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RAS participates in Citi-YMCA Youth For Causes (YFC) 2014

This year, RAS was invited to participate in the YFC 2014 as one of the Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) partners which youth teams can opt to support as part of their fundraising efforts. RAS participated in 2013 but was not involved in any fundraising initiative as there were no youth teams supporting its cause. However in April this year, a team called SuperBowls consisting of four passionate Dunman High students approached RAS and expressed its interest to champion RAS’ social cause and raise funds for RAS.

At the YFC selection interview session, Team SuperBowls presented their proposal of holding a carnival that will serve the dual purpose of raising funds for RAS to reach out to the unsung heroes - restroom cleaning attendants and educating the public on the efforts of the unsung heroes in a fun manner. The team was among 100 teams selected from more than 170 teams at the interview session. The team has successfully solicited donations of $2,000 from three companies to support the carnival. The team is looking forward to receiving public donations at the carnival which is scheduled to be held at United Square shopping mall on 5th to 6th July.

RAS certifies first industrial building at the Seletar Aerospace Park under the Happy Toilet Programme (HTP)

Since the launch of the Happy Toilet Programme (HTP) in 2003, RAS has been certifying industrial buildings both from the private and government sectors but the numbers have not been significant. However with the offering of holistic solutions to Happy Toilet industrial building owners, we are heartened to see more industrial building participating this year. One good example is the JTC Corporation (JTC). As part of its holistic solutions offered to JTC, RAS conducted a sharing session on restroom hygiene with close to 100 of its tenants and lessees last year.

We are already anticipating more JTC industrial buildings to follow suit after the Happy Toilet certification of the JTC Aviation One at the Seletar Aerospace Park. For the past three years, JTC, which is the lead agency in Singapore spearheading the planning, promotion and development of a dynamic industrial landscape, has been working closely with RAS to spruce up many toilets under its ownership. JTC was conferred the LOO (Let’s Observe Ourselves) Awards in 2012 for its strong commitment which not only included industrial buildings but also 100% Happy Toilet certification of its food centres and parks namely the Chinese and Japanese Garden. We wish to appeal more government agency to emulate its exemplary support for the HTP.

RAS engages BCA Academy students on its LOOAID (Let’s Observe Ourselves Absolutely in Design) project for Happy Toilet owners

RAS invited Sentosa and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands to support the LOOAID project in April. The BCA Academy met up with the management of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands on 6th May and proposed a 12-week project timeline for 8 students to provide their designs to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands as part of their final-year project. The project will involve on-site surveys, dialogue sessions, and final presentations by the students after which The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands will select the best design.

RAS initiated the LOOAID project in 2012 in its bid to enhance the design standard of Happy Toilets at eating outlets. RAS approached the BCA Academy on a win-win collaborative effort – eating-outlet owners were provided with pro bono design concepts while students were granted the opportunity to gain real-life experience of project work. The 2012 project saw seven designs with detailed floor plans selected and presented to managers of eating outlets. The managers were very impressed with the innovative design provided by the students whose works provided them with lots of ideas for their Happy Toilet makeover.

Featured School: An old friend returns…

RAS welcomes Punggol Secondary School back to its school programme fold after a 4 year hiatus. The school makes a successful return to renew its desire to maintain ideal standards of restroom cleanliness. Students from the school undertook and completed decorating a number of their restrooms within the same day. Upon completion of a workshop, the students came together to create artwork that was placed in the restrooms to remind the student body to practise responsibility in their restrooms.

The project was spearheaded by one of our valued partners, Mdm Rosmiyati Bustami, a teacher at the school, RAS staff was pleasantly surprised with how much the students achieved within the few hours they completed their decorations. This is a testament to their drive and desire to improve the restroom conditions at their school. RAS looks forward to many great years with its partnership with Punggol Secondary School.

Featured school projects from our STAR (Sustaining Toilets As Restrooms) programme

CHIJ, Our Lady Queen of Peace is a school that RAS acknowledges as a long term partner within its STAR Programme of schools. Each year, the school meticulously plans and executes projects that raises awareness about good personal hygiene and restroom etiquette. It’s ambition to maintain a culture of socially responsible students adopting the correct behaviour is seen through its ambitiously undertaken projects by its ‘Sparkling Angels’; the students who complete the project each year.

This year, RAS once again partnered with the school to launch an impressive set of activities that included an Assembly Talk, Exhibition at the canteen and a Handwashing practical session for ALL students. On 7^th March, the students had a rather unusual recess time session where they had RAS staff and teachers guiding them at the wash basins with proper handwashing procedures after their meals and checking for bacteria content. After viewing the exhibits on display, they were treated to an interactive Assembly Talk by RAS. We thank CHIJ Queen of Peace for introducing and planning this set of activities and look forward to a successful relationship with the school.

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