Courage to Care

Greta Thunberg striking for climate change.

Many events in recent times have had worldwide impacts. Events such as  climate change, and countless humanitarian crises are calling youths to take action. Now, it is no longer sufficient to say that we care about something. We need to be active in doing so. Five stories of youths who have shown the courage to care stood out to me in this aspect. They are ordinary youths like you and I, but they have had an extraordinary impact on the issues that they stand for.

In recent years, climate change and global warming have become very pressing issues for all countries. It is now a known fact that temperatures have increased disproportionately since the 2000s, and if carbon dioxide emissions continue to increase, there will be disastrous consequences for the Earth. Greta Thunberg, only seventeen, has become a leading activist and a household name in this area since 2018, yet her work in climate action started quietly. On her first climate strike, she sat alone on the steps of the Swedish Parliament with a hand-painted wooden sign with the words “School Strike for Climate” (translated to English) for a full school day. None of her classmates joined her or supported her, yet she did not let it bring her down. The next day she was there again, and the next…before long, her strike had gone viral on the Internet, with people all over the world joining her in their own strikes.

Since then, she has been influential in the fight against climate change, campaigning for action and speaking at many events. One of the most notable was a UN Summit last September, where she criticised world leaders for their failure to deliver solid plans to address global warming. How did an ordinary teen become one of the most influential people in the world, even being named TIME’s Person of the Year 2019? I believe it was her drive, courage, and refusal to let others define who she is that has led her to where she is today.

Singapore has its own share of stories of youths changing the world one step at a time. The SG Climate Rally, founded by youths, was born out of a strong conviction to reach net zero emissions in Singapore by 2050. They realised that Singapore can no longer stall on the climate crisis, but that the time to act is now. More than 1700 turned up at the first physical rally in September 2019, despite the haze situation. Together, they are rallying youths to work with the government to implement and execute active climate policies.

Mr Cai Yinzhou started the Back Alley Barbers programme in 2014, which offers free haircuts for migrant workers on the weekends. (Image source)

Mr Cai Yinzhou works to change the social side of things. He strives to break social stereotypes of the Geylang district, better known as Singapore’s red-light district. In 2014, he started the Back Alley Barbers programme, which offers free haircuts for migrant workers on the weekends. Since then, he has expanded to walking tours such as Geylang Adventures, a cook-off event featuring the diverse cultures of migrant workers called Majulah Belanja, and many more.  Yinzhou saw the negative labels that migrant workers, sex workers, and prostitutes living in Geylang’s back alleys were placed under, and stepped up to tackle them. He hopes to start difficult conversations about these marginalised people, and in doing so, connect communities for a more cohesive Singapore.

There are so many more stories of youths taking the courage to care. But for now, it’s your turn! What are some practical steps you can take to get started?

1. Take the first step. It will be scary when you first start, but it’s the little steps you take day by day that add up to a huge outcome. Instead of focusing on the mountain ahead of you, break it down into a series of steps. Greta Thunberg told the BBC that “It felt like I was the only one who cared about the climate and the ecological crisis.” There will for sure be moments like these, but don’t let this prevent you from speaking out and showing the world you really care.

2. Take stock of your resources. The Internet is a great tool to connect people all over the world. All the groups above used social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter to share about the causes that they support.
3. Gather your friends and family. Having a good support team often makes the job seem less daunting.
4. Be patient. Don’t get easily discouraged! Change doesn’t happen overnight. With time, change will come.

Most importantly, know that there will always be people who will rally to you, even in times when it seems as though no one cares. When he first started his social enterprise, Yinzhou did not receive much support from his family and friends, as they couldn’t understand his motivation for giving up a comfortable life for one that seemed financially unsure to them. However, he has now gathered a team behind him, and his parents even join in on some of the initiatives.

As youths and the future of the world, we have the responsibility to stand up and make a difference in our society.  So be courageous! Start small, but start today. Dare to act, dare to care.