“You need a team”, says Maria Therese Hedenborg, president of Scandinavian Women’s Association (SWA).
In the wish of helping others, one helping hand is already a great deal. Now, imagine how great a deal it would be if we multiplied the numbers of helping hands. No one can save the world alone, and this is not the goal either, but to save someone’s world, and as many as possible – it’s about giving back to the community. That is exactly what a new cooperation between FIKA and SWA focus on.
On 6 May 2016 Maria Therese Hedenborg and Fika Café-owner Tasneem Noor-Smidhagen met. Both women are passionate about helping the local surroundings, with children and families being the strongest subject. And while they are both encouraged to support, why not support each other, too?
“Maria and I share the same goals on making a difference for the ones in need. We want to make people aware on how they can be a part of giving back to the community. We want others to know, that even the “smallest” act of kindness can mean the world to someone,” says Tasneem Noor-Smidhagen.
Fika Café is more than happy to help host SWA’s charity and networking events and SWA is happy to spread their word at Fika Café, where they will have options for having panel debates and large space in homely surroundings for their guests.
They have already decided to host their first event, taking place on 1 June 2016.
“Our first event will be the official hand over cheque to Richard Lim from SWA’s local charity partner, Breadline Group. During the Danish Business Association Singapore (DABS) Gala event on 9 April, we had a huge charity auction, where all the money from the auction goes directly to Breadline Group. DABS will personally hand the cheque to Breadline Group at Fika Café and the guest will have the opportunity to learn more about what the money support, and how they can continue to help Breadline Group – either as individuals or corporations,” says Maria Therese Hedenborg.
Both women are excited about their new teamwork, and on their first event, they will also have the chance to make their guests aware of the different support organizations. In Singapore, it is a natural thing to support an organization, and the norm is to support charity in general, too. Both women believe everyone is absolutely willing to support, but they do believe it is necessary to make especially Scandinavian women more aware on how they can help.
“We experience many Scandinavians are not quite used to all these charity and fundraising events, and we think it is partly because of the welfare system in Scandinavia. Here, there is no safety net, why it is so important to help each other. Old clothes may be worth nothing for some, but can be someone else’s gold,” they both agree.
This is why Fika Café and SWA will work together: to make charity awareness. And:
“To make people aware is first step. But we will also learn how people can help,” they both say.
More events are already on the drawing board, and Fika Café and SWA are more than happy about their new cooperation.
“This is simply wonderful,” they said.
Since SWA is a non-profit organization, they are dependent on partnerships and sponsors to help them execute events, why Maria Therese Hedenborg wants to express a special thanks to Fika Café for their enourmous help.
And to sum everything up with the old Scandinavian phrase: together we are strongest.
The family-friendly Fika Café supports five different local support organizations, including Singapore Children’s Society, Hope Villages Fun, Breastfeeding Friends Singapore, Spirit of Enterprise, and Muslim Kidney Association, while SWA supports local organizations Breadline Group, Boys’ Town, The Tent, and supports students directly with scholarships. So many people to help, and so many passionate souls who want to help. So let’s all give a hand to help each other.
