Committing To Empower Women
Launch Of Pearls Of Society
When Carrie K commits to empower underprivileged women, she sure sees it through.
In the beginning of the year, she launched Duo: a collection of pearls that can be worn in many ways. At that time, she explained that she wanted to give back in a series of collaborations known as Pearls Of Society. As pearls are borne out of grit, the analogy seemed apt. After all, the same can be said about women who thrive despite challenging circumstances. Since Carrie K made this commitment, I’ve personally be involved in at least 3 of these events.
AWARE Workshop To Empower Single Moms
On April 3, we ran a parenting workshop for single moms at the headquarters of AWARE, the Association of Women for Action and Research. Now, single parents face many issues which are policy-driven. But there are those which we can change as a community. I found this link quite informative: https://www.aware.org.sg/research-advocacy/singleparents/. As education can empower through confidence, I agreed to speak on various topics when AWARE Hosts A Talk On Child Health.
Carrie K Donates Portion Of Proceeds From Opening Sale
Subsequently, on June 28, when Carrie K opened a new boutique at the refurbished Funan DigitaLife Mall, we threw a party.
Not only did our guests shop, they also learnt to string pearls amidst lots of giggles. At another station, they also put together new designs to reinvent how to wear pearls. Guests shopped readily. After all, not only were the pieces fun, but a portion of proceeds went to single moms referred by AWARE.
DOT Workshop To Empower Underprivileged Women
Most recently, on October 12, we collaborated with the team from Daughters Of Tomorrow, a registered charity. When I met Cheryl, who oversees fundraising & corporate partnerships with DOT, she explained their mission to facilitate livelihood opportunities for underprivileged women. Furthermore, DOT supports them in building financially independent & resilient families.
Our event was held at Funan DigitaLife Mall, in Trehaus, where we set up various stations. Now Trehaus is styled like a modern village where families can work, learn and play together. Hence there is a co-working area, pre-school and playground in the same space. This was perfect for workshop participants and facilitators whose kids (like mine) gravitated naturally towards the indoor playground.
My station sought to empower women to make informed decisions about their children’s health. Hence I taught various groups about Dengue and even CPR for teenagers, toddlers and infants. My topics differed slightly with different cohorts, depending on the age of the women’s children. Some women even came with their teenage daughters. Everyone was engaged and asked relevant questions. One of the women shared that her husband had died from Dengue. This reinforced the importance of recognising red flags of illnesses, particularly as Dengue is endemic in Singapore.
Pearls Of Wisdom
One of the best things about collaborating with other teams, is that I get to learn from others as well.
For instance, I noticed how the styling station didn’t just stop at fashion tips, but culminated in a photography session. Although the point was to boost confidence and prepare them for career advancement, that extra step to give them a beautiful keepsake meant so much. From this, I learnt not just to prepare for what the clients need but to anticipate what would bring on that special smile.
The last station was set up to discuss communication with children. Co-founder of Trehaus, Elizabeth, led this discussion. As a mother of several kids aged 4-20, I found what she said extremely helpful. One of them was learning to read between the lines, because sometimes children make rebellious statements as a cry for help.
I am curious about what future collaborations Pearls of Society will involve me in. But with each of them, as I give back to society, I hope I too will continue to learn and grow.
