Poverty does exist in Singapore. It’s conveniently hidden in the cracks and swept under the rug while the skyscrapers keep getting taller and shinier. But there is hope yet. Mahatma Gandhi once said that we can find the accurate measure of any society in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Kay Iswaran, Samia Khan, and Bina Rampuria are beacons of light in this regard.
Khan and Rampuria started the charity fundraiser Gala of Light in 2019 to support the Compassion Fund, a crisis response fund that Iswaran chairs. Both Khan and Rampuria grew up in India and were always aware of their privileged life. “I was always taught the virtues of sharing with others and I remember the immense joy I felt when doing so. I grew up Muslim and zakat — sharing a part of your wealth with those less fortunate — has been an integral part of my life to this day,” Khan says.
The government provides a safety net. But it cannot be as nimble as the small charities that work on many fronts to provide a holistic net with fewer holes.
Kay Iswaran, chair of the Compassion Fund
As Rampuria shared similar sentiments, they came together to make a difference. While both admit that there is a glut of charity galas in Singapore, few are focused on the efforts of Singapore charities.
It’s one reason the duo partnered with the Compassion Fund, a registered charity that supports students from low-income families dealing with family tragedy that results in loss of income.
Inspired by a speech made by the fund’s first chair Dr Sheryn Mah, Iswaran, the current chair and wife of long-time minister S Iswaran, approached the good doctor to ask about its charity work. Eventually, she joined the board.
“The government provides a safety net. But it cannot be as nimble as the small charities that work on many fronts to provide a holistic net with fewer holes,” says Iswaran.
She has seen several families slip through the larger safety net, many of whom just needed a temporary bridge to get through a traumatic event.
One such beneficiary of the fund was a family of four whose father suffered and eventually succumbed to cancer. During his illness, there was no income. As he could no longer drive his taxi, his wife had to leave her part-time receptionist job to care for him and their two school-going children. When he passed away, they lost their principal source of income.
The Compassion Fund gave them a monthly stipend to tide them through this period. The mother found a job in a beauty parlour and also enrolled in a professional beauty course, eventually becoming a full-time beauty consultant. Without the fund, they might not have gotten back on their feet.
“The Compassion Fund helped them for three years — the first when the father was fighting cancer and the next two to help the family achieve financial stability.”
It is stories like these that keep Khan, Rampuria, and Iswaran going. Iswaran, in particular, is especially thankful to events like the Gala of Light that help to tighten the weave of social fabric.
For this year’s event, Khan and Rampuria are bringing in Delhi-based international couturier Tarun Tahiliani to present a fashion show. Tahiliani has dressed luminaries, such as Aishwarya Rai, Naomi Campbell and Goldie Hawn, with his vision of the Indian heritage of a draped form blended with modern sensibilities. The Vyas Brothers, musicians from India, will also be performing.
“It’s going to be a fun night of glitter, glamour and gratitude,” says Khan, who remains focused on the mission of creating opportunities for those much less blessed in our country.
Khan, Rampuria, and Iswaran are rolling up the rug and cleaning out the cracks — and they want you to do the same, too.
