Community Development & Social Equity

Our project with Inkram, a small community business in Mae Chon village, Thailand, centered on producing solar-dried bananas. Initially eager to implement big ideas, we soon realized the importance of collaborating with the community. We redesigned Inkram's packaging for sustainability, built a bilingual website for customer connection, and used social media to share their authentic story. Additionally, we introduced new equipment to involve more villagers in production and held workshops for community knowledge-sharing.Our main partners were Pi P, Inkram's founder, and the villagers of Mae Chon, who are gradually embracing Inkram's vision of chemical-free farming. Despite challenges like limited internet access and engaging the wider village, we focused on building trust, with hopes for Inkram's sustainable future.

Inkram's Journey (click here to watch)

The documentary traces the inspiring story of Inkram and its founder, Pi' P, as he shares his motivation to give back to his hometown of Mae Jhon in Chiang Mai. Featuring candid interviews in Thai, the film follows Pi' P and the villagers as they work together towards sustainable living. Along the way, it explores the real challenges they face and highlights the community’s determination to build a better future.

Project Country: Thailand

Project Supervisor: A/P Peter Vail

Group Ref: 23CCPV01

For more info: Christabel Seck / +65 91484128

A Comprehensive Approach to Enhancing Fire Safety Resilience in Semporna's Kampungs

Fighting Fire (Team MEOWA)

We partnered with Borneo Komrad, an NGO based in Sabah, East Malaysia, to address recurring fire hazards in Semporna’s kampungs. These stilt-house settlements face frequent, devastating fires due to dense wooden housing, limited infrastructure, and lack of firefighting resources. In collaboration with local residents, teachers, and the Semporna Fire and Rescue Department, our team developed and implemented fire safety measures, included distributing Fire Aid Kits with essential emergency items, creating a tailored Fire Safety Guide, conducting hands-on fire safety workshops and drills, and establishing Fire Aid Points with extinguishers accessible to residents. A Volunteer Firefighting Team was also trained, empowering local youths to serve as first responders.

Tides Between Us — Fiery Dreams (click here to view)

Our project comprised three interconnected components: My Story Matters, portrait typographies blending Bajau Laut residents’ faces with their personal fire stories; Tides Between Us, creative writing that transforms oral histories into poetry and prose; and Fiery Dreams, an exhibit of zines crafted by the community. Through conversations with residents, we collected stories of fear, loss, and resilience, using them to anchor both visual art and literary works that foster empathy and connection. In the final exhibit, instead of burning the zines, we projected images of fire onto them—symbolizing the fragility of kampung life, where fire can erase both homes and hopes.

Project Country: Malaysia

Project Supervisor: Dr Ng Keng Khoon

Group Ref: 23ADKK03

For more info: Yash Bhojwani (bhojwani.yash@gmail.com)

From Corn to Coffee, Safeguarding Forests and Livelihoods in Pong Sayaen

Project Auti (Auti & His Dogs)

Project Auti works with the Karen village of Pong Sayaen in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to address the environmental and livelihood challenges posed by unsustainable corn cash cropping. The project promotes coffee as a sustainable alternative, equipping a pilot group of villagers with training in cultivation, quality grading, and coffee processing through partnerships with local coffee farmers, entrepreneurs, and coffee experts. By fostering knowledge transfer, the initiative empowers the community to pursue sustainable agriculture, strengthen their identity as “guardians of the forest,” and build long-term income opportunities.

Pong Sayaen & Coffee (click here to view)

More than a collection of images, the Pong Sayaen & Coffee table book tells the story of the Karen community of Pong Sayaen and their journey from corn cash cropping toward coffee cultivation as a sustainable alternative. Structured around the coffee bean’s life cycle—from sapling to roasted bean—the book parallels the community’s transformation, capturing their challenges, resilience, and hopes through portraits and everyday scenes. Blending images with reflections, this book honours villagers’ knowledge and celebrates coffee as a symbol of sustainability, connection, and community strength.

Project Country: Thailand

Project Supervisor: A/P Peter Vail

Group Ref: 23CCPV04

Breathe New Life: Community-Led Solar Aeration Cleans Up Chiang Mai Quarry

Project Aqua Revival (Team Water)We partnered with a municipality in Chiang Mai that lacked access to government funding to address the issue of foul-smelling, polluted water in their local quarry. To tackle this, we designed and implemented a low-cost aeration system using an oxygen diffuser, powered sustainably by solar panels. Beyond the technical intervention, we conducted ethnographic interviews with residents to understand their lived experiences and perceptions of the quarry. This helped us shape a solution that was not only functional but also rooted in community needs. Through multiple field visits and ongoing dialogue, we built a trust-based relationship with the local community and worked to foster a stronger sense of collective ownership over the quarry space. Our project aimed not only to improve water quality, but also to support long-term environmental awareness and community engagement. Our main community partner was the Sam Lom Joy municipality and its surrounding residents.

Quarry Comeback (click here to watch)

In this documentary, residents of Sam Lom Joy shared memories of the quarry’s transformation from a communal resource to a polluted, neglected site, expressing how past neglect led to bad smells and avoidance by the community. They noted how the students’ efforts brought visible improvements—cleaner water, healthier fish, and reduced odor—leading to renewed use of the area for recreation and stronger community discussion. While residents initially doubted the project’s impact, they ultimately expressed appreciation for the students’ work and hoped for further development, such as creating a public park, while emphasizing the ongoing need for safety and maintenance for the quarry’s future.

Project Country: Thailand

Project Supervisor: A/P Peter Vail

Group Ref: 23CCPV02

For more info: iex.aquarevival@gmail.com

Green Oasis at Risk: Seniors Battle to Save Community Garden from Relocation

Social Design as Worldmaking in Singapore (Seeds In The Concrete)

For over five years, elderly residents transformed an empty space into a vibrant community garden, using recycled materials from local businesses for communal vegetable and plant cultivation. Despite political pressure to relocate to a nearby gardening center, open only one day a week, these residents faced complaints of soil erosion and illegal space usage, creating a political struggle central to our project.We divided our social design efforts into physical and social categories. Physical efforts addressed material issues like soil leakage and introduced conversation areas inspired by other community gardens. Social efforts aimed to integrate the garden with the broader community through monthly cookouts using garden-grown ingredients and potential partnerships with nearby schools for gardening tutorials and sensory tours.

From Empty Lot to Community Haven (click here to view)

Retirees Desmond Ang and Madam Lee discuss their involvement in the Cantonment Community Garden, highlighting how it fosters social connection, provides meaningful activity, and brings happiness to residents. They describe daily routines of tending plants, challenges faced such as limited space, poor soil, and regulatory issues, and their hope for future improvements like hydroponics. Despite obstacles, they emphasize the garden's value for community harmony and wellbeing, especially for seniors.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Kiven Strohm

Group Ref: 23ADKS03

Welcoming Home: Connecting and Supporting Residents Starting Anew

New Hope, New Beginnings (Team Homecoming)

Team Homecoming serves to better support individuals who are in the process of transitioning between homes. From residents of Transition Shelters to those who have moved into new permanent housing, Team Homecoming worked with New Hope Community Services to increase community engagement for these groups through the analysis of the New Hope Connect app. We also organised bonding activities such as a Park walk and Mooncake making activities for Joint Singles Scheme (Operator Run) residents in Woodleigh to form a new sense of community with their new neighbours.

Home reDevelopment Box (click here to view)

Explore this virtual guide which brings you through the Home reDevelopment box -- a mural which represents the personal stories of rough sleepers in hopes of breaking stereotypes on homelessness, while also uncovering the ways in which we perceive the meaning of 'home'.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Nurhidayahti Miharja

Group Ref: 23CCNM01

The Gig’s Up: Unpacking Singapore’s Platform Workers Act Through the Eyes of Riders and Experts

The Gig's Up; Compensation For You (GIGconomers)

The Gig’s Up; Compensation For You by the GIGconomers explores how the new Platform Workers Act impacts platform workers in Singapore, focusing on compensation, precarity, and protection issues. Our main deliverable is a short documentary that captures perspectives from riders, unions, academics, and industry stakeholders and links policy to lived experience. The film is complete, and a screening is being arranged.

Policy for the Everyday

We launched a social media page featuring explainer videos, photo essays, podcast snippets, and posts highlighting the voice of Mr Ng, a long-time rider and the NDCA President. This format helped us present policy in accessible, engaging ways. Coordinating across time zones and working with busy stakeholders posed challenges, but the project surfaced meaningful insights for our team and those we interviewed.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr George Radics

Group Ref: 23CCGR02

For more info: @gigconomers on Instagram

Rooftop Revival: Kreta Ayer Residents Reimagine Community Garden Above Chinatown Complex

Kreta Ayer Community Garden (The Gardeners)

We worked with the Kreta Ayer Residents’ Committee to explore potential uses for a currently underutilised community rooftop garden located above the Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre. Initially, we developed concept plans and materials for a revamped therapeutic and aromatic herb garden. Our focus then shifted to raising awareness of the garden space through potential events and promotional efforts on an Instagram page. While our primary target audience was the Kreta Ayer residents, who are mostly seniors, we also aimed to engage the younger generation in our future initiatives. Our efforts pinnacled in the successful organization of a community fair, which attracted over 200 participants.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Jerome Kok

Group Ref: 23STJK02

Crafting a Greener Future: Bamboo Workshops Cultivate Skills and Sustainability in Philippine Orphanages

Project Kapwa (Kapwa)

Project Kapwa supports Philippine orphanages by promoting bamboo as a sustainable resource for self-sustainability. It raises awareness and connects orphanages with bamboo experts. Partnerships were formed by introducing artisans and architects to orphanages, exploring bamboo-based solutions. A significant achievement was conducting a hands-on bamboo workshop in the Philippines, teaching and learning crafting techniques for instruments, art, and tools, fostering skill exchange. The main community partner was Bata ng Calabnugan orphanage, caring for abled and special needs children. Collaboration included Kawayan Collective, providing bamboo guidance, and Nicky, a local artisan known for handcrafted instruments and artwork.

It Takes a Village (click here to read)

'It Takes a Village' features fictional characters that reflect the stories of real individuals encountered throughout the experience, offering a creative and meaningful lens into the lessons learned along the way. Aimed at children in the Philippines, the storybook carries a heartfelt message of hope, resilience, and the importance of community. It serves as both a reflection of growth and a gift of inspiration for its young audience.

Project Country: Philippines

Project Supervisor: Dr Julius Bautista

Group Ref: 23STJB02

Helping International Students Feel at Home: Project Explores Acculturative Ill-Being in Singapore

“Lonely in a Crowded City”: Engaging with acculturative ill-being (SGConnect)

International students in Singapore face significant social challenges. Firstly, they are severed from their existing support networks. Second, they face difficulties integrating into Singapore due to a lack of understanding and commonality with the local culture. The resulting feelings of stress, loneliness and isolation form the problem of acculturative ill-being.Our project therefore aimed to address the lack of connection between international students and Singapore by offering an insight into the country’s culture, society and history. We set out to create a game to help alleviate acculturative ill-being and in the process, storyboarded and fleshed out our plan for what we intended to do. While we were unable to bring the game to life, we still strived towards and in our creative practice component, made a documentary about acculturative ill-being in Singapore.

Acculturative Ill-being (click here to watch)

Acculturative ill-being refers to the psychological and emotional distress experienced by individuals adapting to a new cultural environment. For international students in Singapore, this manifests as heightened stress, loneliness, and isolation, primarily because they are separated from familiar support systems and face barriers in connecting with the local culture. This film relates the experiences of such students, sharing their struggle to find belonging and understanding in an unfamiliar social landscape.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Lim Chee Han

Group Ref: 23STCH02

Small Conversations, Big Impact: Tackling Loneliness Among Singapore’s Seniors

Digiwarriors

Our project aims to tackle loneliness amongst the aging population in Singapore. Instead of large-scale interventions, we focus on starting small, by encouraging meaningful intergenerational conversations within families, which we believe is the key pillar of strength that seniors have as they leave the workplace and enter retirement.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Mikhail Filippov

Group Ref: 23STMF01

For more info: Liew Kai Shiun

kaishiunliew@gmail.com

Future-Proof Storage: New Locker System Aims to Ease Hawkers’ Operational Costs

Hawker Helpers

As local hawkers face rising operational costs in areas such as ingredient procurement and storage, our project aims to provide a sustainable and scalable solution particularly in the area of ingredient storage. Our project focuses on the introduction of a locker-storage system that is space-efficient and future-proof to both optimise storage space and ensure its long-term adaptability. In close partnership with NEA, our project designed a pilot run at Amoy Street Food Centre to test the effectiveness of the system in a real-world setting. This trial endeavours to gather data on how well the system addresses the storage challenges faced by hawkers and the viability of scaling the solution to other hawker centres across Singapore. A Day in the Life Scroll through the image carousel to view our photography exhibition that traces a day in the life of hawkers in Singapore, from morning to night. It features photographs, interview snippets, and narrative texts, capturing the physical, emotional, and economic realities of hawker life, based on first-hand conversations with hawkers.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Jerome Kok

Group Ref: 23STJK01

Connecting Queenstown’s Elderly: Penpal Sessions and Photography

Project Qeep Going!! (TeamQTs)

Our project wanted to tackle elderly loneliness in Queenstown, under the guidance of Dr Kiven Strohm. We have conducted ethnographic studies on the elderly population living in Queenstown, a hilly district with a high elderly population. We found that many of them struggle with physical and social isolation. Hence, we worked with our partner organisation Lions Befrienders to conduct several activities for the elderly. Firstly, we conducted penpal sessions, which aimed to connect seniors who were home-bound and were unable to take part in Lions Befrienders’ activities. Next, we conducted a photography workshop and exhibition, where we taught the elderly how to use disposable film cameras and helped curate an exhibition using their pictures. This aimed to connect seniors through the medium of photography, in order to reach out to the shyer population of Queenstown.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Kiven Strohm

Group Ref: 23ADKS01

Bridging Gaps: Tech Initiative Boosts Housing Access and Support for LGBTQ+ Singaporeans

Singapore - A Home for Everyone (Kanzen)

Our initiative tackled three important issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Singapore:Affordable Housing Access: We aimed to bridge the gap in accessible information on securing affordable housing options for LGBTQ+ individuals.Digital Community Network: We addressed the lack of a digital platform for sharing information, communication, and mutual support within the community. The legal branding of LGBTQ+ families as “different” exacerbated stereotypes and discrimination.Our team used its Computer Science expertise to develop a digital portal, serving as a community network. This platform provided various functionalities and services tailored to the LGBTQ+ community, fostering a supportive environment and offering essential resources to empower the community.

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: A/P Lee Kah Wee

Group Ref: 23ADKW01

Residents Reimagine Bukit Purmei's Void Deck as Vibrant Community Hub

Reimagining the Void Deck as a Third Space (Voiddeckies)

Project Voiddeckies: Reimagining the Void Deck as a Third Space focuses on engaging the residents of Block 111 Bukit Purmei Ville, giving them a platform to shape their ideal void deck as well as make meaningful connections with their neighbours through our group's organisation of biweekly game nights. It aims to make the residents' corner present at 111 Bukit Purmei Ville more lively and also increase the utility of the void deck. For more info: Vera Lui (luishuning@gmail.com)

Project Country: Singapore

Project Supervisor: Dr Kiven Strohm

Group Ref: 23ADKS02

Curating Ethical Kampung Tourism in Semporna

Fair Tourism, Fair Lives (Bajau Slayers)

Our project is mainly about curating a tourism kampung package for Borneo Komrad Travels. This tourism package aims to promote sustainable and ethical tourism in Semporna and also provide the students of Borneo Komrad with job opportunities. Kad Biru (click here to view)We created a music video for the song ‘Kad Biru’ written by a student from Borneo Komrad. We also created a documentary talking about tourism in Semporna and how our project helps with the situation there. For more info: Faith Lee (Telegram: @faithahlee)

Project Country: Malaysia

Project Supervisor: Dr Ng Keng Khoon

Group Ref: 23ADKK02

Cigondewah Tales: Reviving Traditional Wisdom to Grow Eco‑Conscious Kids in Bandung

Cigondewah Tales

Our project, Cigondewah Tales, explores how creative storytelling can bridge environmental, cultural, and social narratives in Cigondewah, Bandung. Working with our community partner Imah Budaya Cigondewah, we visited community leaders and entrepreneurs who address local industrial transformation and environmental challenges through creative solutions. Inspired by these conversations, we collectively set the vision for our project as revitalising traditional cultural knowledge in early childhood education to cultivate sensitivity to environmental and social issues from a young age, and highlight the potential of creative and non-violent social actions. We co-created bilingual children’s storybooks inspired by Sundanese folktales and local social movements, reimagined to address the community’s contemporary concerns. The process involved workshops with local kindergarten children, whose artworks were incorporated into the storybooks. Our project aimed not to impose solutions but to amplify local creativity and resilience, highlighting Cigondewah as an active community shaping its own sustainable future.Cigondewah Tales (click here to view)This multimedia exhibition foregrounds the community voices in Cigondewah. The context is illustrated through video, sketches, and a cultural map comprising demographic data, interviews and photographs. Our 3 bilingual children storybooks reimagine Sundanese folklore and activist movements for local early childhood education, featuring kindergarteners' artworks created during our art workshop.

Project Country: Indonesia

Project Supervisor: Ms Yueh Siang Chang

Group Ref: 23ADYS02

Community Development & Social Equity

Empowering Mae Chon: Sustainable Solar-Dried Bananas Through Community Collaboration and Innovation

Project Inkram (Chiang Mai Banana)

A Comprehensive Approach to Enhancing Fire Safety Resilience in Semporna's Kampungs

Fighting Fire (Team MEOWA)

From Corn to Coffee, Safeguarding Forests and Livelihoods in Pong Sayaen

Project Auti (Auti & His Dogs)

Breathe New Life: Community-Led Solar Aeration Cleans Up Chiang Mai Quarry

Green Oasis at Risk: Seniors Battle to Save Community Garden from Relocation

Social Design as Worldmaking in Singapore (Seeds In The Concrete)

Welcoming Home: Connecting and Supporting Residents Starting Anew

New Hope, New Beginnings (Team Homecoming)

Home reDevelopment Box (click here to view)

The Gig’s Up: Unpacking Singapore’s Platform Workers Act Through the Eyes of Riders and Experts

The Gig's Up; Compensation For You (GIGconomers)

Policy for the Everyday

Rooftop Revival: Kreta Ayer Residents Reimagine Community Garden Above Chinatown Complex

Kreta Ayer Community Garden (The Gardeners)

Crafting a Greener Future: Bamboo Workshops Cultivate Skills and Sustainability in Philippine Orphanages

Project Kapwa (Kapwa)

Helping International Students Feel at Home: Project Explores Acculturative Ill-Being in Singapore

“Lonely in a Crowded City”: Engaging with acculturative ill-being (SGConnect)

Small Conversations, Big Impact: Tackling Loneliness Among Singapore’s Seniors

Digiwarriors

Future-Proof Storage: New Locker System Aims to Ease Hawkers’ Operational Costs

Hawker Helpers

Connecting Queenstown’s Elderly: Penpal Sessions and Photography

Project Qeep Going!! (TeamQTs)

Bridging Gaps: Tech Initiative Boosts Housing Access and Support for LGBTQ+ Singaporeans

Singapore - A Home for Everyone (Kanzen)

Residents Reimagine Bukit Purmei's Void Deck as Vibrant Community Hub

Reimagining the Void Deck as a Third Space (Voiddeckies)

Curating Ethical Kampung Tourism in Semporna

Fair Tourism, Fair Lives (Bajau Slayers)

Cigondewah Tales: Reviving Traditional Wisdom to Grow Eco‑Conscious Kids in Bandung

Cigondewah Tales

For enquiries, please email nusc.impact@nus.edu.sg