes tho

[@thoroughlook7625]

She is such a sweetheart.

[@nljie]

This is so wholesome

[@isitforme6195]

thanks for bringing such awareness to the issues that the media doesn’t usually cover, keep up the good work!

[@t0218313c]

we love amanda chong and the work she does for these kids

[@SuccessforLifester]

I have to admit I have not heard of this area before. When I was younger, whampoa area also got pai kia lurking around

[@monakhoirunnisah5551]

Hi from Indonesia. This is nice. Keep it up!

[@Heng12121]

Staying in the poorest neighbourhood or having a tough childhood doesn't mean the end of everything. Reward will always come with hard work.

[@Paulfrankfriend]

Very nice video, love the narrative style and the host Mei Jun!!

[@weikean8990]

Very sensible girl

[@edib3lastname882]

What an inspiring and uplifting video!

[@traipsing__around]

Thank you :)

[@certifiedomlayoo]

its like kampong but stacked

[@anotherstandouser4362]

better plot than 90% of all the anime released today

[@lplk]

I believe in you guys too!

[@ratedchamp1]

With grab and food panda , I think people are able to at least earn a decent living , however the disadvantage are those who are elderly who don't know how to use a smartphone .

[@MusicInEAir]

Yeap and those who are physically handicapped as well. We must never forget about intersections in our society. Also, even if the people are able to earn a decent living, these gigs are not a sustainable source of income.

[@Aphrodisiac80]

Poorest estate??It have 1 of the best location in SG,walking distance to CBD & less than 10min ride to town.

[@MarkzOng]

I miss Jalan Kukoh. 8mins to people's park by foot . 5 mins to Robertson's Quay. 20 mins to Orchard road. Medical emergency , SGH is just down the road lol.

[@derekzhu2646]

Not sure if you've actually been there. Jalan Kukoh is pretty much the only area in Singapore where all of the flats are HDB rental units, for which the qualifying criteria is a total household income of S$1500 or less. There are c.50,000 HDB rental units scattered around Singapore amongst non-rental HDB flats, but the Jalan Kukoh / York Hill / Jalan Minyak area is the only one where almost every block is a rental flat. The closeness to Robertson Quay and the CBD also serves to accentuate the income disparity with the rest of Singapore. services2.hdb.gov.sg/webapp/AA11EMAP/AA11SFlatDtls

[@MarkzOng]

@@derekzhu2646 Block 8-10 is open for purchase in the open market if you did not know. . the rest are rental . To be frank the demography of these blocks are quite different . Although it's an estate with 12 blocks , the made up is quite complex.

[@Aphrodisiac80]

@Derek Zhu,I'm very familiar with tat area as I was once HDB contractor for Bukit Merah few yrs back.Instead of label poorest,old vintage shd be more suitable for it.Although there may look old but its unique n SG shd preserve these old estate.Another area similiar is Dakota opposite old airport hawker centre but too bad they gg to demolish everything.If u happen to be there go walk around,u can still find 1 of the few remaining old dragon playground there. :)

[@derekzhu2646]

@@MarkzOng Thanks - I did actually know that, and I also noted that you mentioned it in another comment. But 9 out of 12 blocks are rental flats, which I guess is not "all". There is to my knowledge no other such concentration of rental flats in SG (I've checked the HDB maps) and none so close to the 1%-ers (in Rob Quay). There is another block at Indus Rd and a couple more at Henderson a stone's throw away from the 0.01%-ers at Jervois GCB-area.

[@Puiz4Life]

We can definitely do more for our poor and disadvantaged. A stable job, financial literacy, family planning and safety net. We should be helping to build themselves and become self reliant. We have money that is granted to programs that we don't need. Cut those budgets, trim those fats and put in these projects.

[@syahirah]

nice video!

[@MarkzOng]

I knew families and extended families staying in this estate for generations . Some turn out to be very good others are doing well too . A VP in a bank , engineers, executive and entrepreneurs. Majority of folks I know had tertiary education. Some of these folks still stay there for the convenience of its vicinity while others move out after forming their own families. It's not the place but what you want to do for your life. Yes people giving an helping hand is important. However it really depends on individual hunger to do well in life and made good judgement call for oneself. Given a choice I am very willing to stay in Jalan Kukoh . The convenience of the city is right at your fingertips yet it's tranquil setting with greenery (Pearl's Hill City Park) surrounds.

[@derekzhu2646]

Yeah - blocks 8-10 probably explain why when I walk through the carpark I see a handful of BMWs and Mercs...

[@SuccessforLifester]

I just used Google map, this estate is actually at the edge of the town centre, how can it be a poor neighborhood?? Resale value should be high. Taking a bus to Orchard Road probably only needs 10 mins

[@MarkzOng]

Only BLK 8-10 are for open market . Rest of the blocks are rental flats for low income families (criteria applies). So therefore majority of housing are for the poor and needy. There are a lot of old folks and single parent families staying here on welfare scheme. There used to be many such housing surrounding the city however they were pull down by the government.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@MarkzOng Oh i See. Thanks for explaining. A good location to live in

[@MarkzOng]

@@SuccessforLifester my pleasure . The location is really good . The hawker centre at block 1 has really good food at great prices. The problem in Singapore is just that local poor is not widely publicise in main stream media . Take a walk to Henderson estate or north bridge road/beach road estate. There are many destitute around. Most of them are homeless and sleep on the bench at night. To put light into the situations the government spends only 138 millions on local poor in 2018 (com care) but spend 238 millions giving study grants and scholarships to foreign students here in 2019.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@MarkzOng I see. I didn't know that this estate existed. I did walk through the HDB area in Havelock before. It gives an old school charm that are missing in other towns. More older people and time seems to slow down too. People there look more grounded. Looks like a nice area to live in

[@derekzhu2646]

@@MarkzOng yup - the zhu zha tang there is in my view the best in SG!

[@wongxinhao1996]

What a rough neighbourhood to grow up in. I believe blocks 8 and 9 are not rental blocks as you see plants being grown outside and decor being put up. Nonetheless can't deny that the people living there are from the lower echelons of society. Even though formal education in Singapore is almost free up to secondary school, most of them have to take on part-time jobs in order to support their families and may find it difficult to continue their tertiary education. Hope more can be done for them to ensure they are gainfully employed upon completing at least their tertiary education.

[@ewpl]

Swee story. I wonder kopitiam uncle got story or not 🤔

[@nurulaimi6980]

I thought Singapore has no poorest area....

[@unloyalstantm755]

this is so cute uwu

[@happyavocodoo]

is that amanda chong!?

[@awkwardsmile]

No subs?

[@TANGUANXU]

pai gia hmm those riding fixie and blasting music?

[@bsolutions525]

Childhood obesity is serious. Pls lose weight

[@TANGUANXU]

89th haha

[@conveniencestorebanana9648]

No offense but how can someone be overweight in an low income family

[@saoirseve]

You do cause offense and body shaming is not acceptable anywhere.

[@MarkzOng]

Because she doesn't have the knowledge to eat right or have the choice to eat healthy .

[@SuccessforLifester]

Statistically around the world, the poorer people tends to have higher rates of obesity. Generally due to economical constraints they would go for unhealthy food. If I can afford it, I would go keto and eat steaks every meal.

[@bsolutions525]

@@SuccessforLifester I eat 🍚 and noodles but cook steak for my wife when she wants to save money. But still skinny

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@bsolutions525 I see. Some people are just predisposed to be thin. Though most will not stay thin going into 40s and 50s