GMF#39 | We Marched 20 Miles on a Weekend—Here’s Why
TL;DR:
This weekend, 30+ students, cats, hawkers, and one very sleepy Kei reminded us why we started Give.Asia. From 4:30am prep to filming across Singapore, our team was out in full force telling stories that matter—of community fridges, cancer warriors, and the people who quietly give every day. Two long days, zero regrets, and one very big truth: Give.Asia has always been about giving forward, not just giving tech.
We don’t just build the platform—we show up on the ground, too.
Being "naive" was our superpower. It still is.
Helping others isn’t a line item—it’s the whole page.
Real impact takes more than money—it takes courage to try.
We’ll keep marching. 20 miles a day. Rain or shine. 🚲
Saturday: Up at 4:30am (Thanks, Kei and Jey)
This weekend was a little different. On Saturday, Kei was up before sunrise prepping gear. Why? Because Jey and a group of 30+ students from our GiveFellows program were about to spend the next 15 hours racing across Singapore.
Their mission? Tell the stories of unsung heroes:
The kakak who refill and restock the neighborhood community fridges.
The hawkers at Botak Porridge quietly serving free meals to those in need.
The cat feeders who brave wind and rain to care for strays, one furball at a time.
It was storytelling in action. Gritty. Ground-level. Real.
Sunday: From the Streets to the Hospital
On Sunday, we were back at it—this time at National University Hospital, raising awareness and funds for Wajeeha (if you’re wondering how to donate and help her), a brave young girl fighting leukemia.
It was one of those weekends that leaves you tired… but filled up.
And honestly? It brought me back.
To 2008. To our early startup days.
To that strange mix of exhaustion and pride that tells you—you’re doing the right thing.
What Makes Give.Asia… Give.Asia?
Somewhere between takes, Kei turned to me and asked:
“So how does Give.Asia actually work? What makes it different?”
It stopped me for a second.
Sure, we’re free to use.
Yes, we’re built in Singapore.
But those aren’t the most interesting things.
The truth? We didn’t start Give.Asia to be a business.
We started it to get involved.
To do something. Anything. To give forward.
We never asked,
“What’s the least effort we can spend for maximum return?”
We asked,
“What else can we do? What haven’t we tried yet?”
Tech Was Just the First Step
At first, we built donation tools so charities could better connect with donors.
Then, we found ourselves helping families pitch stories to the press.
And before long, we were producing videos, knocking on doors, coaching campaigns.
Now? Our team trains others to do what we’ve learned—by falling flat on our faces again and again.
It's messy. It’s hard. And yeah, sometimes I worry if we’re spread too thin.
But I’m proud that we try anyway.
That we don’t back down.
That we still dare.
The 20 Mile March
One lesson that’s stuck with me for years came from the book Great By Choice:
“You don’t sprint. You don’t collapse. You march 20 miles, every day. No matter the weather.”
That’s what Give.Asia is to me.
It’s not a shortcut. It’s not a side hustle.
It’s the march.
Some days are uphill.
Some days you’re soaked in rain and doubt.
But if you keep showing up—
Telling stories, lifting others, marching 20 miles a day—
Eventually, you get somewhere worth going.
We’re still marching.
And we’re bringing as many people as we can along with us.
See you on the trail.
Thanks for the opportunity to cover such meaningful stories! Such a fulfilling weekend.