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Don't stop at "Go" and don't collect $200, life is too busy for us mere students to handle anything more than our never-ending piles of essays and dreaded readings. But for some, life's a buffet that we should enjoy.
For most of us, finding the perfect balance between our academic pursuits and co-curricular jaunts is challenging enough without having to deal with involving ourselves in bigger things. Granted, there must be a better and more fulfilling way to live this fast-paced life - to enjoy running at 100km/h and surviving the break-neck speed.
HOOKED meets up with the inspiring 2nd year Arts and Social Sciences student, volunteer, Director of the youth initiative Food For All, and student activist (whew, try to say that in one breath!) Heather Chi to talk about having her cake and eating it.
Heather, first from the right
HOOKED:
First off, we've heard that you're the Digestive Director for Food For All -- could you tell us more about Food For All and your role?
Heather:
Food for All (www.foodforall.sg) is a youth initiative that aims to: (1) support local food rations programmes (we're trying to set up a food matching service to connect local FRPs with companies looking to sponsor them, as well as food distributors and importers who have excess stock, thereby feeding the hungry and reducing food waste at the same time), and (2) raise awareness of hunger and food security issues through public education programmes and campaigns.
Two projects we're currently running are Feeding Hearts and Minds, which is a business that provides consultancy services for social-enterprise and eco-friendly cafes and also hopes to do organic/fair trade retailing; and Food Is Not the Enemy, a national-level eating disorder awareness and support campaign, which has organized a number of workshops, roadshows and TV spots. (Let me know if you want more info for either of these initiatives :D)
Haha, Digestive Director's just for fun. I founded and currently direct Food for All. My main role is coordinating the various projects and also spreading the word about what we do!
HOOKED:
How do you think this increasingly fast-paced world has influenced our attitudes towards food?
Heather:
Heather:
Actually, I have a lot to say about this. But essentially modern living has really disconnected us from the process of food production, as well as the people who grow, prepare and serve food, resulting in the majority of us treating food as an economic resource (in commercial food production) or a material good (in "fast" consumption, where we're simply buying highly processes food of the shelves instead of putting in effort to grow and cook our own food), but food is so much more than that.
Heather also revealed to HOOKED the immense number of projects she's in - aside from coordinating her projects under Food For All, Heather is also active in NUS Stand Up 2008, and the NUS Student Kindness Movement as Special Projects Director. You probably would have seen publicity around the campus for her latest event: Cookies for Cooks where homemade cookies were presented to the NUS canteen operators as a form of thanks.
In addition to NUS-based societies like the Corporate Social Responsibility Movement, and the NUS Interfaith Youth Group, Heather spreads herself over groups and societies related to youth, environmental and social issues. Here's a CliffNotes edition of her plethora of causes she fights for: actSay (Action and Sustainability for Youth), ECOTION, MARUAH, The Choice Initiative, U60 and the Youth Development and Peace Network (Singapore) are all penned into her busy schedule, where she acts in both member and executive positions.
Her unique ideas and passion for her beliefs have appeared in print: her idea of having an ASEAN café during the ASEANpreneurs Youth Leaders Exchange/Network was featured in the Straits Times, and Heather also edits and writes for a number of publications, such as the aforementioned ECONOTION and ECO Express! (ECO Singapore's magazine).
Heather is also no stranger to speaking and sharing in public, having spoken and/or facilitated in numerous events such as InterThink! 2009, and NVAC's Youth Vibes 2008. Her latest endeavour will be on October 17th's World Café segment at the Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Her involvement and interest in food management has also led to the creation of the Anti-Waste Guerilla Group which recently visited Pasir Panjang Wholesale Market at 2am in order to investigate the food waste situation - how's that for commitment and zeal!
HOOKED:
Wow! How do you keep your motivation and enthusiasm levels so high?
Heather:
Believe it or not, I believe everything we do - community service included - should be fun! Hence, I only engage in initiatives that I have a true passion for and am personally committed to 100%. I have also been blessed to have the opportunity to work with a great many talented and inspiring people who have given me amazing support and encouragement. And sultana biscuit suppers help, heh.
HOOKED:
Clearly you don't fall into the stereotype that Singaporean youths are apathetic when it comes to activism and volunteering. What made you decide to take up and continue with the causes that you support?
Heather:
After recovering from an eating disorder, I begun to actively involve myself in social action (specifically food rations programmes to develop healthier attitudes towards food and also help those who were hungry out of no choice of their own) as therapy. My work at these programmes - and later on at a bakery cafe where I learnt first-hand the blood and sweat shed by food preparers in the industry - inspired me to embark on a journey to translate my traumatic experiences into a movement to both fight hunger and encourage the appreciation of, and respect for, food and those who prepare and grow it.
HOOKED:
Do you think that we can ever be "too busy" to care about society?
Heather:
No. You'll be surprised how far even a random act of kindness like asking after the lady who serves you Bak Chor Mee in the canteen goes towards making society a better place. Caring about society is a lifestyle and attitude, you can do it anytime.
HOOKED:
How do you balance all your activities with school? Does it get too hectic at times?
Heather:
My secret is TIME MANAGEMENT. Three tips: (1) use the interstices of time (waiting for your turn to queue, for the lecturer to set up his projector, for the bus, commuting) to do things like catching up on readings, replying smses, and crafting emails-to-be-typed later; (2) have something to do no matter what the time period/energy level you have - I usually categorize my work based on how much time it'll take and under what mental state I'll need to accomplish it (readings are like 10min/nobrain, an essay would be like 2hours/80%), helps you plan your work better based on your current mood; (3) take good music/hotchoc/facebook breaks at least twice a day - but not for too long! makes you much more productive after :)
HOOKED:
Finally, do you have time to wind down and relax? What's your perfect idea of relaxation?
Heather:
DEFINITELY. I love running, listening to music, eating small breads from Four Leaves and walking aimlessly around the City (Shenton Way-Tanjong Pagar-Chinatown area especially). I also have my Little India retreat once a week - that area has amazing ginger tea!
There you have it! If you ever feel that your life is too unfulfilling and that life passes you by too fast for you to catch up with, stop and take a deep breath. With the proper balanced diet of time and effort and not to mention a whole chunk of zesty passion, life will definitely be easier to swallow, and leave you craving for more. HOOKED
Images courtesy of Heather Chi.
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