S’pore man hosts free soup event at Tampines HDB void deck for people to connect – Mothership.SG

To make his event inclusive, he said he used “halal-friendly” ingredients but caveat that he comes from a non-halal household.

He informed his neighbours at the last minute, as the event itself was planned in a rush.

However, he still had a good turnout, with the neighbours coming down to try the soup.

In fact, some even came all the way from the west side of Singapore.

A few even offered to help out for the next event.

“What surprised me most was not just that people came down for soup, but that neighbours and strangers naturally started chatting with one another. It made me realise that sometimes people are open to community, but there just needs to be a simple excuse for everyone to gather,” He wrote.

Speaking to Mothership, Ngoh hoped his gathering “brought neighbours and people from different walks of life together, even if just for a short while. With everything happening in the world, sometimes we all need a simple reason to sit down, share a meal, and forget the bad stuff for a moment.”

“For me, the soup was just a way to create that space. I hope people left with both a full stomach and a small reminder that community can still happen in ordinary places, like the void deck below our homes.”

Total cost

Ngoh said that he ran the whole event by himself and paid for everything.

The total cost for him to use the space at the void deck came to S$89.38, including S$50 in rental and charges for the use of electrical and water points.

He listed some challenges he faced, like not having the correct round-pin plug and one water point not working.

He also listed some learning points, such as reaching out to town councils directly, bringing fans if the electrical load allows and keeping the event small and manageable.

“Overall, I’m hoping to host more free community events at my void deck. I also hope this helps others see the void deck as more than just a space for weddings and funerals. It can also be a simple, affordable space for neighbours and strangers to meet.”

Encouraged by the first run, he now hopes to host the soup event monthly.