This week brought steady progress on the ground, and a “distraction” that turned into a moment of gratitude and reminder of why I do what I do.

Roofs Completed

16 houses in Kasin had their roofs completed this week. That’s 40 roofs in the last 2 weeks and a total of 90 completed already 💪 I’m planning to send out updates in September to supporters with information on the specific roof/water system which your funds have helped to build- so stay tuned for that.

Expanding Flood Crisis + Crossworks Response

The flooding situation across Myanmar has continued to worsen. Over 1 million people are now estimated to be affected nationwide, according to recent reporting from ISP-Myanmar. Over 100 townships in Ayeryarwady region alone, where 6 of our Crossworks volunteers went to yesterday, have been inundated.

This week, our own Crossworks team decided to band together in response. Over 60 people contributed funds and volunteered their time to purchase and pack food, medicine, and sanitary kits for 300 households, some of these households had already been waiting for aid for over 3 weeks.

The flood relief effort pulled focus away from Shelter for Hope this week. But it also reminded me of WHY we do what we do to stop the brain drain. Work isn’t an end to itself but has afforded these young people to contribute time and resources to help the community in a time of need. I didn’t need to be on the ground or instruct anyone to do this- they came up with the plan, collected the funds and swung into action by themselves 💜

💵 Fundraising: How You Can Help Right Now

Besides contributing directly, our upcoming 17th October Financial Mastery & CPF workshop is probably the best way to help us build more roofs. If we can fill the room with 40 to 50 participants, that alone could fund another 80 to 100 roofs. If you know anyone aged 25 and above who hasn’t used their SkillsFuture credits yet, please help me to spread the word.

This workshop gives participants a strong financial foundation for their own future, and at the same time, helps build roofs for the vulnerable families we’re supporting here in Myanmar.

Here’s how you can help:

🛒 Shop at the Common Cents store. Every purchase goes straight to materials and labour.

💸 Contribute directly via PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW, and join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close. Reach out and I’ll add you in.

📢 Get the word out. Share this update, and especially the 17th October workshop, with someone who might want to be part of it.

This week, we built a record number of 24 roofs and made steady progress on the funds raised - reaching 152 out of our current 200 roofs target, amidst some sobering on a diarrhea and cholera outbreak that makes this work feel more urgent than ever.

The Floods Keep Coming

The rains haven’t let up. Flood risk maps this week show Hlaing Thar Yar and many other urban areas squarely in the danger zone as around half a million people have already been affected this year alone.

On top of that, Myanmar is now facing a cholera and diarrhoea outbreak. Hundreds have been hospitalised in Yangon alone, and at least 3 lives have been lost so far, according to recent reports from Bangkok Post and Bloomberg. It’s a sombre reminder that flooding doesn’t just damage homes and livelihoods, it puts health and lives at risk too.

Exploring a Medical Response

Health is often the challenge that doesn’t make it to the top of the list for families living on the margins, until it does, and by then it can be devastating. With costs already rising and outbreaks like this hitting close to home, we’re actively exploring how to help.

We’re looking into mobilising medical volunteers and setting up mobile clinics across various wards and quarters, pending interest from doctors and volunteers, once the current monsoon season concludes. Our NGO partner on the ground, Myanmar Kitchen, has had experiences doing this in the past, and have agreed to work with us on this initiative as well should we decide to proceed.

If you’d like to contribute toward purchasing medications for this effort, please reach out. Every bit helps.

A New Way to Support: CPF & Financial Mastery, 17th October

I’m excited to share that my father and I will be doing a special CPF & Financial Mastery course on 17th October. As the ex-Deputy CEO of the CPF Board, over 800 people have already gone through this training in the past 2 years, but this time, we’ll be adapting the content for a younger audience, ages 25 to 40, with more emphasis on housing and wealth accumulation, and less on CPF LIFE and I’ll be joining as a co-trainer.

All proceeds from this masterclass will go directly toward building more roofs for Project Shelter for Hope. Just by attending, each participant helps fund 2 to 3 roofs, while walking away with a solid foundation for their own financial future. This 1-day course is fully SkillsFuture claimable and for those who’ve used up their SkillsFuture credits, NTUC UTAP funding can also be used. If you’re interested, simply fill in the form at commoncents.work/workshop and I’ll be in touch on how to register.

Tell a friend and help us to build more roofs!

Here’s how (else) you can help:

🛒 Shop at the Common Cents store. Every purchase goes straight to materials and labour.

💸 Contribute directly via PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW, and join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close. Reach out and I’ll add you in.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Volunteer or visit on site. Come see the work for yourself and lend a hand. Reach out directly.

📢 Get the word out. Share this update with someone who might want to be part of it.

This week saw steady progress on the ground, even as Myanmar faced some of its toughest weather of the year. Myanmar is one of the countries most affected by climate change, and this week made that painfully clear. It’s a sobering reminder of why this work matters.

Progress.Fundraising Update

We’ve now fully completed 50 houses, meaning both the roof and rainwater harvesting system are done and in use. 23 more roofs were funded this week, bringing our tally to 126 roofs and 100 rainwater harvesting systems funded- hoping that we can further extend this target with the 9+ month runway we have until the next monsoon in 2027.

The Myanmar Kitchen team is also hard at work identifying homes in greatest need across 3 new areas and 2 existing wards. This groundwork will guide where the remaining 150 roofs and 50 rainwater harvesting systems go, as we work toward our 200 home target.

Save the Date: 26th Sept 2026 Music Facilitation Fundraiser in Yangon

This week, we have confirmed a local fundraising/networking event in Yangon on 26th September with local celebrity Itö, together with Sound of Hope, to help raise funds for more roofs. If you know someone in Yangon, please forward them this newsletter & this link (for registration). If you’d like to pay-it-forward for someone to attend, tickets are starting at a minimum contribution of S$30 each.

💡A big part of this project is also about inspiring action from local communities who are living with more comfort. These people feel the same monsoon, know of the struggles but may sometimes not have the bandwidth to launch their own projects- hopefully this is a good first step toward longer term and bigger contributions that will bring this community up and forward.

Let’s Talk

🙏 I’m deeply thankful for the strong support thus far that’s allowed us to reach as many homes as we have, especially with all the recent news on flooding & destruction. I’ll be in Singapore until the end of this year, before spending more time in Myanmar from 2027. It’s become increasingly clear that this is the season I should be spending more time there 🇲🇲.

More pictures of the works in progress from this week:

If you’d like to learn more about the work on the ground, I’m happy to meet up, whether virtually or in person, to share more. And if you’d like to visit Hlaing Thar Yar (Yangon) yourself and help spread awareness, you’re always welcome!

How you can help:

🛒 Shop at the Common Cents store. Every purchase goes straight to materials and labour.

💸 Contribute directly via PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW to join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close. Reach out and I’ll add you in.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Volunteer or visit on site. Come see the work for yourself and lend a hand. Reach out directly.

📢 Get the word out. Share this update with someone who might want to be part of it.

Dear Community

We did it! Our original goal of funding 100 homes has been surpassed.

We’re now at 103 out of a new 200 home target. The next 100 will focus purely on roofing, since these homes are located near existing tube wells and won’t need a separate water system. This extension is a step of faith, as our roof sheet supplier’s promotional pricing was set to end this week, so I decided to pre-order the sheets needed for another 100 homes to lock in a the discounted prices before the 20% hike.

We’re doubling down because the need is real, and because we believe the support will keep showing up, just as it has so far.

Real Stories, Real Faces

Alongside this week’s video update, I’m sharing 3 stories from residents who’ve directly benefited from this project. Numbers can only tell you so much. These stories are where the real impact lives, and I hope more of them will come forward to share theirs too.

We now have over 130 individuals who have contributed, whether financially or through their time on the ground. I don’t take that lightly. Getting to do this work at all is a privilege I don’t want to lose sight of.

Personal Update

Starting next year, I’ve decided to spend more time in Myanmar- up to 4 to 5 months out of the year. I want to be on the ground more, both for Crossworks and for our various projects, including Shelter for Hope.

I’ll be based in Singapore until the end of this year, aside from a few more visits to Myanmar 🇲🇲. If you’ve ever wanted to visit and see the work firsthand, I’d love to host you, this year or next. Over two dozen people have already come and left positive reviews. Come and see the other sides of Myanmar that the media rarely shows as there’s genuinely more to this land than meets the eye, and I think everyone who’s visited would say the same.

Here’s how you can help:

💸 Contribute directly via PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW to join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close. Reach out and I’ll add you in.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Volunteer or visit on site: Come see the work for yourself and lend a hand. Reach out directly.

📢 Get the word out: Share this update with someone who might want to be part of it.

One month in, and this update comes with a mix of good news, hard weather, and some real perspective on why this work matters.

Meet Payam

This week, I’m sharing a video of Payam Ardalan, founder of Myanmar Kitchen. He talks about how we vet the homes we help, how we work with local community leaders, and the relationship between Myanmar Kitchen and Crossworks, which actually goes all the way back to the start of the pandemic.

If you’ve been wondering who’s the main man actually on the ground making all this roof building & rainwater harvesting system installations happen, this one’s for you.

Good News

We received authorisation from the local ward administrator in Tet Thit to resume works for the water systems for the 12 homes we’d started on previously. Our hired laborers will restart the piping, filter and tank installation works progressively.

At the same time, works have also begun in Daing Su village, even as we’ve faced delays from intense rain this week. The monsoon didn’t just slow down our work. It flooded several of our own volunteers’ homes.

Here we are building roofs for families who need them, while these rains reminded some of our own team just how much a solid roof matters. The team managed to keep working during brief periods of respite from the storms - as the houses already not in great shape got battered, the new roofs couldn’t have come at a better timing.

We’ve also received in-kind donations of blankets and cutlery for the families we’re serving. Small things, but they matter, especially with the rains making everything that much harder to manage.

A Conversation Worth Watching

I’m also sharing a short interview clip with a 93 year old lady who lives alone in Daing Su village- her resilience is inspiring.

Fundraising update

It’s been another relatively slow week for fundraising, but progress is progress. We’re now just 11 homes away from reaching our 100 home target that I still have in mind to exceed after we complete the first phase.

On a lighter note, the snack kits have arrived in Singapore. I’ll be reaching out soon to arrange collection for everyone who’s ordered. A few kits still remain, so if you’d like to grab one, there’s still time before the common cents shop closes on 4th Aug.

We’re so close to 100. Thank you for sticking with us through the rain, literally and figuratively, sharing the word or contributing generously. Every bit helps & matters 💪!

Here’s how you can help:

🛒 Shop at the Common Cents store. Every purchase goes straight to materials and labour. Closing 4th August 2026.

💸 Donate directly via PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW to join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close. Reach out and I’ll add you in.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Volunteer or visit on site. Come see the work for yourself and lend a hand. Reach out directly.

📢 Get the word out. Share this update with someone who might want to be part of it.

Dear Community,

This week’s update comes straight from the field. I was on site Thursday and Saturday, and there’s a lot to share, the good, the hard, and the “we’re figuring it out as we go” of Shelter for Hope.

Thursday: Kasin Ward

We visited 23 completed homes in Kasin ward, on top of the 2 trial houses we finished earlier. In Tet Thit ward, 7 more roofs were done, with 5 more under construction when we arrived.

The road conditions in this rural area were rough. We went beyond what I’ve started calling “the point of electricity,” where residents have to walk 20 to 30 minutes and pay 200 to 300 kyats just to charge a phone.

Most of these residents moved here 2 to 3 years ago, after authorities cleared slums closer to the bridge along the main road. Farm land owners then split up their land and sold plots to these families. Some of the houses are visibly slanted. Many are no more than 25 to 30 square metres.

I stepped into the home of a stroke patient (pictured above from her back) and watched as her roof sheets were replaced while she sat and watched. Another resident, a 78 year old lady, kept thanking us and the Myanmar Kitchen volunteers, over and over.

Sunday’s Roadblock: Tet Thit —> Daing Su Village Pivot

I was joined by Anthony, a Malaysian living in Singapore and Lu, who is from China, as well as Payam and Hsu of Myanmar Kitchen. What began as a trip to Tet Thit village quickly had to change as the ward office received a report from a resident that foreigners were sighted on Thursday. Myanmar Kitchen was summoned and told they needed a ‘permit’, which technically wasn’t required, but we decided to pause work the work in Tet Thit for now.

The silver lining is that the first 12 roofs there are already complete. What’s still pending is the rainwater collection systems for those homes.

The team pivoted quickly and started identifying homes in Daing Su ward instead, where the local administrator has worked with Myanmar Kitchen before on a water tanks project. We visited 8 homes there to take measurements, photos, and interviews.

Among them: a household with a stroke patient, another with a tuberculosis patient, a 93 year old lady, and one home caring for as many as 6 children (see the video above). The roofs were in bad shape, full of holes, and many families were living surrounded by mountains of trash.

Weather and Wear

The heavy rains this week actually served as a real world stress test for our completed roofs. 2 of them needed remedial work, which our labourers fixed on Thursday in Kasin before heading over to Tet Thit.

What weighed on me more was the toll this work is taking on the Myanmar Kitchen team. Payam ended up in hospital for a check up and is now on antibiotics for an infection, likely from stepping through muddy, dirty water on site. Hsu was throwing up by the end of the day on Thursday.

Because of this, our documentation digitisation work was delayed again. We’re bringing in some younger, more IT savvy volunteers to help organise the hardcopy notes and photos, which are currently scattered across different places, so we can properly track progress and follow up with households that may need further help after the main works are done.

The Numbers

This was our quietest week on the fundraising front. We moved from 73 to 84 homes funded, and we crossed the $50,000 mark today.

Whether it’s permit issues, volunteer health, having to redirect our efforts, or simply a quieter week for support, I remain resolute. We are genuinely making a difference in these communities.

I can’t imagine facing what these residents go through every day. Their strength and resilience are what keep me going. I’m still praying and thinking through what comes after the 100 roofs and water systems are fully funded and built. A few ideas already on the table: solar lamps, power banks, and other small ways to help households living without reliable electricity.

This is far from over, and neither am I anywhere near done/going to give up.

Here’s how you can help:

🛒 Shop at the Common Cents store. Every purchase goes straight to materials and labour. Closing 4th August 2026.

💸 PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW to join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close. Reach out and I’ll add you in.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Volunteer or visit on site. Come see the work for yourself and lend a hand. Reach out directly.

📢 Get the word out. Share this update with someone who might want to be part of it.

Greetings Community!

Two weeks in, and things are moving faster than I expected.

As of writing, we’ve secured 73 out of 100 homes worth of funds 🎉. Thank you to almost 100 people from Myanmar, Singapore, and beyond who’ve made this possible. You can keep track of our live progress here or via an exclusive Whatsapp group (details below).

Given the momentum, I’ve decided to accelerate our timeline: the goal is now to complete all 100 roofs before this monsoon ends, which means finishing the construction by next month. To that end, we have tripled the number of laborers who are working simultaneously to complete more roofs.

Given the sheer scale of the need in Hlaing Thar Yar (and now a second township we’ve started scoping), I also hope to keep building well beyond 100 and will decide on a goal after my visit next week.

Materials, secured

We’ve procured enough materials for another 50 roofs. In doing so, we bought out our supplier’s entire remaining stock of roofing sheets. They’re restocking today 📋.

Attached are some of the receipts. Not the most exciting photos, I know. But they represent real progress: supplies in hand, ready to go up on real roofs, over real families.

More than a roof

We’re also continuing an extensive documentation effort on the ground, which I hope to share more of in next week’s update.

Here’s the thing: a leaking roof is often just the visible symptom of something deeper. Unemployment, health struggles, families with many children to support. My hope is that this engagement doesn’t end once the roof goes up.

Building the roof is the first step. It earns trust, shows solidarity, and meets a felt need. But it also opens the door to something longer-term: understanding these households better, and finding meaningful ways to keep walking alongside them.

The stories behind the numbers

This week’s video is different. Instead of me talking, you’ll hear directly from residents: what it’s like living under a leaking roof, how they currently get water, and a word of thanks to everyone who has supported this project.

It’s easy to get lost in numbers and materials lists. But behind every one of these homes is a family, and a story worth listening to.

Their struggles are nothing like anything I’ve had to face. Honestly, that’s what keeps me going, especially on the harder days. Days when WhatsApp restricts how many contacts I can share this with, or when the rest of my workload piles up while I’m trying to keep this project moving forward too.

What’s next

🇲🇲 I’ll be back on site in Yangon in 3 days, and I’m looking forward to bringing you more stories and progress from the ground.

Every contribution matters. If you’ve already given, thank you, truly, on behalf of the families whose lives you’re changing. If you haven’t yet, or know someone who might want to, please keep sharing this around. Let’s smash past 100 together.

This is just the beginning.

Here’s how you can help:

🛒 Shop at the Common Cents store. Every purchase goes straight to materials and labour. Closing 4th August 2026.

💸 Donate directly via PayNow to UEN 201618485HCCW.

📱 Join our exclusive WhatsApp group to follow the journey up close and get updates throughout the journey.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Volunteer or visit on site. Come see the work for yourself and lend a hand. Reach out directly.

📢 Get the word out. Share this update with someone who might want to be part of it.

Hello community!

Checking in 1 week after I officially launched project Shelter for Hope on 4th July- it’s been a flurry of activity in Hlaing Thar Yar, as we quadrupled the number of teams and started identifying new houses to fix in a second township thanks to the generosity of over 75 people from Myanmar and Singapore thus far (folks from other countries are welcome to help out too!) 🙏.

When the magnitude of problems seem huge, one can either freeze in paralysis or start chipping away at it. Nail by nail, one zinc sheet & PVC pipe at a time, and with the support of well wishers and volunteers from near and far, my hope is that we can continue building and building, the first 100, and then 200, and then maybe even 1000 shelters for these needy families.

Early this week, Payam completed the installation of the first ‘leaf eater’ rainwater collection, filtration and storage system so that the roofs we install are not just keeping the households dry, but the vulnerable families can use the recycled water for daily washing, showers and cleaning. This is Myanmar people’s signature resourcefulness on display- the cost of a single roof repair in Singapore could fund 100–200 of these repairs in Myanmar.

While identifying houses to assist, we came across one with a structure slanted at 11-12 degrees- that is 4x of the leaning tower of Pisa (slanted at 3.99 degrees)! Needless to say, roof works will likely compromise the whole structure, so we’ve decided to come back and address cases like these separately, and Myanmar Kitchen is looking for individual or corporate donors who may want to assist on these edge cases or contribute toward fixing more roofs 🏚️.

Trust me, building roofs was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card- but so wasn’t the 2000km cycle or 500km walk that I embarked on in 2024 & 2025. Each of these expeditions began with a need that I became aware of and decided to do what I can to address.

Just as how I ended off my 2019 TEDx speech, we’re all born with 👀 eyes to see, 💜 hearts to care, 🧠 brains to think and 🫱 hands to act, so let us start using them to make this boat (that we’re all in together) the best that it can be ⛴️.

🙋🏻‍♂️Want to volunteer on site in Yangon? Reach out to me, or consider supporting this project by buying something at the Common Cents store 🛒(closing on 4th August 2026)- all proceeds will go directly to purchasing supplies and paying labourers to complete this project! PayNow to UEN No. 201618485HCCW if you’d like to subscribe to our exclusive Whatsapp group for updates as we work on the shelters 🙏

Greetings community!

🚶🏻‍➡️Last year I walked 500km from Bangkok to Mae Sot for Mae Tao Clinic. One hour after I arrived, the largest earthquake to hit Myanmar in a century struck 🌏.

This year it isn’t an earthquake, but it’s just as important to me because we all know that every human being needs food, water & shelter - unfortunately, its become challenging for thousands of our neighbours in Hlaing Thar Yar, Yangon.

🌧️ Monsoon rains, costs pushed up by the Middle East conflict, and years of currency decline have created a perfect storm for the have-nots. When I learned about this situation, I was moved to start this project and pledge my own money as well as conduct an internal fundraising campaign within my company, to kickstart the repair works. The first target: to fix 100 roofs and install rainwater harvesting systems and the second target (updated 7/8/26): 100 more roofs before the next monsoon in June 2027 🏚️.

Current Progress (as of 23rd Aug 2026, 2359 HRS):

💧 A roof alone wasn’t enough. So for every roof we repair, we’re also asking: where does the rain go once it stops leaking onto the floor? That’s how the rainwater harvesting system part of the project came about: gutters, a storage tank, and simple filtration, so a household gets clean water as well as a dry night’s sleep- especially for homes which are not close to clean water sources.

🤝 I’m doing this alongside Myanmar Kitchen, a registered NGO that has spent more than half a decade in Hlaing Thar Yar serving meals, clean water, and education. This is not our first time working together- in fact, we’ve been regularly contributing rice & essential goods to the community as part of our pay it forward initiatives and collaborated during last year’s earthquake response. They know these families and these streets: we’re simply adding roofs to what they’ve already built.

$300 for a Roof. Another $300 for Clean Water.

$300 replaces a roof. Another $300 adds a rainwater collection and filtration system on top of it — a gutter, a storage tank, and basic sand filtration, so the same roof that keeps a family dry also gives them something to drink.

In the spirit of transparency & accountability, we will be adopting a Direct Procurement strategy, where suppliers and labourers will be paid directly instead of through third party intermediaries. I will also be updating a public ledger of funds received and our expenses here.

Call to Action

You don’t need to be on the ground in Yangon to fix a roof. Three ways to help from wherever you are:

● 🛍️ Buy something from Common Cents. A Myanmar snack kit funds 1 roof repair (S$300) and an A3 canvas print of one of my own photographs from around Myanmar funds 1 roof repair plus a full rainwater filtration and storage system (S$600). We also have a variety of other offerings which you can check out here.

● 🗓️ Book a private dinner with me in Singapore/Myanmar for a contribution of S$1200 or above to fix at least 2 roofs plus full rainwater filtration & storage systems - PayNow UEN No. 201618485HCCW (Common Cents Pte Ltd).

● ✈️ Come see it yourself. If you’re planning to be in Yangon, or want a reason to be, we’d love to have you on site: meet the families, talk to them and share their stories. The roof is just the first step in uplifting these communities- your visit will brighten up their day and acts as an avenue to understand their & meet felt needs.

Every roof matters. Thank you for helping us reach 100.

FAQ

Q. How are households selected?

A. There are more than half a million residents in the township & households are selected through community-based vulnerability assessments in Hlaing Thar Yar, Yangon, with priority given to:

● Extremely poor households with no capacity to repair their own roofs

● Households with elderly or disabled members

● Families with multiple children

● Female-headed households

Q. How do you fix a roof with S$300?

A. S$300 is the estimated cost of fixing a roof the actual cost would vary based on the size and structural condition. At times, additional reinforcements are required to ensure that the roof will stand the test of time and be safe to live under.

A combination of zinc sheets, bamboo and timber is procured and labourers from the community are engaged at a pre-agreed rate of ~S$60 per house to complete the works on both the roof & water capture, storage and filtration system (10% of total estimate costs).

Q. How do you install a rainwater capture, filtration & storage solution with S$300?

Gutters installed along the repaired roof, a storage tank (~300-500 litres), and simple sand/cloth filtration for basic water quality is added as illustrated above. Two volunteers are also engaged and paid per diem (~S$6 per day per person to cover lunch and transportation)- they are tasked to assist with the logistics and documentation. The bulk of the costs are attributed to the water storage tank & pipes.

I’m writing this from Myanmar, having just flown in on 26th December, on my 8th & final trip here this year. The first of three election phases has just passed, largely uneventfully.

A Year in Motion 🌍

This year took me across Thailand, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, the Middle East (Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait), Taiwan, and of course repeatedly back to Myanmar. Highlights included:

• Traveling with my now-fiancé (she said yes in October ❤️) with both our mothers

• (Re)visiting Africa + meeting Singaporeans in Rwanda 🇷🇼

• A family vacation to Taiwan 🇹🇼 (last one was >10 years ago)

• Crossing the 75 countries visited milestone, something fewer than 10,000 people worldwide are estimated to have done (According to Google’s Gemini)

But movement wasn’t just about flights and borders.

In the wake of USAID cuts, I set out on a 500km Walk for Hope to raise $150k SGD in support of the Mae Tao Clinic. This was a continuation of the 2000km Cycle for Hope fundraiser that I embarked on in 2024 from Singapore to Bangkok. With the strong support of Peter, Aaron, and 300+ generous donors, this was by a long shot the biggest challenge of my life, once again marked by a miraculous lack of rain throughout.

Myanmar Earthquake 🫨

One hour after arriving at Mae Tao Clinic, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar. From the Thai-Myanmar border, the two-storey office building I was in shook, but it was also the worst quake that had hit Myanmar in the past century. With little time to catch my breath, I arrived to Yangon the following day and over the course of the subsequent 3 weeks:

• Missed 10 flights [back to Singapore, a personal trip to India and joining my fiancé in Australia]

• Witnessed firsthand how critical it is to have capable, values-driven people close to the problems (50+ volunteers were mobilised to purchase, pack and distribute essential aid)

• Over a dozen NGOs and volunteer groups coordinated on the ground

• Led a team to clean up 800 bags of trash in the Amarapura area of Mandalay

• Launched the Helping Hearts Scholarship Programme, initially earthquake-focused, later expanded when it became clear the quake was only the tip of the iceberg

Check out this newsletter for more information on what transpired. It reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time:

We don’t have too much to lose, but we have far too much to give.

Crossworks Turns 7 🎂

At Crossworks, we made a hard decision last year to only hire people physically based in Myanmar, with no intention to relocate. The cost were real, in flat company and headcount numbers this year. On the surface, it may seem like we’re not making much progress, but I believe our team has been greatly strengthened and quietly building capabilities throughout the year. Highlights:

• All but three of my team members have crossed the 1-year mark, with the average tenure being north of 2.5 years with the company, making this the most mature team we’ve ever had

• 5+ returnees this year and a renewed push on our Repatriate Programme:
  one-way plane ticket + one month’s accommodation for Myanmar nationals in Southeast Asia who secure roles with us and return home

• Monthly training & engagement credits (launched in 2024), now widely used for learning, community, essential goods, and donations while we allocated funds to match donations and stockpile essential goods and increase our internal income replacement pledge to give every Crossworker an ease of mind whilst working.

Lowlights:

• Closed the career bootcamp due to high dropout rates

• Newly launched career club didn’t find product-market fit

• Multiple employer partner closures led to layoffs of over a dozen talent (thankfully we were able to find employment for more than 75% of the affected individuals within 3 months)

Common Cents & Letting Go

This year also marked the formal closure of J Rental Centre as the hosting server expired, a quiet end to a decade long chapter. J Rental Centre Pte. Ltd. was officially renamed to Common Cents Pte. Ltd., and this year, the following was achieved:

• 4 pitch nights under the Common Cents banner + international founders networking night in conjunction with SWITCH in Singapore

  

• Monthly Myanmar makan sessions with entrepreneurs

• Setting up the Common Cents Shop, including a small Christmas pop-up

• Organising a sold out 28th December financial workshop with my father who agreed to contribute his trainer fees toward Myanmar scholarships for needy university students [next run on 31st Jan 2026, fully Skillsfuture Credit claimable]

The name and format may be different but the mission to connect people remains.

Read more

I wanted to share a brief update on our second round of scholarships for students in Myanmar. Over the past two weeks, I wrapped up interviews with shortlisted students from Myanmar Institute of Theology’s Liberal Arts Programme (LAP).

Earlier this year, we supported 13 students who were in financial need (see previous newsletter here). With the help of some generous partners, we were also able to extend our support further than originally planned.

For context:

• School fees work out to roughly SGD 1 per day 💰

• LAP maintains stringent standards, with a low acceptance rate + GPA thresholds, and strict attendance requirements for all scholarship recipients

• The 4-year bachelors degree is largely virtual, yet high quality as we’ve been able to hire at least 4 of their graduates including our GM.

• The virtual format allows costs to be managed and students from conflict zones and IDP (internally displaced person) communities to continue their education

A few students I met recently

Below are short snapshots of five students I interviewed. Each represents a different reality, but all share a determination to keep moving forward despite circumstances they did not choose.

1. LKZ (Mandalay- FUNDED)

LKZ recently completed his GED (General Educational Development- US high school examination) and works as an assistant teacher at an international school to support his family. His home was damaged during the March 2025 earthquake, with part of the front wall collapsing.

He is passionate about computer science, hopes to major in it in his second year, and eventually work in a tech company. Despite juggling work, study, and family responsibilities, he remains deeply curious and recently read biographies, including one about General Aung San.

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Its been 3 months since my last newsletter and I’ve visited 8 countries during the same period as well- The standouts being Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda in east Africa, where I also got denied boarding on my return flight to Singapore owing to an airline policy which required me to have an Indian visa even though I was just transiting 😱. All’s good anyway as I managed to book another ticket on a different airline and return home before making another trip to Myanmar.

📢 My latest ‘Common Cents’ project is to provide scholarships for university students in Myanmar. What started as a post-earthquake initiative soon expanded as I realised that the earthquake was just the tip of the iceberg. I’m happy to announce that the Common Cents Store is officially soft-launched at commoncents.work (will be sharing it publicly in a couple of week’s time when I have more clarity on the number of scholarships we intend to provide).

I’m grateful to be in a privileged position where I can see and learn about the needs and the good work of various communities and organisations and believe I’m blessed to be a blessing, and this store is an extension of that conviction. In the spirit of sustainability (since yours truly doesn’t plan on making 500km walking expeditions a regular thing), I hope that offering unique, off-the-market products and experiences for a good cause can help us pool resources to tackle real-world problems. I look forward to adding on more initiatives and offerings in the coming months and years.

Our first phase was looking at existing students from the Liberal Arts Programme (LAP) in Myanmar Institute of Theology whom the school had filtered and identified to be in financial distress (parents who lost work, fell severely ill or homes which were destroyed etc.). Together with two other partners, we awarded 13 scholarships for existing students to complete their education (out of almost 50 interviewed). This private school already has a rigorous screening process at admission where only about 15-20% of applicants are admitted, so the scholarships are given out on a needs basis.

Phase two will begin next month, post the new cohort of students having completed the LAP admissions test and the school’s screening for those with financial needs. Despite being a private school, they have managed to keep school fees pretty affordable at ~$1/day or $1400 for the 4-year programme by making the bulk of the course virtual. This also allows those living in IDP (internally displaced people) camps and far-flung regions of the country to participate in the learning.

Aside from scholarships, our pay-it-forward initiative at Crossworks has also kicked into a new gear, with Sharon (right-most in the group photo above) coming onboard to oversee mentorships and impact initiatives. On Sunday, about a dozen Crossworkers went to visit and give out essential goods, stationary and snacks to displaced children about 1.5 hours outside of Yangon. They braved the rain and bumpy roads and were greeted by excited children who have been far from home for some time already- reminded that they are not alone. Bummed to have missed this, I’ve already signed myself up for the next session and would welcome folks keen to visit Myanmar in October over Deepavali to come along as well (reach out to me for details!).

That’s about all the updates I have for now and I hope that you’ll check out the new store and pick up some home decor or souvenirs whilst helping more university students in financial need to go to school 😊.

❓Why not, especially when a single overseas placement could yield $3–4K in fees?

Because I believe the real value lies not in exporting talent but in equipping and empowering Myanmar’s professionals to stay, to build, to lead, and to contribute where they are. Especially at a time when the brain drain 🧠 is accelerating and many of the most educated, ambitious people are leaving the country, I’ve chosen a different path: the longer, slower, but ultimately more sustainable.

🛣 My horizon is long, VERY long and truth be told, only God really knows how long…

What does Crossworks do?

We provide Human Resources & on-ground infrastructure/logistics support to international companies who hire remote talent in Myanmar. Here’s what that looks like:

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It seems like I’m finally able to take some time out to go through my 13 day, 505km Walk for Hope, after 2 weeks of intensive Earthquake response in Myanmar (though our work isn’t quite finished here either). I wanted to share the journey with all of you who have been following and supporting while it is still fresh in my mind.

💻 Please join in …

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Our office has turned into a Situation Room, packing facility and warehouse last week- as we launched the Helping Hearts initiative to respond to the earthquake and bring aid to as many affected individuals as possible. In this space, we also have half a dozen quotes plastered on our walls, most of which are nice-sounding sure, but struck a chord especially in such crisis times…

Amidst the scale of destruction and depths of sorrow that individuals, families and indeed, an entire nation is going through, my efforts seemed a drop in the bucket. I sometimes ask God when Myanmar will be given a break, having gone through crisis after crisis, such that even amidst this present storm, the atmosphere was dull but people can still crack jokes and quip about living on a boat to survive floods/earthquakes. Behind the laughters and facades, is definitely pain and a longing for peace, stability and progress (ever so elusive).

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I’m happy to report that we’ve just raised the full $150,000 for the Mae Tao Clinic. Thanks to over 400 generous donors who have ‘walked’ with me and contributed to narrowing the funding gap left by US Govt foreign aid suspension and the clinic’s good work in healthcare and education. This is the close of a chapter, one that will be etched in my memory for a long time to come.

This is my third and largest fundraiser, and I’ve learnt alot about myself, gained friends along the way and received far more support and providence that I could have ever asked for. That is in essence, grace (undeserved favour) at work.

👉 That I would even know about this cause from a unscheduled visit to the clinic 5 years back whilst shooting videos about and around Myanmar.

👉 That I managed to complete a prior fundraiser last year which saw me cycling from SG to BKK in 14 days, bringing light to the good work which the clinic has been doing and opening the hearts of donors to contribute quickly and generously this time.

👉 Despite the short notice (again), I was well supported by Peter, Aaron and Tor- two of whom I’ve never met before. Peter came through an introduction of Sawang who supported me on the last 3 days of my cycling expedition while Aaron and Tor from the Shade Tree Foundation came on board 2 days prior when it was clear I wasn’t going to complete the expedition in the original 10 days and Peter had to return to work.

👉 My shoes remained dry throughout the 12.5 days of walking, and I even narrowly avoided a major storm in Wang Chao just before reaching Tak, one that blew the roof off certain shops along the highway.

👉 Provision of accommodation, nourishment and protection- from having a roof over my head for every single day and night rest stop, to Peter riding out 40km on day 1 to find me an insole back in Bangkok, finding a pair of sunglasses in great condition on the floor and well-wishes following me on the last 2 days providing moral support & meeting practical needs, it felt like I was walking with a band of angels and God’s hand covering me: I might have been alone but I know whose walking with me.

👉 Perfect timing, arriving at Mae Tao Clinic on 28th March 2025, 1 hour before a major earthquake shook Myanmar. If I had completed the trip according to plan, I would have been in Myanmar on the 28th.

Myanmar Quake Relief Efforts

With the walk behind me, I arrived to Yangon on 29th March and spent the last week coordinating the earthquake relief efforts- with many supporters generously donating toward various causes that are making a real impact on the ground in Myanmar’s time of need.

🙏Thanks to many generous donations and volunteer's hands and feet, partnerships with organisations new and old, we are trying to identify and synergise amidst a relatively opaque situation to the best of our ability.

We're just getting started and as we get reports from this various groups and a better sensing of the ground needs, we hope to double down on the initiatives with maximum impact whilst having an eye on balancing immediate relief with longer term developmental areas which will certainly be harder to fundraise for but of equal if not more importance- to get the affected communities and individuals back on their feet and invest in lasting impact across education, healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and overall human capital development.

Wanted to provide a quick update that the Walk for Hope Fundraising campaign will officially close today, 31st March 2025. Thank you to more than 365 donors for contributing more than $132,300 so far. That’s 88% of the target $150k fundraising target and a huge contribution toward closing the funding gap left by US foreign aid suspension. 💪

1 hour after my arrival though, a mega earthquake struck central Myanmar, and I found myself back in Yangon within the next 18 hours and staying to coordinate relief efforts- purchasing of food, medical supplies and transport to affected areas (🙏 please reach out if you’d like to donate or know of doctors who would like to fly in to volunteer).

More than 40 Mae Tao Clinic staff and volunteers from partner organisations joined me to walk the last 10km, including Nay Chi, whom I first stayed with 5 years ago in Mae Sot. Among these people, 3 were actually born in Mae Tao Clinic, 1 had worked there for 20+ years and there were also 2 fellow Singaporeans!

After clocking a total of 505km over 12.5 days (did a post on why this was ‘just the right amount of time’), I was received last Friday at the clinic to a huge reception, lots of flowers and met with Dr Cynthia Maung (founder of Mae Tao Clinic and medical doctor herself!). She had this to say to all our donors:

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What started out as a casual news update that USAID was going to cancel most of its programmes quickly set wheels in motion and saw me start this follow-up fundraiser, continuing my 2000km cycling expedition from SG to BKK on foot for another 500km.

🤔 Quick reflections

The last 12 days have been nothing short of extraordinary.

An extraordinary challenge: So so so much harder than cycling- I overestimated myself, was under-prepared and crashed out not 1, or 2, but 3 times in total during the expedition (thus far). Definitely no walk in the park!

An extraordinary privilege: To get to do this, take time off, push away commitments and self-fund this project and galvanize more than 325 donors to support this cause- super meaningful and fulfilling. To be supported by some extraordinary people like Peter (day 1-10), Aaron & Tor (day 11-13) has been an extreme honor. Will detail more about the great support I’ve received in a subsequent newsletter for sure.

Extraordinary provision: From sunglasses that I found after quipping that I should have brought a pair along, to food and accommodations along pretty deserted roads, good weather (narrowly missed a storm and shoes remained dry throughout!), great views and physical protection- I’ve never been in lack throughout this trip.

🦵Last Push: 21km to Mae Tao Clinic + 24.26% of Fundraising Target 💰

In a couple of hours time, I’ll be joined by 20+ others for the last 10km going into Mae Sot/Mae Tao Clinic. 🙏 I’m super thankful to each and every donor, supporter and well wisher who has been ‘walking’ with me, and even as I give the final push tomorrow to reach Mae Tao.

🩹 The blisters on my feet are already 4-5cm in diameter and I’ve taken more Panadol in the last week than the previous 5 years… But I’m happily taking each next step and looking forward to finishing this expedition and bringing hope to the beneficiaries of Mae Tao Clinic 🏥

I hope you’ll also share this campaign with your network as I gun for $150k raised from 500 or more donors (1 for each kilometer walked)- we’re still $36.4k/175 donors away but definitely an achievable target!

💻 Post-trip virtual sharing session

When this journey is all done and dusted, I’ll be hosting a virtual sharing session for donors who have contributed $300 or more toward the Mae Tao Clinic. This will cover:

👉 Trip plan, preparation and route

👉 Experience doing this challenge of my lifetime

👉 Photos/videos from the journey

👉 Mae Tao Clinic activities, how funds intend to be used

👉 QnA

This fundraiser will officially conclude on 31st March 2025, 2359 HRS and you may also opt to use this GiveAsia link for contributions using credit card up to the end of March- but you are definitely welcome to continue supporting the clinic through direct donation channels here. Do email a screenshot of your contribution(s) to walk500forhope@gmail.com so that we can track it! I’ll leave the email open and periodically check it for the remainder of 2025.

What can I give?

🕠Time, 💰money, ❤️love & devotion, 👤endorsement, 🤝recommendation, 💪effort or 📦possessions (non exhaustive).

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