Sustainable (Kampung) Living in Singapore - Intro of GUI
We're catching up on Green Revolution! :) In my bid to make new connections with like minded people in my land scarce and urban homeland while I'm home, I've been looking up on communities that practice sustainable living here. I was most happy to read Edible Garden City's vision of making Singapore the first edible garden city in the world since we're already well known as a Garden City.
So far, I've also volunteered twice with another community, Ground Up Initiative (GUI) who's on a mission to make Singapore a 5G society (in contrast to the 5Cs we were chasing after - cash, car, condominium, credit card and career) - Green, Gracious, Grounded, Giving & Grateful. They have a volunteer program, Balik Kampung in which I met many young people still in their teens. It is hopeful to see youths being trained in values that are grounding and giving, and empowering themselves with skills that are needed to sustain themselves and the Earth and to live in harmony and love with their community.
Balik Kampung (meaning "going back home" in the Malay language) is the flagship community programme of Ground-Up Initiative (GUI), a volunteer-driven and non-profit organization that goes back to the fundamental activity of working on the land. Through a diversity of activities such as organic farming, woodworking, repairing and maintenance, housekeeping, meal preparation, implementing appropriate technologies, curating art, and exploring humanitarian-related projects etc, beautiful interconnections are woven between one another as well as with the land we stand on.
Week 1 - Checking the Place Out & Weeding
Walk to GUI. Spot the tell-tale signs of the city (HDB flats which are government housing) among the green. We're actually right in the midst of urban life.
Sustainable Living Kampung (kampung is the Malay word for village)
Homey and down to earth atmosphere
What you get out of being part of the community
Reusing resources (bicycle spokes) that are practical and aesthetic - one aspect of permaculture
GUI's ambitious six-year community learning campus project
It focuses on nurturing grounded leaders to strengthen society and help build stronger 5G communities...GUI envisions Nee Soon as Singapore’s first community-inspired 5G-town through the Kampung Kampus.
Kampung Kampus is designed as a low carbon footprint campus, and will feature tropical sustainable architecture, building methods and technologies. This project, expected to cost S$6 million, will be carried out in three phases.
Kampung Kampus operates through the living classroom principles, which will feature education that integrates arts, music, humanities, heritage and sustainability while incorporating technology, design thinking and craftsmanship.
In effort to rekindle the Kampung Spirit, GUI invites individuals, communities and corporations to get involved in the building of this pioneering campus; and in the process instil a strong sense of ownership, resilience, pride and honour in our nation.
My weeding of potted plants partners. Weeded, watered and rearranged all the plants to make the area more beautiful!
Another partner, a preventive health coach who's giving me private workshops on meridians (energy lines) and guasha (a natural Chinese therapy in which the skin is scraped to draw out stagnant blood and qi) to complement my Thai massage practice.
Tiny green oasis in the city :) We need more places like this!!
I'll be (hopefully) following up with another post, Week 2 - Cooking in the kitchen!
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