We were talking to several of our merchants, and we learned that lots of them are very interested and involved in having some sort of social mission.
I decided to do a bit of research and asking around myself, to find out which businesses are make the effort to help, and I thought I’d give them a bit of a signal boost.
Here are some businesses in Singapore that deserve more attention for the social work that they do:
1. Innervate Fitness – Fitness for all
Innervate is a social enterprise helping people get fit. They focus on helping older people, people with disabilities as well as ‘at-risk’ youths.
2. Indie Mamashop – providing jobs via sewing
Indie Mamashop is on a mission to create income opportunities for the economically-disadvantaged via sewing. You can learn more about how they do that here. They also organize workshops.
3. Freedom Cups – menstrual cups for women
Freedom Cups – Founded by 3 sisters (Joanne, Rebecca and Vanessa Paranjothy) in 2015, Freedom Cups makes menstrual cups. They they have a Buy 1, Give 1 model (much like TOMS shoes!), and have donated over 3,000 cups to women in underprivileged communities so far. You can learn more about their story here.
4. Purnama Outreach – eco-friendly lifestyle products
Purnama creates and sells eco-friendly lifestyle products made in Nepal and Java, Indonesia. They help provide employment in those local regions.
5. 45RICE – improving lives through nutrition
45RICE is focused on helping helping migrant workers get better nutrition via fortified rice.
6. Barkatree – products and events for pets and pet owners
Barkatree organizes fund-raising events and adoption drives for animal welfare societies – their goal is to further the causes of pet responsibility and animal welfare in Singapore.
7. Praxium – experience driven programs for youth
Praxium is a career discovery institute that helps people (particularly students) build a successful career around their passions and aptitudes.
8. aidha – financial education for foreign domestic workers
Aidha.org – helped over 2,800 workers since 2006. Classes run by a pool of over 200 volunteers. You can learn more here.
9. Center Pottery – sculpting clay and supporting mental health
Center Pottery sells classes and has a focus on mental health. They work with psychologists to create a structured tehapeutic curriculum, both for mental health patients as well as the general public.
10. Bettr Barista – Coffee academy supporting at-risk youth
Bettr Barista supports marginalized women and youth at risk. Channel a portion of their retail proceeds towards supporting higher education for youth-in-need. You can read about the specifics of their impact here.
11. Annalakshmi – pay as you feel
“Pay as you feel – Annalakshmi is not a soup kitchen, or a place to feed socially deprived. Instead it is a place that supports the act of giving, from the heart.”
Know a business that ought to be featured in this list? Get in touch and let us know!