Young hearts, big impact – Youth volunteers spread festive joy across 8,000 households in the South West District

The South West Community Development Council (CDC) commenced the three-month long annual Festive Cheers @ South West on 6 December 2025. Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower, Minister-in-Charge of Energy and Science & Technology and Adviser to Chua Chu Kang GRC Grassroots Organisations, and Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Mayor of South West District, kicked off the festive distribution at Chua Chu Kang Community Club. This initiative, running from December 2025 to March 2026, aims to foster a sense of community and bring cheer to 8,000 vulnerable families in the South West District during this festive period.

2        This year's Festive Cheers @ South West shines a spotlight on youth volunteerism, with students from uniformed groups in the South West District volunteering alongside corporate and community partners over the three-month period, packing and distributing the South West Festive Cheers Packs to the vulnerable families. The involvement of youth volunteers reflects the We-First spirit highlighted by Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong during the National Day Rally, as young Singaporeans step forward to serve the community and strengthen intergenerational bonds so that everyone thrives together.

3        As part of the launch event to kickstart the three-month initiative, youth volunteers from the Girls' Brigade Singapore and Singapore Scouts distributed the South West Festive Cheers Packs, together with approximately 40 volunteers from P&G Singapore on 6 December 2025.  The youth volunteers reached out to residents at the event, bringing festive cheer directly to them. This experiential involvement aims to instil empathy, discipline and civic responsibility in youths through real-world engagement and meaningful interaction with residents. With the support and contribution by Koh Kock Leong Enterprise Pte Ltd and P&G Singapore, about $700,000 worth of South West Festive Cheers Packs will be distributed. The packs include food and essential household items worth about $88 each and are targeted at providing relief to families by easing their day-to-day household expenses.

4        80 children and families from Chua Chu Kang GRC and Bukit Gombak SMC also received personalised gifts from P&G Singapore volunteers. The gifts, ranging from school essentials to board games, are specially prepared by the volunteers based on wishes and needs of the families. Beyond traditional distribution, families also enjoyed an engaging festive experience through P&G’s interactive and experiential booths, which offered hands-on activities and product demonstrations on good health, hygiene and daily well-being. This provided the families a chance to gain helpful takeaways that they can adopt in their daily lives.  

5        "Our annual Festive Cheers @ South West initiative embodies our community's caring spirit. This year, our youth volunteers are leading the charge to distribute gift packs to over 8,000 vulnerable households in our district. Initiatives like Festive Cheers @ South West help build a We-First community where we watch out for one another and uplift those in need. Besides learning to embrace service before self, our volunteers are building inter-generational bonds that strengthen our society’s resilience. In addition, these efforts aim to lighten the daily expenses of vulnerable families and bring cheer by granting 300 children their wished-for Christmas gifts," said Mayor Low.

6        Mr. Standa Vecera, President, Procter & Gamble Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, said " I am personally thrilled to be here, to connect with the children and their families, and to share in the spirit of giving alongside my dedicated colleagues. This is our seventh year participating in the Festive Grant-A-Wish initiative with South West CDC and it is a milestone we are incredibly proud of. Fulfilling the wishes of 300 children and supporting 8,000 families with essential products is a direct expression of our company's core mission to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve. These are the moments that truly define our purpose and unify us in our commitment to making a difference."

7        Festive Cheers @ South West rallies the support of corporate and community partners to organise a series of festive activities such as Christmas and Chinese New Year engagement, distribution of South West Festive Cheers Packs and festive gifts to the beneficiaries of Adopt @ South West. This year, Festive Cheers @ South West will benefit 8,000 vulnerable households from 16 Adopt @ South West precincts.

8        The Adopt @ South West programme aims to uplift and enrich the lives of needy and vulnerable residents living in rental flats by reaching out to them and providing social support. This is part of the WeCare Plus @ South West Initiative, which aims to provide holistic assistance to our residents, strengthen the social safety net for the needy and vulnerable, and create a more caring environment for all residents. The suite of programmes is developed to meet the three core needs of Adopt @ South West - namely Social Support and Wellness, Home Care and Maintenance, as well as Education and Enrichment - to enhance the lives of vulnerable residents in the South West District.

9        Photos for the Launch of Festive Cheers @ South West 2025 may be downloaded from the following link ↗ (opens in new tab).

Annex A - Human Interest Stories

Profile 1

Ms Catherine Ong, Manager (Community Development), The Girls’ Brigade Singapore

“Watching our girls serve the community was incredibly meaningful. Their enthusiasm and empathy showed how capable they are of making a real difference. Moments like these affirm the values we hope to nurture in Girls’ Brigade.”

Profile 2

Ms Cheah Yu Jen, 9, Member of The Girls’ Brigade Singapore, West Grove Primary School

“I feel proud and excited when I volunteer because I get to learn new things and help my community. I also learned that even small kind acts can make a big difference.”

Annex B

Each South West Festive Cheers Packs consists of the following items:

Each P&G Household Packs consists of the following items: