One Bag at a Time with Jaslyn and Victoria

Hindsight is 2020 (#HI2020) is a ground up initiative founded and led by a class of 2020 graduate - Jessica Lee Yi Ling from Singapore Management University (SMU). In this series, she uncovers personal stories of resilience, courage and love amidst this crazy year we call 2020. Through the reflections and learnings shared in #HI2020, she hopes to empower internship and job seekers to improve their status quos and encourage aspiring entrepreneurs and volunteers to pursue their passions in 2021.

One bag at a time Jaslyn and Victoria

They often say that two is better than one – it couldn’t be truer than true for these two Final Year SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business students, Jaslyn and Victoria. When COVID-19 led to them needing to put a rain check on their personal plans, this power pair chose to become rays of sunshine for over 300 elderly, doing so through their very own project, #STAYSAFEAHMA.

Here’s three things you will learn

1)     We can’t help everyone but everyone can help someone.

2)     Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication.

3)     We can never be prepared enough.

Share with me one thing that people wouldn't know about your #STAYSAFEAHMA partner when they just look at her.   

Jaslyn: Victoria takes time to warm up to people so she may seem all quiet and mild and because she carries herself well, she exudes the "It Girl" aura, so people quickly get intimidated. She is actually very caring and affectionate!

People also do not know that she has a heart for the elderly and enjoys doing community service.

She is also a huge fan of drag culture and can braise a duck.

Victoria: When people look at Jaslyn, they probably think that she's very cool and nonchalant about life

- but in actual fact, she's super kind and one of the bubbliest people I've ever met.

She's a joy to have around!

2020 has been a crazy year for everyone. How has Covid-19 affected you professionally and personally? 

Jaslyn: School and internship was from home, which was an entirely new experience for most of us. It was a time of emotional and mental adjustments and naturally so while navigating uncertainty. I learnt to be kinder to myself and saw that as personal growth. In retrospect, I felt like it was a dark year for the world but fruitful for me.

I believe in some struggle and tough times in life to come out stronger.

I had a lot of time to be alone with my thoughts and felt like I did more overall.            

Victoria: I was looking forward to having my Exchange experience to Barcelona but got cancelled. Internship role was also affected in terms of my job description - as it involved heavily in activations/events which couldn't happen. Job market is also bad. However, in this period, Jaslyn and I have started our own small start-up, Kiholo Club, a beach lifestyle label.

During circuit breaker, the two of you founded #STAYSAFEAHMA. Share with us the back story.

Victoria: One night over dinner, my father shared about a migrant worker he knew who was struggling and stuck in Singapore due to COVID-19.

That story struck a chord in me, and it was then I felt that I had to do something for the people who were hit hard by the pandemic and were in need of help.

I then reached out to Jaslyn and we started putting plans in place together to help the elderly, whom we both had a soft spot for. Growing up, both of us were very close to our grandmothers, who taught us the importance of love. Hence, we decided to select them as the beneficiaries for our cause.

Jaslyn: In my case, I was experience with community service and helping the elderly. The elderly in our community are the most susceptible to COVID-19. While everyone was advised to stay at home, there were those who still needed to work due to their financial situations. Knowing this, we started diving deeper into figuring out what the elderly need and how we could help.

We felt compelled to roll out a project we could call our own, take care of these seniors and let them feel recognised for their continued contributions in these dire situations.

How was the response like from your family, friends and the larger community?     

Both: This was our first time starting a social initiative of our own. It was overwhelming and we felt so full. So many people wanted to do their part and help in various ways - lending a hand, donating items in kind and mostly monetarily.

People just needed a platform/medium /cause that speaks to them with its genuine intention.

This was totally not what we expected. We had aimed to raise $2,000 in 1 week but to our greatest surprise, we managed to raise close to $10,000 in just 3 hours.

The support from the people around us was just heart-warming. It was also surprising when we got coverage by the media (CNA), independent media (Crazycat) and educational institutions (SMU newsletter Campus Buzz, which got featured in the Message from the Dean of students and NP Urbanwire) which goes to show that community service is celebrated. Check out our highlights for the entire process and more details on Instagram @victorianeo @jqfl

Tell us about your most memorable #STAYSAFEAHMA experiences?     

Victoria: The priceless reactions from the elderly - seeing their smiles made all the hard work worth it.

Jaslyn: I share the same sentiments as Victoria.

It was heartening to see other initiatives that sprouted and people coming to us for mentorship, proving that doing good causes a ripple effect.  

What are some lessons you've learned from gained co-running this project?             

Victoria: Communication is very important when running a project with a partner. And although things may seem tough or difficult, the payoff will definitely bring about satisfaction.

Jaslyn: A team is one unit. It’s crucial that both parties in a team can

1)     Vocalize limitations and be honest with the other about it

2)     Trust and care for each other

3)     Rectify situations and move forward together.

What are some misconceptions that you think people have about starting a social initiative?

Both: It is not as complicated and tough as you imagine. Your reason for wanting to start a project and the conviction to follow through is essential. Hold on to that, stand your ground and don't let the naysayers get to you. Everything will flow naturally if it stems from the root of your being. Don't stop, you don't know it but you're impacting this world!

Just do it - even if it may seem small, it'll definitely impact at least one person and that is enough. 

Do any of you have experiences volunteering beyond activities organised by the school? Tell us more about them.            

Jaslyn: I've volunteered in the arts scene, equestrian therapy at Equal Ark (elderly pillar, which promotes emotional and mental wellness for elderly who have depression or dementia), marathons, independent projects by friends and many more events. Many places could do with extra hands and will be happy to have you if you just ask!

Comparing the 2019 and 2020 versions of you, how you do you think you've changed/grown?             

Jaslyn: I’ve definitely learnt to slow down as a state of mind.      

Victoria: I think I've matured and my outlook in life has also changed which comes with growth every year.

As the final interviewees for #HI2020, share with us your takeaways from 2020 that you intend to apply in 2021. 

Both: Focus on and invest in good energy and be unapologetic about having to discard the negative :)