More good news for Singapore’s women: The Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Singapore (OGSS) and our PAP Women’s Wing (WW) have signed a three-year partnership to help women navigate health issues such as maternal care, reproductive health and mental well-being.
The partnership with one of Singapore’s key associations for women’s health is part of WW’s overall efforts to help Singapore’s women thrive. It is one big highlight of our WW’s Mother’s Day Celebrations 2024 to develop empathy, resilience and well-being for mothers.
“The PAP Women’s Wing would like to remind every mother that caring for oneself is a profound act of love for your family too. When mothers invest in their health, they set the foundation for the family to thrive,” said WW Chairwoman Sim Ann at the Celebrations this Saturday afternoon (May 11) at Rochester Commons.
“Together, we hope to encourage more women to prioritise self-care. And the talks, workshops and dialogues [with OGSS] are a very good way for us to do this,” added Chairwoman Sim. “From the ground, we hear from the women we come across — the women whom we serve — about their concerns on health. …We hope to also bring some of these observations and insights to the professionals at OGSS.”
At over 300 members, the OGSS is Singapore’s largest association for obstetricians and gynaecologists. It is one of our WW’s many partners to help Singapore’s women.
Diverse partners for the WW
Some of these partners, ranging from the arts, the non-profit sector and the grassroots were at the Celebrations as well.
The visual artist Dr Chen Yanyun, winner of the National Youth Film Award for Best Art Direction was there. So were the Asian TV Awards’s Best Actress in a Supporting Role Lina Ng, grassroots leader (and happy grandmother) Angie Ng as well as breastfeeding advocate and Lactation Bakes founder Joanna Goy.
They were part of a heart-to-heart conversation where they shared personal stories about being mums and daughters in front of over 200 WW activists.
“It’s okay not to be okay. I think as women — especially mothers — we are always trying to be strong,” said Ms Lina Ng, giving a key insight about her motherhood journey and how “me time” does help people in the bigger picture. “We need time to cry, to be angry, to ask a lot of ‘Why?’ questions. …That’s what resilience is — to bounce back, to recover, and then to be able to think of ways to overcome setbacks.”
Our WW champions meaningful causes
The event held concurrent workshops on pelvic floor fitness by O&G consultants and mindful herbal tea-making by a Traditional Chinese Medicine and psychologist duo as well as soap-making by the wellness studio Soaprise.
Like the event’s Organising Chair WW Executive Committee Member (and also Sengkang Branch Chair) Theodora Lai told Petir.sg recently, the Celebrations were an opportunity for women “to take time and do broader-picture planning” for their lives. These participatory hands-on workshops were invaluable here; their sign-ups were, in fact, full.
“Now even as we focus on women’s health and well-being, the Women’s Wing will continue to bring together the best partners to champion causes that matter most to our women,” said Chairwoman Sim. “This includes recommending measures to protect women from workplace discrimination and harassment, establishing robust support networks for women to re-enter the workforce and promoting equal sharing of caregiving responsibility.”
Plus, our WW keeps attracting donors of impact where bread-and-butter issues are concerned. It has raised over $400,000 from donors like the Kuan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple to fund this year’s supermarket vouchers initiative for mothers who need extra help with the cost of living. This allows the initiative to expand to over 4,000 mums; last year’s initiative with the PAP Community Foundation raised $347, 000 for over 3,000 beneficiaries.
“By empowering our women and helping them to realise their fullest potential. We are investing in the backbone of our community, our economy and our future,” said Chairwoman Sim. “So together, let’s nurture the nurturers. And by doing so, strengthen the very foundation of our society. Happy Mother’s Day everyone!”
