CCAs of NTU 25’: WSC RSP: Operation Hope (OH)
Written by: Samantaray Samiksha, Chairperson
There is something inexplicably heartwarming about a child laughing their heart out. That is how I felt during one of my volunteering sessions. The sport we were doing for that month was boxing, and I was paired with a non-verbal child. I tried holding her hand to punch the animal balloons, but she kept retracting her hand. She had made it clear to me that boxing was not interesting to her, which made me anxious, because I had no idea how I could engage her. I also knew that I could not talk to her, or play something like ‘scissors, paper, stone,’ which frazzled me. Then somehow, randomly, I held up the animal balloons, and started to make animal noises, pretending that the balloon was talking to her. AND SHE GIGGLED. That’s when I knew what I had to do, I traded different animal balloons throughout the session to make different animal noises. Funnily, the volunteer and child beside me also helped me make animal noises (because I have no idea what noises giraffes and zebras make). After that, all I heard was her giggles, which was music to my ears. While this is a silly incident, it is a core memory for me. This is what Operation Hope or OH is about.
Operation Hope is a Regular Service Project under the Welfare Services Club, dedicated to volunteering with children and adolescents facing chronic illnesses every week. We proudly collaborate with 4 partner organizations across 9 diverse centers: Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), Club Rainbow (CR), KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), and PlayBuddy (PB). At the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), our volunteers engage beneficiaries at CCF KKH and NUH through interactive play in the playroom or by conducting bedside play in the ward. At CCF PALs, volunteers spend lunch hours engaging with children through conversations, games, and crafts. Under Club Rainbow (CR), our volunteers at CR Main provide valuable one-to-one tutoring in English, Maths, and Science, available both in-person and online. At CR NUH, we uplift hospitalized children through play and companionship, while at CR KKH, volunteers conduct essential bedside/ward tutoring for patients. Within KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) itself, our volunteers at KKH Clinic and Ward Play bring smiles through engaging balloon sculpting activities. Finally, at PlayBuddy (PB), both our East and West centers see volunteers playing sports with children with disabilities, adapting activities to suit their diverse physical abilities. With such a wide array of meaningful activities and varying needs across our centers, whatever your strengths are, or if there's anything you want to learn, this is truly the place to be.
Other than regular volunteering sessions, we have our OH-wide events. Our external events are planned in collaboration with some of our centres, which gives members an opportunity to volunteer with their peers and interact with children from different centres. On the other hand, our internal events focus on fostering member bonding and destressing. In the AY 24/25, we kicked off with Celebrating Heroes, an event honoring caregivers and engaging children in gratitude activities. We also created activity kits for Children's Day at KKH, hosted a Christmas event with Club Rainbow, and concluded with a Character Building Activity teaching financial literacy. For our volunteers, we held engaging internal events like VOP with sports relays and a murder mystery, a volunteer workshop featuring slime making and balloon sculpting, Singapore Bingo and BBQ bonding session, and our year-end Coachella-themed AAD.
These are the moments where connections deepen, perceptions are subtly shifted, and we often find ourselves learning unexpected lessons about life and humanity. For instance, during our annual bowling sessions I was paired with very sweet siblings, Mark , who has cerebral palsy and is verbal, and his sister Cindy (pseudonyms). When we went to return our shoes, Cindy, in a moment of childish eagerness (as kids often are!) returned their shoes. Mark, visibly upset, said 'I wanted to return them!’ Seeing this, my heart sank. So, I asked him if he could help me return my shoes. With a palpable joy, a radiant glow spreading across his face, he took my shoes and confidently handed them to the staff. 'Dad!' he exclaimed, beaming, 'I helped return Sam's shoes!' In that simple exchange, the immense significance of his autonomy became vividly clear. As able-bodied individuals, we often assume someone needs help and, in our eagerness, inadvertently deprive them of their independence and dignity. This incident shattered my preconceived notions, teaching me how my 'help' could sometimes do more harm than good by diminishing their agency.
As Operation Hope volunteers, we don't just engage in activities; we become companions. We learn to see the world through their eyes, celebrating their resilience and recognizing their immense strengths, often unlearning our own preconceived notions along the way. If you are someone with a heart full of compassion, an eagerness to learn and grow, a willingness to be patient, and a desire to form truly meaningful connections that will undoubtedly enrich your own life, then Operation Hope is the perfect place for you.
If you are interested to sign up, find our booth during Welcome Week – we can't wait to meet you and welcome you to our OH fam!
