Kids work on their dreams for Singapore

One dream starred the Merlion. Another featured a robot with a square head; yet another conjured up fishes and a light blue sea.

These were a few of the objects drawn by about 60 children taking part in an activity yesterday to write and illustrate stories about their dreams for Singapore a hundred years from now, in 2114.

Their works will be compiled in a book, which is expected to be published this August in time to celebrate National Day.

The children, aged seven to 11 and from low-income families, are from Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Bukit Batok), Lakeside Family Services, New Life Community Services and PPIS Student Care Centre (Jurong).

They worked with 15 mentors from Tan Chin Tuan Foundation and creative writing group Janus Education during a workshop yesterday at New Life Community Services in Bukit Panjang.

The book project is fully funded by the foundation, as part of its More Than Words programme, in which young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are exposed to the arts.

They do so through activities such as meetings with arts practitioners and excursions to museums. At the workshop, Janus Education also identified children whose writing talents could be further developed.

This article was first published on June 6, 2014.
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