My first born daughter turned 3 months this month and it has been transformational watching her grow and hitting so many developmental milestones, but also to know that I have grown and 'evolved' to take on a new role as a mother. The act of balancing motherhood, growing the business, being a wife and a daughter and still staying mentally well is truly a personal growth journey and something I am still learning (tips please!). Functioning on a mum brain with intermittent sleep and waking up to a day of calls is a routine that I've slowly gotten adjusted to but also grateful that I have help that allows me to continue to work. I've sort of found a rhythm in the motherhood mayhem and took time out today to spend a fulfilling morning volunteering with Zonta Club of Singapore Zonta's purpose and mission lies in building a better world for Women and Girls - a purpose that lies close to my heart. It was a humbling eye opening experience spending time with Project Pari girls learning about coding at Apple Singapore - a life skill in today's world! To be very honest, I was learning alongside the girls! The gamified Swift Playgrounds program is a truly fun way to kick start coding and can be accessed on Macs and Ipads by anyone (Link here: https://lnkd.in/gDpKFiAn ) Project Pari was set up to inspire and enable young women from lower-income families to attain a positive outlook of the future. I sat with a Secondary 4 girl whose dream is to be a lawyer. As a new mother, I want my daughter to grow up in a world where girls can be equally ambitious, equally outspoken and equally equipped with the right skills and support. If you'd like to be part of Zonta Club of Singapore , happy to chat! #girls #stem #zonta #volunteering #womenintech #motherhood
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At City Sprouts, we always joke that as long as we have good people and good karma, the sun will shine for us. True enough, the sun came through (okay, more of a drizzle) right on time for that sliver of an hour and a half as we officially opened City Sprouts at West Coast with NPARKS! The team has worked really hard and with the huge support from NParks, we are proud to say 'We are open, do join us!' It is a community farm for the community and I am heartened to see the farmers community already forming! Growing up, my family would frequent West Coast Park and my siblings and I look forward to conquering the pyramid rope obstacle course (as we called it) and counting boats at the jetty. When the site was being constructed, I spent a number of days walking West Coast Park which brought back fond memories. I hope that City Sprouts at West Coast will play a part in forming memorable moments for families, children and elderly groups. We will be hosting heritage, mindfulness and inclusive activities at the space, staying true to our building communities. Again, grateful for the opportunity and looking to do more and to do more good!
One of the first things I was tasked with when I first started working was to facilitate the growth of the urban farming landscape. Even at that nascent stage, I was always inspired by how these farms were able to galvanise communities and propagate knowledge and interest in all things green. They were so much more than just growing food. So it was especially meaningful for me yesterday at the opening of the National Parks Board’s first Social Enterprise Community Urban Farm (SECUF) in a park - City Sprouts @ West Coast. The launch event was an excellent showcase of the possibilities this site holds. Nature Kakis from Boon Lay, Telok Blangah, Nanyang and West Coast came together to organise bird watching and therapeutic horticulture programmes for seniors and beneficiaries from Lions Befrienders and St Luke's ElderCare Ltd who were partners of City Sprouts. There was also rempah making and microgreens workshops led by City Sprouts among other programmes. The downpour that morning couldn’t dampen the spirits of everyone who was there, and you could see all the participants enjoying themselves. City Sprouts @ West Coast also features 33 greenhouse lots and 41 gardening plots for partners and the resident community to rent and hold a space on site. It will be a hub where stakeholders from all walks of life can come together to mingle and learn from one another. Zac, Simone and the City Sprouts team have done an amazing job to kick things off, and I’m really looking forward to what’s more to come from this first SECUF in West Coast Park!
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When I first visited the former Loyang Primary School, it was 1) probably the furthest east I have been besides Changi Airport 2) not the best looking given that it is after all a vacated former primary school It takes a crazy man like Zac Toh to turn his bold idea of Vidacity into reality and I am proud to witness this transformation. As we launched Vidacity this week with our GOH President Tharman, special guest Senior Minister of State Desmond Tan ,supporting partners Enterprise Singapore and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and many others along the way, I look forward to Vidacity being a place to innovate and bring forward ideas of sustainability. I am excited that City Sprouts will be developing programmes at Vidacity as well as engaging communities in the East. Similar to the 102 Henderson Road, the greenest building is one that is already built and adaptive reuse of the school pays homage to the space still being a place to grow, to be inspired and to inspire. My takeaway? To always keep dreaming!
“𝘈𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘰, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰-𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴.” said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at our Grand Opening today. As entrepreneurs who sought that very scaffolding as we grew Vidacity, we’re proud to have Vidacity formally launched today as part of our Grand Opening Week by the President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam whose words rang true to our heart and the past year of establishing this living lab and sustainability innovation campus since we took over the Old Loyang Primary School in 2023. We could not have accomplished this without our key partners Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Enterprise Singapore, our dear startup Founders, research institute members, and over 100 of our friends from corporates, government and startups. Zac Toh shared about his past decade of turning his dreams into reality. And his hopes that the establishment of Vidacity, alongside Co-Founders Tatiana Ratcu Siufi, CSO and Jason Ng, COO, will support other entrepreneurs with a holistic ecosystem that supports every stage of the innovation process. Not alone, but with an ecosystem that allows for greater impact through collective action. Whether it's conducting groundbreaking research, developing sustainable technologies, or scaling impactful solutions, Vidacity offers the resources, infrastructure, and support needed to take ideas and innovation to market. Our journey has just begun. --- Special thanks to our extended family at GWS Living Art and City Sprouts for building better with us. Pictured in Photo 1: Tatiana Ratcu Siufi, Jason Ng, Sharon Tay, Carrie Wong, Melvyn Yeo, Sharael Taha, Desmond Tan, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Zac Toh, Jaelle Ang, Thong Wai Lin, Sin Lye Chong, Simone Lim Today was also powered by the crew behind the scenes: Conan G., Peony Tan, Sylvia Toh, Alvvinn Lai, Yanlin Jin, Zibin Ke and Hui Ming Chee
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Celebrated International Women's Day last Fri with a hands-on session with Fullerton Fund Management ! Thank you Cynara Tan for providing us the opportunity to be the first lunch and learn session held at the office. The overwhelming response was heartening as we shared about our 2023 engagements with Fullerton Fund Management. Our collaborations focused on Local Labels Global Flavours but extended to more than just the book. If you have yet to check out the book, get ready to be amazed by local produce and the recipes put together by local chefs. (https://lnkd.in/g5Ms_JSC ) I never expected to have an extended Q&A on planting and propagation at a lunch time talk! Looking forward to checking in on the progress of aspiring green / brown fingers and their plants. We ended the session with growing Red Amaranth Microgreens - signifying the colours of IWD. This year's global theme 'Inspire Inclusion' highlights that women's participation in society is essential and we should continue to accelerate progress, investing in women. The theme is particularly close to heart as the SME Entrepreneurship space still sees more males however, the sustainability space has been a sector where I have met many interesting female founders! As as social enterprise, City Sprouts community engagement outreach aims at inspiring inclusion - not just for women but extending that to include other marginalized groups in the community and we look forward to deepening our impact this year with Fullerton Fund Management!
Last Friday, we hosted a corporate sustainability lunch and learn session centered around "Plant Propagating and Transplanting" for our people. Our speakers from CitySprouts, a leading social enterprise in Singapore, shared invaluable insights on urban farming and community gardening. Participants from Fullerton had the opportunity to learn firsthand from the experts, gaining practical tips on plant propagation and care. They also enjoyed the hands-on activity of potting Red Amaranth seeds. Known not only for its vibrant hues but also its nutritional richness, the Red Amaranth plant left participants with a newfound understanding of how to cultivate their own edible gardens at home, one plant at a time. Simone Lim Ivee Zeng Najib Al Imad Patricia Yew Amanda Yap Huck Khim Tan Katina Yap Fiona Loh Jessica Quek Francis Woo #corporatesustainability #ediblegardens #plantpropagation #urbanfarming
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If you're around town this weekend, do drop by our booth and learn more about City Sprouts as well as the amazing work the MeshMinds team has done for Sky Farm Island - a roblox game that encourages children to farm! (Yes, growing in the metaverse!) We look forward to spurring on this message together with Kay Vasey and inspiring young growers with green (or not) fingers.
Technology Lawyer & Impact Entrepreneur focused on tech4good | TEDx Speaker on Gaming for Good | Educate, Enable, Empower
💚 Delighted to see Sky Farm Island showcased by our amazing partners at City Sprouts at the Around the World School Fair at Great World City today until Sunday. 📝 Sign up to our Garden City Growers challenge and help to transform Asia's urban jungles into garden cities by empowering kids to become plant-powered planet protectors, playing Sky Farm Island on Roblox: www.skyfarmisland.com ▶️ Let's make protecting our planet the greatest game we have ever played! 🙏 Thanks so much to the wonderful Simone Lim and her team for this brilliant opportunity! #learningthroughplay #playlearngrow #plantpowered #planetprotector #gardencitygrowers #skyfarmisland #playingfortheplanet #greengamejam2024 UN Environment Programme
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Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known. - Oscar Wilde. Singapore Art Week was part of my weekend agenda and it never ceases to amaze me how subjective art can be. But that's exactly what it is - a form of individual expression and identity. I first met Lumin Hew through our Intergenerational Fashion Show in 2023 and was impressed by the Gen Z community that she has brought together! (In fact, everyday I'm learning about working better with Gen Z!) Days into 2024, City Sprouts had the pleasure of witnessing Fashion Parade's magic again, providing a community space for sustainable murals using upcycled clothes. In conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2024, and immersive collaboration with Nowafter Cafe, Fashion Parade presents The Art of Everyone. Every Cause. Every Community. Everyone. Each upcycled mural portrait tells the story of the individual behind the portrait. Fun fact, the oldest participant is 93 years old! Individuals including cancer survivors, individuals with special needs, orphans, elderly individuals, and migrant workers contributed to this community tapestry. The final installation shows how art can bring people together but also allows each individual to shine in their own light. Do check them out at Design Orchard till 24th January at Nowafter Cafe!
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"Wow! You are so brave to work with your spouse. I could never do that!" is a comment I've heard many times and truth be told I also harboured doubts working together with Zac Toh Coming from very different backgrounds honed in different expertise, both Zac and myself definitely do not see eye to eye on everything. What we do know and acknowledge are each others' strengths and we optimize on that, working on different verticals within City Sprouts, GWS Living Art and Vidacity. The vision of City Sprouts is to foster communities through shared discoveries and that singular vision can be achieved in many ways. Our team is made up of people from different backgrounds, nationalities and countries and that helps us to better shape our community programmes and outreach. If I may answer some FAQs, Has there been hiccups working together? Yes, definitely. Have you ever 'brought work home to the dinner table'? Yes, we have discussed work over breakfast, lunches and dinners. When you are passionate about a topic, it never gets old and when its a topic like sustainability and championing community engagement, it's a living breathing topic that changes and fuels more food for thought. Looking forward to a more impactful year ahead with my partner in crime!
Have you ever wondered who are the faces behind Sprout Hub, the urban farm at the former Henderson Secondary School, which is a State property that was transformed for #adaptivereuse in 2018? Husband-and-wife duo Zac Toh and Simone Lim reminisce how they took the leap of faith 5 years ago to start City Sprouts and how their complementary personalities and expertise helped it blossom into a social enterprise with 3 locations around the island. Sprout Hub has since grown into an intergenerational vibrant space hosting an array of community events, as well as housing 38 greenhouses tended to by local farmers and other sustainable startup businesses. SLA is happy to be a part of their success in supporting their vision, and we look forward to more success stories from their dynamic partnership!
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What a night to remember on the green carpet! Congratulations to the Earthshot Prize 2023 Winners Acción Andina GRST WildAid Marine S4S Technologies Boomitra truly an honour to have witnessed the awards ceremony. The stories and videos of all the finalists were truly inspirational and gave me so many ideas on how to further broaden the deepen the impact of City Sprouts as well as reinforce my purpose to bring communities together, building a resilient sustainable community. Thank you Akbar Humayun Makani for extending the invite to youths at City Sprouts The star studded night focused on saving Earth - the one planet we call home and it is a timely reminder (it's been a long and crazy year) of why we do what we do - building more sustainable cities. One of the highlights was definitely to hear from Prince William (in person live!) about the purpose of the EarthShot Prize. As we enter the season of holiday drinks, I look forward and am geared for 2024. Sir David Attenborough powerful video kicked off the ceremony and here's one of my favourite quotes from him “The whole of life is coming to terms with yourself and the natural world. Why are you here? How do you fit in? What’s it all about?” - Sir David Attenborough
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Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when it's to a friend turned colleague who has made such valuable contributions to our team as a co-founder. Some of my fond memories include seeing Zhi Kin Chee at the field (back when the allotment gardens were not up yet) with a shovel covered in sweat and soil during the initial phases on getting City Sprouts going. Another memory was being at our first Boutiques Fair and conducting workshops together. Zhi Kin Chee has and will always be a key pillar of City Sprouts. We are immensely grateful for all that you have done and will always hold you in our hearts as we continue to scale greater heights. Though things will be different around here, I wish you all the best in your next journey. You will always be a part of the family here so don't be a stranger!
🌱 After five transformative years at City Sprouts, it's time for the next chapter of my journey 🌱 When I first met Zac Toh, starting a company was never really in the plan. Yet we shared a simple ambition: to restore the relationships urban dwellers have with their food. Driven by passion and purpose (and some blind courage), we embarked on an uphill journey that turned into City Sprouts. As I look back with a mixed sense of gratitude and nostalgia, I still don’t fully grasp the magnitude of what I signed up for. But it is clear that this journey has been a tapestry woven with threads of dedication, perseverance, and the unwavering support of so many. To the mentors and pioneers who came before us, it was through our fortuitous crossing of paths that we established the bedrock upon which City Sprouts was built. It was your invaluable guidance, wisdom and encouragement that enabled us to navigate and adapt in the face of adversity (especially in facing the pandemic during our infancy). My deepest appreciation also goes out to our partners and agencies. Thank you for believing in us and giving us a chance when few others did. That has been instrumental in putting us on this trajectory of growth and impact. To the exceptional team that I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of, you’re the heart and soul of the company. I’m immensely grateful for your commitment, sacrifice, and steadfast trust in my leadership. The fervour that you bring to work daily reminds me of the "why" in what we do, and it challenges me to bring my A game and do right by each and every one of you. Thank you for teaching me the true meaning of resilience and teamwork. Not forgetting the City Sprouts community we've had the honor of cultivating. To all of you who opened up to us, accepted us, and embraced our mission, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support and enthusiasm means everything and I hope we've done right by you. Finally, I want to thank Zac and Simone Lim, for partnering and entrusting me throughout this incredible journey. It is still hard to believe that our chat over the run in MacRitchie happened five years ago. Since then, you’ve shown me what true grit and going all-in looks like and that took City Sprouts to heights I never thought possible. I will always be grateful that I went on that run. As I step into the next adventure, I carry with me the lessons and memories of these remarkable years. The seeds we've sown at City Sprouts will continue to flourish, and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Let's stay connected, and feel free to reach out anytime for coffee or drinks! Here's to new beginnings!
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Not sure what the kids are playing on Roblox? Here's a new game inspired by urban farming! Using tech for good, the game educates on growing vertically and is available in the Roblox store. Play now and join our farm tour City Sprouts
Technology Lawyer & Impact Entrepreneur focused on tech4good | TEDx Speaker on Gaming for Good | Educate, Enable, Empower
🍅 Grow, grow, grow your own... Fresh fruit and veggies! 🥒 Join us for an exciting family journey into the enchanting world of Sky Farm Island on Roblox, where gaming magic meets farming marvels. We want to encourage city-dwelling kids to play together with their family and friends to learn how to grow crops in urban spaces using the latest agriculture technology. Our hope is to inspire the next generation to grow, shop and eat local to support healthy, green cities of the future. Become a Sky Farmer today! 🔗 Play now: https://l.ead.me/sfi-game. If you are in Singapore, head to www.skyfarmisland.com to sign up for a free farm tour and collect your free seed packet from our friends at City Sprouts! #artxtechforgood #inspiration #innovation #art #technology #sustainability #learningthroughplay #playingfortheplanet #actnow #thereisnoplanetb #growyourown Simone Lim Zac Toh Caroline Craggs Wan Saifulamri Kai Yang Chong Daisuke Urano Mo Wang Desmond Hinkson Justinne Alethea Casuga Emir Hamzah Mustaffa Olivier Bos Debbie Gene J. Demi Plettenburg Adam Seldow Peter Wonica Dan Kopycienski Jun Yi Lee Jeff Hung Valerie Ye https://lnkd.in/gU_fQRzP
Grow, Grow, Grow Your Own
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