Get a haircut for a good cause with the latest initiative by Art With A HeART.
By Theodore Oh
The heat waves hitting Singapore in June calls for a haircut! Art With A HeART is doing it with a good cause.
The charity haircut project, dubbed Good Look with a HeART, provides free haircuts to underprivileged school children. In its second year running, the project hopes to widen its objectives by inviting the participation of the general public as well.
Founder of HeART, 16-year-old Elijah Ted Ng, explained that the project serves not only to give free haircuts to underprivileged children and their families, it also serves to encourage the general public to support the cause by getting a haircut at a cost. Funds from the haircuts will go towards Project Vision.
“Like the name suggests, this project aims to make the people look good and feel good with their new haircuts, whilst knowing that a good deed has been done for someone who is in need,” Ng said. Proceeds of haircuts this year will go toward sponsoring winter wear for a child in China. Indeed, Ng’s efforts are crossing the global barriers.
The hands that will be snipping the hair hail from a renowned salon in Orchard Road, De Heritage Hair Salon. It all began when Ng’s family hairstylist, Edison Foong, expressed how the vision of Art With A Heart has impacted him and volunteered to be part of it. The hairstylist went on to rope in a few other colleagues and together, they formed the team of eight behind Good Look with a HeART.
Speaking on his motivation to start this project, Ng said that Art with a HeART is committed to do voluntary work for those in need every quarter of the year; moreover, he feels that being able to help others gives him a sense of fulfillment, even though he is in the midst of preparing for his O-levels.
Ng remarked that it was also the joyful faces of the 150 children after their haircuts last year that prompted him to continue with the project this year. Following last year’s success, he set a target of giving 300 haircuts this year. This number includes the number of children benefitting from the project, as well as the number of people supporting the project by getting their haircut.
The team hopes to reach children and families with low income through the different organizations and schools, this year they plan to focus on Northlight School. After gathering enough manpower, the project is now set to launch at the end of the June school holidays.
The team has also teamed up with World Vision this year to lend a hand, and a pair of scissors, to the less fortunate in other parts of the world. The team is even prepared to travel to places far from Asia when duty calls.
The charity haircut will be held at De Heritage Salon, located in Far East Shopping Centre.
The public can do its part by either getting a new hairdo or make-over in support of the cause. Alternatively, they may also help disseminate information about the event.
Good Look with a HeART will be held on Jun. 24, Sunday, at 545, Orchard Road, # B1-06 TO 10, Far East Shopping Centre, from 12pm to 5:30pm. Prices of the haircuts range from $50-$100.
Those who are interested in partnering with Art With A HeART for community projects may email to events@artwithaheart.sg.
