VNS History: Vision & Volunteerism

Global Poverty & Millennium Development Goals

As the world celebrated the new millennium, Dr. Eric Tan NH was encouraged to watch how the United Nations and the international community banded together to do something. The year 2000 saw the launching of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The vision was to halve global poverty by 2015.

Terrorism & Peacebuilding

Unfortunately, in a twist of events, the world witnessed the 9/11 disaster (2001). In response, our friends in Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka requested for peacebuilding training in conflict-prone communities. Meanwhile, according to TIMES, Pakistan has become the most dangerous nation. (Eric Tan had resided in Pakistan for six years and Frank Teo had resided in Pakistan for ten years. While serving his National Service, Captain Eric Tan became more convinced that peacebuilding should be part of IntegraCD.)

Currently, VNS is training team members from Sri Lanka and Pakistan in peacebuilding.

Microenterprise Development & AgriVentures

In 2004, VNS was registered under the Registry of Societies, Singapore. Beginning with Microenterprise Development (MED), VNS facilitated a microcredit program in Bali (2004). The microloans eventually lifted twenty families out of poverty.

Vision Network Society (VNS) began in 2004 with a vision to move families out of poverty.

 

Trained in Philippines, Francis Lim KS, our Pioneer for AgriVentures, was responsible for introducing FAITH Garden in Singapore. The acronym FAITH Garden stands for “Food Always In The Home” and is promoted as partial solution to Asian poverty and hunger. Our first FAITH Garden at the quail farm was closed down due to the threats of bird flu. But that did not stop us from planting other FAITH Gardens in Singapore. Subsequently, the FAITH Garden at Nan Wah School was featured in TCS Channel 8 and the FAITH Garden at SBC won the 3 rd prize in Community In Bloom.

 

 

 

Tomatoes grew in the FAITH Garden.

 

Our papaya tree grew within a tyre and bore its fruits.

 

Together with other organizations, VNS hosted the first Microenterprise Development Convention in Singapore (2002) and Agricultural Convention in 2005.

The innovative aquaponic system captured the attention of the 350 delegates at Transforming Communities Convention 2005.

Vision Farm & Incu Center

 

In 2005, Dr. Han, owner of a small farm in Singapore, granted VNS the privilege of using the place as a training place. Vision Farm was set up and subsequently it became a retreat center for small groups in Singapore.

It was at Vision Farm where FAITH Garden flourished and Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) was practiced. To lay people, SALT may appear insignificant. But to our team, SALT is an effective way of stopping soil erosion and transforming a barren slope into a bountiful slope.

 VNS created Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) at Vision Farm.

 

In the same period and around the same vicinity, VNS also set up the Incu (Incubation) Center at Farm Mart. Functioning as an incubation place for IntegraCD projects, the Incu Center had innovated eco-engineering projects such as the indoor wetland (constructed treatment wetland).

 

 

Cheerful Connie

 

 

Integral Community Development & IntegraCD Center

 

From Microenterprise Development and AgriVentures, VNS went on to create more than forty IntegraCD concepts for poverty alleviation. All the IntegraCD concepts could be categorized into four categories: Economic development, social development, environmental sustainability and governance.

 

Credit is due to VNS Researcher Josephine Poon. A widow, she spent much time in assisting Dr. Eric Tan in developing IntegraCD concepts.

 

With experiences in commercial farming, Aaron and Laura Beh were ready to set up the first VNS Center in 2005.

The goat farming continues to be the income-generating project for Aaron.

 

The Sabah Center continues to the training center for VNS.

 

Tsunami, Earthquakes & Disaster Recovery

 

Natural disasters come and go, making more families unable to get out of poverty. Was the MDG on track? (The MDG intends to halve global poverty by half by 2015.) Without warning, the Tsunami hit more than ten Asian shores after Christmas 2004.

 

Dead bodies floating, Aceh 2004.

VNS leaders vividly remembered the Chinese New Year (Jan 2005) that followed the Tsunami (Dec 2004). We were staring at photographs of floating dead bodies—victims of the deadly Tsunami. After a rapid assessment of Aceh and Nias, the Founder of Dian Mandiri (microfinance institute), Frank Hadi, challenged VNS to be in involved in the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias. In response, VNS partnered with EFOS and Singapore Red Cross to build the Nias Livelihood Center.

 

Nias Livelihood Center

 

A computer-generated design before construction began.

 

The earthquakes hit Pakistan twice, 2005 and 2008. Frank Teo and his team members were involved in relief work in Pakistan. Unfortunately, the relief work in Baluchistan led to the collapse of Frank Teo. Airlifted back to Singapore, Frank did not recover ( 11 Dec 2008).

Frank Teo was instrumental in getting VNS established.

 

During the same year 2008, VNS lost two valuable co-workers—Frank Teo ( Singapore) and Khaw Suan ( Myanmar). Their eulogies appeared at VNS website.

Rocks & SALT

 

Ngull Khaw Suan was always interested in rocks; he spent three decades as a geologist.

 

After his VNS training, Khaw Suan demonstrated to Tiddim communities how to create a sustainable future through AgriVentures, SALT, goat farming, etc. As a result, several Myanmar families reaped bountiful harvests and practiced environmental stewardship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biogas & Biodiesel

 

In 2005, VNS and Ngee Ann Poly team demonstrated how biogas could be created from kitchen waste. Again, VNS has added another IntegraCD concept to poverty alleviation. Today, the IntegraCD covers more than forty concepts.

Dr. Gopal, VNS volunteer, created the biogas system.

 

 

In 2006, VNS successfully demonstrated how waste cooking oil could be transformed into biodiesel. Because of lack of funds, VNS did not pursue the AgriDiesel project.

 

AgriDiesel system produced 80 litres per day.

 

Eco-Engineering & IntegraCD Wetland

The environmental degradation remains serious; unless the global community does something, both the poor and rich will be affected. Benedict Tan, an environmental engineer, pioneered the constructed treatment wetland in Singapore.

With its successful pilot project at Commonwealth School (2008), VNS is ready to implement the IntegraCD Wetland as a framework to empower low-income families in Asia. Entitled From Waste To Wealth, the constructed treatment wetland has the potential to benefit both developed and developing nations.

 

Economic Crisis & Social Enterprise

 

Again, the world landscape changes; the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 caused the global financial and economic crisis. The vision of creating jobs through microenterprise development ( MED) and social enterprise ( SEN) has become more urgent in these times. (Currently, in Indonesia, VNS is attempting to lift thirty families out of poverty.)

 

The sustainable future belongs to those who dare to translate vision into reality. Currently, VNS is incubating a social enterprise for the physically-challenged people in Singapore. Will you join us for the empowerment of disadvantaged people in and beyond Singapore?

 

Moving Families Out Of Poverty,

Vision Network Society.

 

P.S. As with any written history, it is impossible to give credit to all who are involved. VNS wishes to apologize if your name is not recorded. Your efforts and contributions have enabled VNS to empower low-income communities in Asia.