Jump to content

Teen's wish for new shoes to come true


Ender
 Share

Recommended Posts

This article reminds me of these two movies, Homerun by Jack Neo and Children of Heaven. A wish for a pair of shoes.

 

 

 

 

JOZIE Chang is 17.

At an age when many teenagers are craving for the latest pair of sports shoes, all Jozie wants is a pair of shoes.

Any pair, really.

Because all he has is one pair, which he has worn for over a year. He affectionately terms them "warrior shoes" because of the brand. They are tattered and torn, with holes in odd places.

The Secondary 3 student at Bukit Merah Secondary uses them for school and to meet friends. They also double as football boots for the avid soccer player. And just like the previous four pairs he has owned, they wear out quickly.

"My father told me, 'I don't want to get another pair. I bought four pairs for you and you destroyed them all'," he says with a sheepish grin.

His father, an artist who earns barely $1,000 a month, bought him the $10 pair of school shoes. Jozie and his father have been living at Lakeside's Families-in-Transition Shelter for a year, sharing a room in a two-room flat.

Money is tight, so when Jozie told a counsellor from Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Centre @ Tanjong Pagar that he needed a new pair of shoes, she put his request on Pass-It-On, a website that allows donors and recipients to match gifts.

Jozie was hoping for the new shoes because he has a school trip to Bintan coming up. He then learnt that a donor was offering a Bata voucher.

"When the donor gives me the voucher, I will buy the shoes straight away and (I'll) take care of them," he says with conviction.

"People who do not need that voucher may not appreciate it so much.

"One pair of shoes, to me, is okay. Not two or three pairs," he says.

"What she (the donor) did is more than enough for me."

Why not a computer? Or a new phone?

"Shoes can be used for walking. They help me in my life. If I get a computer, I am scared I'll get addicted to it," he says.

He reasons that he can use public computers if he needs them for school.

He has a complicated family background and Jozie's father is bringing him up on his own, with help from their counsellor.

The father and son are close. Jozie says of his father: "He is my only family."

His mother is not in the picture.

"It is not comfortable to live with other tenants," admits Jozie, who finds the living situation awkward, with housemates he is not familiar with.

"But if my father wants to apply for housing, it is very difficult."

Jozie also worries for his father, who has a liver condition.

Says the teen: "My father's medicine costs over $1,000 (and) we have no money to pay. I am very scared for him. Even this Bintan trip, I don't want to go. I want to take care of my father."

Jozie plans to go to the Institute of Technical Education after secondary school.

He struggled with mathematics in school and sourced for free tuition on his own. He attends weekly maths tuition classes at Jalan Kukoh Resident Committee.

In the meantime, Jozie eagerly awaits his new shoes.

"I am looking forward to the new shoes. When I get them, I will keep checking if my shoes are dirty. If they are, I'll go to the toilet and wipe them," he says with a grin.

THE NEW PAPER

 

 

 

 

http://mypaper.sg/top-stories/request-footwear-touches-donor-20150223

Request for footwear touches donor
HEATHER HUMPHRIES

SHE clicked on the link for the Pass-It-On website on her Facebook newsfeed in November.

But Grace Leng did not stop there.

The 37-year-old mother of two responded to a request by a single mum who needed clothes for her baby.

"I like that there are specific requests. You can give directly to the needy and it is more practical," she says.

It was Jozie's request that touched her in particular. "I thought of my young kids and I know it is not easy to feed a family," she says.

"His shoe size is quite large, so it is hard to find footwear. I want to bless him with a pair of shoes so he can move around and be comfortable."

Other than passing the $60 voucher to Jozie, Mrs Leng is open to meeting him and buying the shoes with him.

That way, she feels she will be able to top up the difference if his choice costs more than $60.

Mrs Leng also came across another request by the Care Corner Family Service Centre in Tampines a month ago. She shared the notice on the Facebook group for her estate and was pleasantly surprised by the response.

She says: "The response was quite huge. I did not expect more than $200 or $300 in total, but we raised $1,500."

She recalls that a neighbour even bought an electric oven for a family who requested it, so that they could bake New Year goodies.

Mrs Leng is modest about her role.

"It is a matter of perspective, it is not a big deal. I am blessed with a stable job and pay, I can afford some luxuries. Even then, it is not easy sometimes.

"I cannot imagine how those with lower income get by. They live in Singapore, they pay the same prices as we do for everything in life."

 

 

 

↡ Advertisement
  • Praise 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually his Warrior shoes is the most lasting BnB shoes. If his Warrior can't last long, doubt Bata or even those highly elevated brands will last longer or come any closer. He used it for all purposes and abuses, so if last 1 year, consider sibei hoh liao.

 

From the pic, this is the same model I used for driving car and walking around. Damn durable and superb grip. Can get at $15-16 each at Peninsula Plaza or $17-20 from neigbourhood stores.

 

 

Edited by Kangadrool
Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually his Warrior shoes is the most lasting BnB shoes. If his Warrior can't last long, doubt Bata or even those highly elevated brands will last longer or come any closer.

 

From the pic, this is the same model I used for driving car and walking around. Damn durable and superb grip. Can get at $15-16 each at Peninsula Plaza or $17-20 from neigbourhood stores.

 

 

 

 

i just bought one pair for my son for $20 at queensway. MIC abd not really lasting though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

My experience with this model Warrior shoes is very positive.

 

Cheap (don't need to say much, I mentioned liao), Durable (I have one old pair, 10 years old, still in superb condition; rubber still very good) and Hygienic (you don't get those terrible foot adour after wearing unlike those with synthetic covering and insole)! [thumbsup]

 

 

 

i just bought one pair for my son for $20 at queensway. MIC abd not really lasting though.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

pass-it-on is a site where social worker will help the families that they are assisting to source for items need for their home. It is different from the welfare groups doing mess donation, they are more specific and the families do not want things that they dun need. I donated our piano that has served my girl from 4 years old to 18 years old (completed grade 8) to a single mum who was looking for a piano for her daughter.

 

people end up in transition shelter for a reason, each family usually attended by social worker who know best about them.

  • Praise 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Turbocharged

During my time ( 70s and 80s) if got one pair of Warrior damn proud liao . Most wear Bata .

 

But as the saying goes , if you think you are unlucky cos you cannot afford new shoes , wait till you meet a person without any feet .

 

Be grateful with whatever you already have .

  • Praise 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

During my time ( 70s and 80s) if got one pair of Warrior damn proud liao . Most wear Bata .

 

But as the saying goes , if you think you are unlucky cos you cannot afford new shoes , wait till you meet a person without any feet .

 

Be grateful with whatever you already have .

 

nice one bro...contentment is key!

 

series_contentment_the_lost_virtue_512w5

see all those pussies tok in property and other $$$ threads. Clearly discontented pric.....ks

  • Praise 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Good kid with practical mind.......

This wab must go and see the minister who said $1000 salary can by a hdb flat!

 

this family is one of those that fall through the social gap. garment never do anything for them?

 

give them a decent hdb flat at discounted price, for goodness sake. This young boy gonna to serve his NS duty in no time.........

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

this family is one of those that fall through the social gap. garment never do anything for them?

 

give them a decent hdb flat at discounted price, for goodness sake. This young boy gonna to serve his NS duty in no time.........

with sky high prices of public housing....most hdb will do is offer a unit for rent......you can bet on that!
Link to post
Share on other sites

with sky high prices of public housing....most hdb will do is offer a unit for rent......you can bet on that!

but HDB always promise every SG family will have HDB flat over their heads, isn't it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

ehh.. nowadays teacher no gib free tuition or remedial lessons liao ar???

If give free tuition, private tutor will not become top 5% income earner liao,

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/singapore-budget-2015-private-tutor-not-too-bothered-abo

Private tutor and founder of tuition agency JCEconomics.com who pulled in $400,000 in income last year

What he pays

Income tax rate for top earners goes up to 22 per cent from 20 per cent

What other taxpayers pay

Top 5% of earners will pay more. Most people unaffected

PRIVATE tutor and entrepreneur Anthony Fok is taking the income tax hike in his stride.

The 31-year-old set up tuition agency JCEconomics.com in 2012, raking in some $400,000 in income last year as its sole proprietor and employee.

That puts him among the top 5 per cent of income earners, so he will be hit by the higher personal income tax rate.

After deducting tax reliefs of some $20,000, Mr Fok would have to pay about $3,400 more in tax if his income is unchanged next year, though he is not too perturbed.

"Nobody can predict my income in the next few years because the income of a private tutor is not stable."

He does not begrudge the higher tax as he strongly believes the Government should give a leg-up to lower-income earners.

"The Government can use the additional tax revenue to help address the needs of an ageing population, coupled with increased spending on health care, education and to strengthen social safety nets."

Analysts, however, were surprised by the move as this is the first time since 1966 that the top marginal income tax rate has been hiked.

Experts pointed out the potential consequences on the wider economy.

Ernst & Young Solutions human capital partner Grahame Wright said Singapore's competitive position could be weakened when it comes to highly mobile senior executives.

But KPMG Singapore tax partner Alan Lau did not think it will have any immediate adverse impact on attracting top individuals as the city-state has strong draws like its clean image and strong security.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/singapore-budget-2015-private-tutor-not-too-bothered-abo#sthash.JJVZzxSH.dpuf

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

but HDB always promise every SG family will have HDB flat over their heads, isn't it?

aiyah....rental still consider roof over the head mar! Unless they promise...every singaporean will own a roof over their head....that is the different....the oni thing hdb didnt mention is the roof is somebody else floor....😂😂😂!
↡ Advertisement
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...