Community-building, Seah Tiong Kiat has learnt, often starts from a willingness to show up for one another.
The point hit home most clearly when he met Ms Lydia Susiyanti in 2025. Ms Lydia, a mother of six living in a rental flat, is her family’s sole breadwinner. Still, she provides free breakfast each morning for children in her block who need the extra support.
What struck Tiong Kiat was not just her gesture of kindness but the fact that she made room for others even when she had little herself.
Encounters like these have shaped his understanding of community, gleaned over years of meeting various Singaporeans from all walks of life through his work at the People’s Association (PA).
The 33-year-old is currently assistant director (forward planning) in PA’s partnership department where he focuses on improving how it develops partnerships with corporate and community organisations.
“You get to see how talented people are, and how interesting and diverse they can be – something you may not realise if you are not in this field,” he says.
The PA scholar joined the agency in 2018 and was posted to Nee Soon Link Community Centre as constituency manager.
While he was there, he engaged volunteers, organised activities for residents and interacted with them to better understand their needs.
“Singapore’s heartbeat is strongest when we look out for one another.”
– Seah Tiong Kiat, recipient of the People’s Association Scholarship
At times, he met residents facing difficult situations – from financial strain to family conflicts. These encounters helped Tiong Kiat be more empathetic – a trait he also attributes to his sociology training, which taught him to apply a different lens to societal issues.
Tiong Kiat’s interest in community work first took root in secondary school, when a teacher used news stories to discuss issues and challenges people face in real life.
That stayed with him and eventually led him to pursue a diploma in psychology and community services at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
After completing his diploma course, Tiong Kiat searched for scholarships in related sectors and found the PA Scholarship.
He clinched it and went on to major in sociology at Singapore Management University to complement his psychology background and broaden his perception of people and society.
Although he is no longer on the front lines, he finds himself making an impact in other ways. Working with corporate organisations, charities and social service agencies, he helps them to make greater community impact.
For example, he matchmakes like-minded organisations, allowing them to achieve more together.
“There are different ways that partners can contribute,” says Tiong Kiat. “No matter how small they think they are, everyone has something to offer.”
Tiong Kiat says his role is to help people and organisations “make friends with each other because it builds resilience”. He adds that it is relationships that will help communities weather the tough times.
Falling ill during an internship in Guangzhou in 2016 showed Tiong Kiat the value of having someone to lean on. In the same vein, PA was a support to Singaporeans during the pandemic, when it helped residents with mask distribution and aid queries.
“When something like Covid-19 happens, it is your neighbour who can be there for you,” says Tiong Kiat.
Today at PA, he continues to help people, organisations and businesses to strengthen the nation’s social fabric and make it easier for Singaporeans to support each other.
“Singapore’s heartbeat is strongest when we look out for one another,” says Tiong Kiat. Joining PA has let him play a part in keeping the community spirit alive and making the nation a better place.
He adds: “At PA, the impact you have on Singaporeans can be seen and felt very tangibly.”
