Blog

"Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." This was exactly what SIF Connects! Mumbai, epitomized.

Held on 13 June 2014, the third SIF Connects! Mumbai was a celebration and an ode to the enduring friendships forged between our Singaporean and Indian communities. Organised in conjunction with the close of SIF’s Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) study visit programme in Mumbai, SIF Connects! Mumbai also celebrated the rich and lasting experiences gained by the 9 multinational YSE teams over their week-long study visit programme in Mumbai.

Over the night, our young change makers, together with alumni from the program, took the audience through their colourful and inspiring one-week journey with vibrant and dynamic sharing of stories, dialogues and exchange of insights. Highlights included their engagement and mentorship with leading social innovators in Mumbai, such as Ashoka, DASRA, Intellecap, Magic Bus, Monitor Inclusive Markets, Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the Young Indians, on the business of doing good.

Guests at SIF Connects! Mumbai also got to learn about SIF’s capacity building programmes in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the areas of healthcare and education.

As often said, and rightly so – “There are no strangers around, only friends you haven't yet met!” SIF Connects! Mumbai was truly an evening of good dialogue and exchanges, reconnections and the broadening of networks for collaborations.

We are pleased to share with you some highlights of SIF Connects! Mumbai.

The YSE changemakers at SIF Connects! Mumbai with Singapore Consul General Ajit Singh (centre, in brown shirt).

Thai YSE team Local Alike (left photo) and Indonesian team Hejo Green Fertiliser (right photo) sharing the vision behind their social enterprises with Thai Consul General Nat Pinyowattanacheep and Indonesian Consul for Socio-Cultural Affairs Pratiwi Amperawati.

SIF Connects! is organised by the Singapore International Foundation in major cities to reconnect with our programme alumni and promote continuous dialogue between Singaporeans and world communities. Since 2010, SIF Connects! has been to Bangalore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London, Phnom Penh, Melbourne, Manila, Mumbai, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington DC. Every two years, we also invite our FOS communities to reconnect with the Singapore community and refresh their Singapore experiences at SIF Connects! Singapore.