The Generational Gaze

The first move came from his father. Decades later, Rahim, 51, is still finding reasons to return to the chessboard. A tuition teacher and lifelong chess enthusiast, he is a familiar presence at Aliwal Chess Club, a ground-up community initiative where people of all ages and backgrounds come together over a shared game.

What keeps him coming back is not competition, but connection. Around the board, strangers become friends, conversations unfold and common ground is found one move at a time, a reminder that learning, play and community have no age limit and transcend generations.

For more than twenty years, Ronnie, 77, has led The Skyhawks, a band bound together by a shared love of music and friendship. Through rock-and-roll classics of the 1960s and 70s, Ronnie and his bandmates have created more than performances. They have built a community grounded in trust, laughter and years of shared experiences.

While Ronnie spends countless hours learning new songs and arranging harmonies, it is the camaraderie that keeps the band going. Together, they remind us that some of life's most enduring connections are forged not on stage, but in the simple joy of making music and growing older together.

At 74, Paulin has found purpose in the simple act of bringing people together. A former early childhood educator, she now welcomes neighbours, regulars and curious passers-by at Kopi Khoo, where coffee often becomes the start of a conversation. What began as an idea from her son also became a personal challenge. Unsure if she could master something entirely new, she took a leap into coffee-making and discovered new confidence along the way.

Stories are shared, familiar faces return, and strangers slowly become friends. Through these everyday exchanges, Paulin is reminded that new possibilities can emerge at any age, and that connection often begins with something as simple as a warm drink and a listening ear.

After 40 years as a technician, Sen Chuan, 64, still finds joy in discovering how things work. At Repair Kopitiam, that curiosity has become something larger: a community built on shared skills, generosity and the belief that broken things deserve a second chance.

Alongside fellow volunteers ranging from their twenties to their sixties, he helps repair well-loved household items while exchanging knowledge across generations and backgrounds. For Sen Chuan, each repair is more than fixing an object. It is a chance to learn, connect and bring a smile to someone's face, proving that the most meaningful things are often restored together.

For siblings Andy (64), Helen (66) and Siew Lan (68), memories are more than reflections of the past. They are invitations to connect, contribute and find meaning. As Reminiscence Facilitators with the DBS Foundation x SUSS Memory and Cognitive Health Community Programme, they create spaces where older adults can revisit cherished moments and be reminded that their experiences still matter.

In helping others remember, the siblings have discovered something for themselves too: a renewed sense of purpose. Each conversation is a chance to bring people together, spark connection and honour lives rich with experience. Their contributions show that our later years can be a time not only of reflection, but of meaning, possibility and impact.