I saw how hard-working my parents were when growing up to give us a comfortable life. My father worked as a sales agent, while my mother worked in a bank. They had to balance working and taking care of us. There were days when they wanted to give up, but they persevered to give us the life we have right now. As young professionals, we slowly build a life and become more comfortable. As I contemplated my achievements, I wondered how people living below the Singapore poverty line survive daily.
Our family is in the middle-class sector, but we had our fair share of financial difficulties. We had the opportunity to graduate from college and find decent jobs. But what about those people who had no chance to improve their lives? Since then, I have chosen to be more active in advocating for social inequality in Singapore.
I decided to be part of community service because it opened my eyes and felt more in touch with realities. Let me share with you how it helped me become a better person.
How Advocating For Social Inequality Made Me A Better Person
Social inequality deprives people of opportunities and freedom. As someone who lived in the middle-class sector, I can say I lived comfortably, but my family had experienced financial hardship. Now that I’m fortunate enough to land a decent job, I want to bring back to the community.
So, here’s how advocating for social inequality made me better!
1) Exposed Me To The Realities Of Life
I always lived inside my bubble of work, home, neighbourhood, and around the city. I never get to see the realities of other people’s lives who are suffering from inequality regarding poverty and education.
When a friend encouraged me to join community service, I saw the realities of people who have struggled to put food on the table. Since then, I have become more thankful and appreciative of my life. I became more grateful for the small things I acquired in life.
2) Get To Know People’s Story
Joining community service opened my eyes to different people. I became less judgemental towards people’s status in life. Before, I assumed people were poor because they were lazy. But knowing their stories, some are poor because they lack opportunities. Worse, the local politicians might rob them of their future. As I talked with more people, I learned how difficult life was for people experiencing social inequality in their daily lives.
3) I Gained More Confidence
I was never the most attractive person nor the smartest. So, it affected my confidence due to being invisible. However, by exposing myself to other people, I realised life is more than impressing people. Life is about enriching connections with others. I gained more confidence because I got to talk with people and learn more about their struggles with social inequality.
4) Appreciate My Daily Meals
I envy my friends who can eat at any restaurant they want, even if it’s expensive. I ate home-cooked meals. And sometimes, I wanted to eat out, but I was on a budget. However, my mindset changed when I exposed myself to people who encountered problems with food security in Singapore. My realisation: I was thankful I could feed myself and be healthy.
There are many things I feel grateful for when I started attending community service with The Best Of You. If you want to experience a life-changing event, you can visit their website to learn how to advocate for social inequality.
