Building Platforms for a Stronger Community

For Dr Nigel Goh, building a community is about creating platforms for people to come together, contribute and make something happen.

A marine biologist by training, Dr Nigel Goh sees neighbourhoods as ecosystems where everyone has a role to play.

The ocean thrives because every living thing within it plays a part, and Dr Nigel Goh believes communities are no different. This philosophy has shaped his involvement with Queenstown Kakis and has shaped how he spends his time in early retirement.

Queenstown Kakis is a community-led social group that brings residents together to organise activities and share their talents, with the aim of building a more liveable and loveable neighbourhood. Nigel joined the group about four years ago and has since become an active member of the wider Queenstown community.

During Chinese New Year, a Queenstown resident (top right) volunteered her Chinese calligraphy skills with Queenstown Kakis, giving residents a chance to own their own handwritten calligraphy pieces. Nigel (main photo, far right) is showing off his handwritten Chinese name. Photo credit: Queenstown Kakis

His journey into community building began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he and his wife became more aware of the importance of having strong community ties. Despite a career spanning marine biology, pharmaceutical research, intellectual property, public service and international development, Nigel realised that he knew very little about how communities come together.

So he decided to learn — by becoming the local ‘kaypoh’, or busybody, as he put it. 

He spent time getting to know neighbours and engaging with organisations and groups working in the neighbourhood. In 2024, with his wife’s support, Nigel decided to retire early and devote more time to community building, having found the sense of purpose he was looking for in this stage of his life.

Today, after 20 years of living in Queenstown, he is a familiar face around the estate, often joining in Come 4Tea Lah! (C4TL!), Happy Village @ Mei Ling, Lions Befrienders and other activities. Along the way, he has forged connections with individuals and organisations across the community.

Nigel (far right) catching up with fellow residents during a stroll at Happy Village @ Mei Ling’s KOPI Fit Move & Mingle, where neighbours come together weekly for a walk and a chat.

Shaped in part by his background as a marine biologist, Nigel’s approach is to treat neighbourhoods as ecosystems, where different people and organisations each have a role to play. No single group has to do everything. Instead, the aim is to create an environment where people can contribute, connect and build on one another’s efforts.

This is what “platform building” means to Nigel.

A platform creates opportunities for others to step up. This was part of the thinking behind Queenstown Kakis, whose early initiatives included pop-up activities in unexpected spaces, led by residents who volunteered as “happiness hosts” to share their skills and interests with their neighbours. 

For Nigel, the value of a platform lies not just in the activity itself, but also in what it enables. One recent example was when he introduced Ms Rexanna Kok and her group of backgammon enthusiasts living in Queenstown to C4TL! The connection eventually led them to teach residents how to play the game and even invited professional backgammon players to conduct a sharing and coaching session.

Residents came together at Come 4Tea Lah! to learn backgammon from experienced players from Queenstown Kakis.

“I prefer being involved in something that once built, allows other components to come in and build up on what has been done and continue to do good,” he said simply.

This is also why Nigel is drawn to small, regular activities rather than large-scale events. A weekly walk, coffee chat or shared hobby may not attract hundreds of people, but repeated encounters give neighbours the opportunity to build relationships over time.

For Nigel, this is the impact worth creating — one that can continue beyond the person who started it.

And for anyone wondering how they can contribute, his advice is simple: Start close to home.

“Get to know your neighbours. Say hi and then make another comment or ask another question without being intrusive,” he said. “And then see what happens after that.”

“People are actually waiting for someone else to take the first step. And once you take the first step, actually it’s very simple.”

Learn more about Queenstown Kakis and their activities around Queenstown: https://t.me/+5xXQShJbg8AzMTA9

Creating a Space for Everyone to Contribute

A community space where everyone feels at home was the inspiration behind the Holland Village Little Library founded by Ms Wong Kae Chee.

Ms Wong Kae Chee pointing out the clock, rebuilt piece by piece with parts contributed by residents, that is on display at the community library.

In August 2026, the Holland neighbourhood celebrated their library’s fourth anniversary.

What began during the Covid-19 pandemic as a simple bookshelf at the void deck of Block 2 at Holland Avenue has since grown into a cosy, welcoming space loved by residents and passers-by. 

Concerned about how her neighbours, especially those living alone, were coping with isolation and social distancing, Kae Chee thought a community library could provide a common space for people to meet and interact. 

On the night of her youngest son’s birthday, continuing her annual tradition of doing something good to mark her children’s birthdays, she went downstairs with a bookshelf and books from her own collection. The next day, another empty bookshelf appeared. She filled that too. Soon, more shelves appeared, followed by books, tables, chairs and other furniture.

Today, Holland Village Little Library feels less like an HDB void deck and more like a shared living room. Books in different languages line the shelves, while tables, benches and sofas provide spaces for reading, chatting and community activities. There is even an upright piano — fitting for Kae Chee, who teaches piano and harp — as well as a newspaper stand where residents can read Chinese and English dailies, with subscriptions sponsored by residents and donors.

Everyone is welcome to sit down and relax in this shared living room, where every piece of furniture and decoration has been contributed by residents and donors.

But it is the people, rather than the furniture and books, that give the library its character.

“Over here, we don’t tell people what to do or assign anyone tasks. We just see what needs to be done and do it, without having to be told,” Kae Chee shared. “That’s why we don’t call ourselves volunteers. We are all kampong elves. Like elves, we do things without being asked or recognised.”

If a neighbour needs someone to accompany them to the hospital, someone steps up. If help is needed for an activity, another resident pitches in. There is no roster or formal assignment — just people looking out for one another.

Holland Village Little Library creates opportunities for those talents to surface. Children from the nearby preschool visit to read and listen to stories, while neighbours use the space for activities, gatherings and celebrations.

"You want to tell a story? You can,” said Kae Chee. “You need tables for activities? You just come.”

Holland Village Little Library is a proud recipient of Singapore’s Friendly Neighbourhood Award in 2023, as shown here by Kae Chee. Below the award is a poster of Dewy, who helps keep the community library pest free.

Her own contributions extend well beyond Holland Village Little Library, with Kae Chee regularly supporting neighbours and community initiatives. But she is quick to point out that what has grown from the library is a collective effort.

Perhaps, that is what makes Holland Village Little Library so special. It is not just a library with people volunteering behind the scenes. It is a place where residents can walk in, offer what they can, ask for help, discover their neighbours’ talents — or simply feel at home.

A place that belongs to everyone, because everyone has something to contribute.

Learn more about Holland Village Little Library and their activities around Queenstown: www.hvlittlelibrary.com

Small Acts, Strong Connections

Making a difference does not mean doing something big. Sometimes, it is as simple as showing up when someone needs a hand, or taking the time to get to know a neighbour.

Pictured from left to right: Mr Haji, Mr Andrew, Mr Jalaluddin, Ms Yvonne, Mr Mashoor and Mr David, among the Mei Ling residents who came together for a Connect Corner session at Happy Village @ Mei Ling.

For a group of Queenstown residents, these small acts of care have become their own way of contributing to the community.

For Mr Haji, it starts with simply being there. A Queenstown resident for almost 50 years, Haji regularly drops by Happy Village @ Mei Ling (HV@ML) where he has become a familiar face. He participates in activities, spends time with neighbours and helps others feel more comfortable joining in. 

“When Happy Village asks me to come, I come,” he said.

For Ms Yvonne, volunteering has opened the door to something she did not expect. Having always enjoyed working with children, she discovered that she also found joy in connecting with older adults.

Outside of her involvement with Health District @ Queenstown, Ms Yvonne also volunteers in community activities that bring preschoolers and older adults together. She leads storytelling sessions that encourage them to interact through the stories and helps older adults with simple cognitive exercises using colourful building blocks.

“That one really opened up my heart,” she said. “When I saw how the participants brightened up when they were able to complete the activities, I realised I am able to work with older adults too.”

It was the kindness and encouragement she received from others that motivated her to keep volunteering.

“You’re so happy when you receive so much, so you got to share right? It made me think it’s time for me to share too, to help out and give back the kindness that I have received.”

Agreeing with Yvonne, Mr Andrew who volunteers at his church added: “When someone says, ‘Thank you! Well done.’ I feel very relieved and happy, because volunteering is from the heart.”

For Mr Jalaluddin, or Jalal as his neighbours fondly call him, volunteering has become a way to stay active and bring others along with him.

From being a regular walker to now leading the walks at HV@ML’s KOPI Fit Move & Mingle weekly walks, Jalal gets a sense of satisfaction when residents who initially say they cannot finish at 5km walk eventually complete up to 10km with encouragement from their peers.

“When we do things alone at home, it is easy to give excuses like I need a break,” Jalal laughed. “But when we do things as a group, we are more inspired to complete the activities because we are with friends and we encourage one another to carry on.”

Their contributions may not look grand — showing up, sharing a skill or encouraging a neighbour — but each creates an opportunity for people to connect and feel supported. Together, they add up to a community where people look out for one another and know they have something to offer.

As Mr Mashoor put it: “Once we instil the idea of coming together as a community, everything will flow.”

And for the residents, volunteering offers them a greater sense of happiness and purpose. “I am happier and healthier, from the heart and the soul,” said Yvonne. “And I want to spread that happiness by giving back.”

Perhaps that is the beauty of giving back. It can take many forms, and even the smallest contribution can make a difference.