In today’s fast-paced world, achieving purpose and fulfillment can feel elusive, especially for those driven to create meaningful change. Many wonder how to leave a lasting impact that resonates beyond their immediate circles. This is the journey of Lee Seow Ser, founder of To SIR with Love (SIR), a unique initiative that started as a corporate sabbatical and evolved into a thriving social enterprise.
With SIR, Lee Seow Ser has bridged divides and brought diverse communities together through socially inclusive reads and programs that inspire growth, understanding, and empathy. Her story invites us to explore the power of creating inclusive spaces for all, showcasing the fulfilling potential of dedicated work that uplifts individuals and communities alike.
Key Takeaways:
- Lee Seow Ser believes that purpose-driven work can bridge communities and inspire social change through empathy and inclusivity.
- Perseverance and resilience are essential when building impactful initiatives that uplift diverse communities.
- Collaboration with like-minded partners amplifies the reach and effectiveness of socially inclusive programs.
Highlights
Creating Empathy Across Diverse Communities
Q: Share with us your vocation transition from corporate life to creative sojourns over the years.
A: Many people love travelling to explore new places. On your travel sojourns, have you ever taken an unplanned detour, gotten lost around an unfamiliar corner and incidentally chanced upon an expansive vista－one that promises the reveal of a spectacular view when the veil of the mystic mist is lifted? Well, sometimes, that is how I feel when I reflect upon my adventurous journey with To SIR (Socially Inclusive Reads) with Love (SIR).
SIR is a ground-up community initiative I co-founded in 2015 under the auspice of Helang Books, an independent publisher in Singapore. Earlier in 2014, I was on a sabbatical break from private legal practice when an unexpected health scare drove me to recalibrate and pursue a new path. The transition from corporate life to creative sojourns of SIR has been a journey of organic growth and discovery, where I basked in the warm sunshine that streamed in, after the mist dispersed and revealed wonders never before seen.
Close to a decade later, I continue to steer and lead SIR with pride and delight.
Q: What do you love most about your work with SIR?
A: Sometimes people mistake that Project SIR is my namesake (Ser). I always take care to explain that although I had endearingly coined the acronym SIR to represent “Socially Inclusive Reads”, SIR is by no means about me. Akin to how we respectfully address teachers, mentors, coaches or those whom we revere as “Sir” (or Madam), and how we show affection and concern for those whom we care about, To SIR with Love is fundamentally premised upon respect and love, values that I hold dear.
SIR has evolved to symbolise a humble human bridge, one that brings and connects people with diverse needs and abilities together. It is also an “enabling” platform for personal growth and progress as a community as it offers valuable opportunities for mutual understanding, meaningful interactions and shared human experiences amongst persons from wider society and marginalised/under-represented groups. When individuals grow, society grows in tandem with the evolving strength of its composite units, resulting in collective bloom and flourish.
Q: Can you describe how a typical day at work for Lee Seow Ser has evolved over the years?
A: Compared to the exigencies of my former profession, I feel more empowered and better able in my current work to exert control over how I use and allocate my time and energy to pursue and execute meaningful projects that impact community. I strike a better balance between my creative book projects, community activities, family commitments and self-actualisation efforts.
No longer confined within the walls of a corporate office, I thrive in the conducive yet disciplined environment of my humble home office. It is as much an administrative space as it is a creative one. Here, within the space of my small study room lined with books, I write, edit, ideate, create, work, manage projects and participate in virtual team or business meetings. The rhythm of the home office routine is interestingly varied, with team huddles or networking meetings held outside over many cups of coffee, tea or lunch specials.
If time, weather and stamina permit, I might steal a morning walk, swim 20 laps or else dabble in my community garden plot, pulling weeds and growing edibles. These self-care activities help me achieve work-life balance, keep fit, stay calm and recharge. Often, they ignite inspirations which become fodder for writing as creative juices flow.
Q: What initially inspired you to establish SIR, and has the inspiration or direction changed over the years?
A: The idea of SIR came about during my sabbatical break at a casual lunch with my friend, Hidayah Amin, founder of Helang Books. I had shared my idea about how we, as writers, ought to make an effort to render content created by us in formats accessible to those who cannot read conventional print books. That ultimately led to us creating, with another friend Tan Ai Khim, inclusive books with noteworthy features of braille, tactile pictures and dyslexia-friendly font.
Over the years, SIR has broadened our services and conducted programmes with our unique, human-centric, creative resources. We have collaborated with philanthropic foundations to create books to raise awareness of the importance of community cohesion, helping children who are physically and intellectually challenged to learn about Singapore’s social and security issues.
In collaboration with national social agencies, we produced inclusive books based on themes of respecting the elderly and instilling a kind, caring and socially inclusive culture in our young and in schools. We also worked with schools and non-profit organisations to serve at-risk youths to boost their self-confidence and self-esteem. With our partners’ support, many of our books have been distributed to primary schools, preschools, welfare and non-profit organisations in Singapore, with some beyond our shores. Our books have been very well received as they fill a gap and fulfil unmet needs and pent-up demand for such educational resources in our community.
Given the strong appeal and demonstrated benefits of the programme to the public, I plan to steer the direction and extend the reach of SIR programmes to the corporate arena. I hope to actively encourage companies and organisations to partner and/or adopt SIR in their corporate social responsibility and philanthropy initiatives. In the 21st century workplace, empathy, soft skills and effective communication skills are equally if not more important than hard cognitive or technical skills. We are excited at the prospect of introducing our SIR platform to more like-minded partners, where we provide refreshing opportunities for employees to partake in bespoke, inclusive and empathetic experiences. We hope our workforce becomes more cognisant and understanding of the needs of diverse groups in our society, sharpen self-awareness and hone social emotional skills as valued talents.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience on the job, and how has it shaped your career?
A: One of the most memorable experiences I have had in recent times was at a storytelling session I conducted at a children’s home with my blind ambassador friend. There we read my latest book My Name is Ling. I am Blind. 我的名字叫玲。我是个盲人。being Book 6 in the “I am Unique” bilingual book series about children with special needs, published by Helang Books. There is also a braille edition of this book (pictured).
I facilitated the interactions between the children and my blind ambassador. I believe for most, this was the first time they had interacted so closely and meaningfully with a person with vision loss. The children listened earnestly to what the ambassador had to share. They were curious and asked good questions and watched intently when she demonstrated the use of a white cane to move around or navigate obstacles. They were equally intrigued by how she could tell time on her watch and read braille proficiently with her finger tips!
After the session, a young boy came up to my friend and gently said, “I am so sorry you are blind. May God bless you.” The boy’s simple but heart-felt words blew me away; they struck a very deep chord. Despite being in a tough situation himself (facing problems of parental neglect or abuse) he was more than capable of showing great empathy towards my blind ambassador who faced a different set of challenges. These precious moments are powerfully encouraging and motivational－they affirm why I do what I do. I hope my work will touch more hearts, bring out the innate human quality of kindness and empathy in young children, help and inspire them to grow, to become better versions of themselves.
Q: How do you handle challenges or difficult situations at work, and have your strategies changed over time?
A: When I first started this journey, I faced multiple rejections in my efforts to seek support (financial and non-financial) from organisations whose doors I knock on. Many doors closed on me. Admittedly, it was disappointing and demoralising to learn that even though SIR does meaningful work, it is far from easy to on-board partners on this journey. Unfortunately, mere affirmation of the good work we do might not necessarily translate into tangible support. Notwithstanding such struggles, I persevered. I would seek out innovative solutions and find other viable ways to achieve my objectives, even if this meant a longer-than-expected incubation time to materialise the project. Rejections beget resilience.
Interestingly, this attitude has taken me on a full circle ride. Sometimes, doors that had once closed would miraculously inch open under a different set of circumstances, offering exhilarating new opportunities. These experiences taught me that sheer doggedness, stoic endurance and constant critical self-evaluation of how to improve, would eventually lead to positive outcomes. I believe in always being honest, sincere and acting with integrity, to build trust with partners with whom I work. These are important traits which I hold steadfast; they would not change or falter.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job now, compared to when you first started?
A: In a sense, SIR started as a detour, an “accidental” journey of discovery. It is precisely in this context that I find it extremely rewarding and gratifying to witness the organic metamorphosis of SIR over the years into an intentional, heart-warming and fulfilling journey that sometimes animates a life of its own.
To be able to create something from nothing, to translate bare-bone, original ideas into tangible solutions and shaping them into something productive and useful, is a long but deeply satisfying process. The challenge I give myself now is to grow and strengthen SIR further and bring more like-minded stakeholders and supporters on board as ambassadors of inclusion. I hope to work on a long-term basis with partners, collaborators and stakeholders who support my vision and mission. Together, I am confident we can generate a synergistic force to power and drive the engine of doing good in a sustainable, effective and impactful way.
Q: How do you stay motivated and engaged in your work after so many years?
A: I once read a quote from one of my favourite journalists (Rohit Brijnath) who wrote, “To understand who we are is to sometimes roam among those not like us.” In my befriending of and interactions with persons with different abilities and diverse needs, I have learnt more about them, but even more valuable insights about myself－I become more aware of what I am capable of doing to help others or to contribute to improve a situation.
I gained confidence in my interactions with persons with different needs. I do not view them through the narrow lens of what they cannot do, but what they can and would like to do. Like in the case of my friend Siew Ling (pictured) who uses a white cane, refreshable braille display device and touch signals, we have our special, adapted ways to communicate. Yet, we enjoy each other’s company, catch up over delicious food during our outings and have a good laugh over word puns!
Q: How have you balanced your work with your personal life over the years, and has your approach changed?
A: I am meticulous, disciplined and committed in the work I do. I hold myself to high standards and discharge my duties to the best of my ability while setting reasonable boundaries. That said, I sometimes “mix” work with family, so that my family members can catch a glimpse of my work and understand better what I do. When my sons were younger, I had on many occasions roped them in to help out at my events as volunteers, performers and even co-emcees! Those were memories I look back upon fondly. Now that they are older and more preoccupied with their studies and other commitments, it becomes more challenging to get them involved, but I would always be glad they had walked part of the journey closely with me!
Setting aside time for regular meals on weekdays and weekends with my immediate and extended families, has always been an important, comforting ritual for me－I do not easily give up opportunities for us to bond over home-cooked food or a meal at our favourite neighbourhood stalls. Although I derive great satisfaction from the current work I am engaged in, family is without a doubt my top priority. Familial and personal relationships form the bedrock of my being. It is important for me to be able to share the fruits of my labour and joy with my loved ones who care for and support me.
Growing Together: Inspiring Empathy in Work and Life
Over the years, Lee Seow Ser has shown how purpose-driven work can spark positive social change. Her journey with SIR highlights the importance of blending passion with purpose, and her dedication to fostering inclusivity and empathy resonates with those seeking to make a difference.
By empowering individuals and collaborating with like-minded organizations, Lee Seow Ser has transformed SIR into a platform where small, thoughtful acts create lasting impact. Through her leadership, SIR exemplifies how meaningful connections and a commitment to inclusion can drive a ripple effect of positive change across communities.
Highlights
Read this article in Chinese here.
