These stories of Singaporeans rallying to help each other will make you have faith in humanity again

Maybe we aren’t such an indifferent bunch after all.

Olivia Lin | Sponsored | February 08, 2018, 03:11 PM

If you’re having a bad day, or are feeling lonely (the screw-the-world-everyone-is-selfish-anyway-so-we-should-just-be-alone kinda day), here are some stories revolving around kindness and unity to restore your faith in mankind again.

From tales of passers-by stopping to help an injured man to people chipping in for a cause, the following events will remind you that humans still inherently care for one another, and that we’ll help each other in times of need.

And these are just incidents that made headlines in the past few years. Plenty of heartwarming, people-helping-one-another stories go unreported every day. Stories even you could’ve been a part of but didn’t know at that time.

Raising funds for the victims of accidents

Construction accident

An Indian migrant worker was killed while repairing a pothole along West Coast Highway in December 2017. The 33-year-old man, named Selvam, was the sole breadwinner for his family in India.

As it was uncertain how long the insurance payout would take to reach his family, Facebook community Itsrainingraincoats started a fundraising campaign to help tide them over during the wait. Shortly after, many Singaporeans came forward with donations to lend a hand to the family of the deceased.

Though a tragic incident, it was heartening to know that the public was so ready to offer help when needed.

Muar accident

On Christmas Eve 2016, a coach bus travelling from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur tumbled off an expressway, killing 14 and injuring 16. Among those injured were student Muhd Hilmi Bin Mohd Syed, his father, and sister. Hilmi’s mother, however, did not survive.

After the accident, Hilmi’s school, Meridian Secondary School, started an online appeal to help raise funds for his family’s medical expenses. The fundraising drive was hosted on Give.asia.

Screenshot via Give.asia

Within 48 hours, the donation drive raised close to S$22,000.

The swift action by his school as well as the public’s contribution served as a touching reminder that the spirit of unity was still rife in us.

Reuniting an otter family

Photo courtesy of OtterWatch

Here’s an endearing tale that involves one of the most loved creatures in Singapore -- Otters. When the Bishan otter family headed out of their holt on Dec. 27, 2017, a pair of otter pups unfortunately got separated from the rest along the way.

After being left alone for two days without food, the otter pups were finally reunited with their family, thanks to the people from the Otter Working Group (OWG) and Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).

Besides the smooth collaboration between the two groups, this story of an otter family reunion also shows how much we care about our neighbours -- even the furry ones.

Strength in numbers

On July 22 2015, a video of a group of Singaporeans trying to push over a lorry went viral on Facebook. The incident, which happened at the junction of Bendemeer Road and Boon Keng Road was filmed by an employee of Hyflux, according to The Straits Times.

The Facebook user, Suan Wang, mentioned in the post that he heard a man screaming outside his office that morning. When he looked out, he saw a bunch of people trying to push over a lorry.

It was later revealed that the passers-by were trying to tilt the vehicle over as someone was pinned underneath it. Suan Wang told The Straits Times, "Suddenly many people just came to try to lift the truck. Everyone spontaneously joined in and there was no need to tell them."

He went on to commend their helpful and united effort. Fortunately, the medics arrived shortly after and sent the injured man to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Coming together to celebrate

While it’s great to see Singaporeans unite and help one another through times of hardships, it’s equally heartwarming when we get together to celebrate the good.

On Aug. 12, 2016, the whole of Singapore came to a halt to watch Joseph Schooling compete in the 100m butterfly final. Hundreds of people gathered at places like Toa Payoh HDB Hub and OCBC Aquatic Centre in support of our country’s first golden boy. Even institutions like Nanyang Primary School and Lagardère Sports Asia held special screenings just for the race. The community spirit on that day was remarkable.

And Schooling did all of us proud by bringing home the coveted Olympic medal.

Not only was Schooling’s achievement our country’s first ever Olympic gold medal, it also beat world champion Michael Phelps’ previous record. His momentous feat gave hope to Singaporeans, young and old alike.

So much so that hundreds of Singaporeans turned up at Changi Airport to welcome him home. Truly a heartwarming sight to see so many happy and proud faces in one place.

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Maybe we don’t need to live in kampongs to keep the kampong spirit alive. Maybe the spirit is already in us. And maybe this spirit will unite us in times of hardships and emergencies.

If we can unite in good and bad times, we can unite in times of emergencies. Staying united is key to bouncing back after a terror attack.

Top photo via Getty Images.

This sponsored post in collaboration with SGSecure makes Mothership.sg’s writers realise how keeping the kampong spirit alive can help to keep us alive… literally.