At Tanglin, students are often encouraged to reduce, reuse, and recycle but Year 13's Yash decided to take it a step further in his CAS project by restoring abandoned bikes and donating them to disadvantaged families. Here's his story.
 

In an affluent city like Singapore, it is not uncommon to see many precious materials and resources go to waste because people find it easier to buy new products than repair and reuse the ones they have.

The large number of abandoned/broken bikes piling up at a corner of my condominium's car park was a good example. When I found out that the condo management tags and sorts the bikes every two years to see which ones can still be used and which ones to dispose of, I decided to take a closer look. I realised that many of the bikes were still in good shape so they could be refurbished and given a new lease of life.

This gave me the inspiration for my CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) project. I would repair old abandoned bikes and distribute them to needy persons and families who could use them to earn some additional income as delivery riders or save costs on transport. I discussed the idea with my parents and they agreed that it would be a good initiative to act on.

Taking the first step
First, I asked the Condo Manager if I could take some of the bikes and refurbish/repair them to donate them to people who needed them. He happily agreed as the condo management would have to scrap the bikes otherwise. After getting the green light from him, I started sorting through the pile of bikes to see which ones I could salvage. I looked for bikes that only needed a few repairs e.g. tire change, new pedals or seats, new brakes, or a new chain. I picked those that I could repair easily myself or send for repairs at an affordable price.

Locating the needy
While I was in the process of repairing the bikes, I also started to identify whom I could donate them to. I used a website called 'Grant-a-Wish', where social workers post requests for donations from needy families and people. After I shortlisted the relevant requests on the website, I contacted the social workers and started coordinating with them on the type and size of bike required as well as the location where the bike would go.

I also enlisted the help of these social workers to find other people who would benefit from these bikes. It is noteworthy that the bikes that would have otherwise been trashed would be given a new lease of life for so many families.

Reflecting on the experience
Once repaired, I got delivery addresses for each client through the social workers and delivered the bikes to their homes. It was always eye-opening for me to hear how the recipients were planning to use these bikes. Many of the families had issues such as having only one breadwinner or being too old to work. This project helped me to reflect upon the impact a bike has on a person's life. For some, the bike served as a source of income by allowing them to become delivery riders. For others, it helped them save a precious few dollars that they would otherwise have spent on public transportation. In one case, the bikes were presents for a single mother's young children, which brought much happiness into their already stressful lives.

Over the course of this project, I've been able to repair and deliver more than ten bikes to disadvantaged families. After hearing about my experience, some of my friends and social workers are also planning to implement similar projects in their condominiums as this is a common issue at many residential complexes.

Personally, it has been a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. I'm grateful for the support of my Condo Manager and Tanglin Trust School, through the Deirdre Lew Service Award grant, which allowed me to cover the cost of repairs and delivery. I also want to thank all the social workers who have been very helpful in the coordination of requirements and deliveries. Last but not least, I sincerely hope that other students will take on similar initiatives and continue rolling the "Wheels of Hope" to help underprivileged sections of our society and bring a positive change to their lives.