Persons with Disabilities Enjoy a Day Out to the Gardens Using Public Transport
- More than 60 Persons with Disabilities and low-income families to visit Gardens by the Bay;
- Persons with disabilities took public transport as part of the excursion to gain travel confidence; and
- $250,000 presented to Community Chest
Samuel, a 32-year-old with a visual impairment, rarely ventures out of his regular routes. The challenges of navigating unfamiliar public spaces have kept him, and others like him, close to home, limiting his ability to experience the world around him. However, today, Samuel went on an excursion to Gardens by the Bay, accompanied by an SBS Transit staff to help him explore beyond his familiar comfort zone. This marks a step for him towards making connections and participating in social events.
Earlier this morning at SBS Transit's inaugural fundraising event, SBS Transit Hearts 2024, 32 beneficiaries such as Samuel who are clients of MINDS, SPD and AWWA were guided by SBS Transit’s Travel Buddies to Gardens by the Bay via public transport. Meeting at three MRT stations on the North East Line - Sengkang, Hougang and Boon Keng stations - the beneficiaries received practical guidance on how to navigate the public transport system so as to be able to travel confidently. They were also joined by 29 low-income residents from the Queenstown Constituency.
The event, dedicated to fostering a caring and inclusive society, brought together more than 200 attendees, including community leaders, supporters, and advocates for public transport accessibility. A key highlight of the event was the "Inclusive Journey" exhibition, where beneficiaries explored SBS Transit’s innovative initiatives designed to make public transport more accessible for them. These initiatives were SiLViA, which provides essential travel information to passengers with hearing loss; Waymap, an app that helps passengers with visual impairments navigate transport hubs with confidence; Travel Buddy programme that pairs trained SBS Transit staff with passengers with disabilities to offer personalised journey guidance and support; and Find Your Way initiative that assists passengers with dementia navigate bus interchanges and stations to boarding berths/station exits using nostalgic icons. Beneficiaries also enjoyed a terrarium-making workshop and were entertained by lively performances.
As part of the second year of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Community Chest in November 2023, SBS Transit reaffirmed its commitment to supporting people with disabilities and communities in need through this Hearts fundraising effort. The event, graced by Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Social and Family Development, culminated in the presentation of a $250,000 cheque to Community Chest. Raised through corporate donations, SBS Transit’s contributions, public donations via Giving.sg and sales of limited edition SBS Transit EZ-Link Cards, these funds will support over 200 critical programmes for children with special needs, youth-at-risk, adults with disabilities, individuals with mental health conditions, and seniors and families in need.
Mr Jeffrey Sim, Group Chief Executive Officer of SBS Transit, said: “At SBS Transit, we’re dedicated to working with our partners and the community to create a public transport system that's inclusive and accessible for all. We are especially focussed in instilling confidence and independence among passengers with disabilities when they travel on public transport. For our inaugural fund-raising event, SBS Transit Hearts 2024, I am especially thankful to our corporate partners for their generous support, which collectively raised $250,000 for Community Chest, to help communities in need. Together with everyone's support, we are able to do so much more as we inspire hearts towards a brighter and more inclusive future for our community."