Greetings from aLife, and I hope this finds you in good health & spirits!
As 2020 comes to a close, in a pandemic-ridden world, our thoughts turn to loved ones and family; we are especially reminded of all that 2020 has come to represent. This festive season will prove a watershed in our living memory; in the wake of COVID-19, our lives have been upended and redefined in ways nobody could have predicted a year ago.
Several aLife clients have had the bottom fall out of their world. Before the onset of the pandemic, many families were already feeling the pinch of hardship, owing to the slowdown in the economy. Their livelihoods were on the line, as companies downsized and pared back expenses.
Demographically, most of the clients we support have issues above and beyond the common man; apart from dire financial need, many of our beneficiaries are starkly worn down by psychological factors, concomitant with the constant struggle to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, fed and whole.
Take Diana*(not her real name), who was abandoned by her spouse, recently retrenched, and is now forced to move in with her aged mother, to eke out a living as an odd-job cleaner. Her three children are too young to comprehend why she no longer has time to spend with them. Diana recently discovered she was 3-months pregnant. The timing couldn’t be worse. At the end of her tether, she sought to terminate her pregnancy at one of the polyclinics where aLife maintains a presence.
By exercising tact and a listening ear, our Resource Facilitator managed to convince Diana not to act in haste without first reviewing all her options. Through aLife’s timely intervention, Diana was referred to a local agency for financial assistance. Her two older children, aged 5 and 6, have since been enrolled in the Caterpillar Club, an enrichment program for kids from marginalised backgrounds.
For Diana’s youngest, an infant of 18-months, aLife has made special provision to deliver Milk and Diapers under the MaD Initiative (full details in attached newsletter), to ensure babies-at-risk receive vital nourishment and healthcare.
Diana is now in a better space both mentally and physically. She has been assigned a caring volunteer via the Befriender Program to provide emotional support during this journey of self-adjustment as a single, unemployed mom in an unplanned pregnancy. Thankfully Diana is now able to not only care for herself, but also devote more time to her kids and forge a closer rapport with her aged mother.
Over time, aLife is convinced that Diana, and other stricken clients, can weather the ravages of this terrible pandemic. The toll exacted by COVID-19, and its social ramifications, will be with us for a very long time to come. However, as long as we can continue to provide a safety net for the mentally affected and socially impoverished, we believe our clients will be able to withstand the worst.
To help our clients to help themselves, aLife depends on your unwavering support in the form of a donation this festive season. Simply complete the donation section of the attached newsletter, and mail it back to us.
Alternatively, you may choose to direct your donation through our Giving.sg portal, Spirit of Giving Campaign at: - https://www.giving.sg/alife-ltd_3113161
Rest assured that your donation will be eligible for a 250% tax exemption. Moreover, early-bird donors will receive a festive floral bouquet as a token, in thanksgiving for your thoughtful generosity.
All of us at aLife take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Blessed Christmas and a Bright and Hopeful New Year. May Good Health and Happiness be yours in 2021!
Yours Sincerely
Dr Gamaliel Tan
Chairman, aLife Ltd
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