Public Relations Writing COMM225 G1 Melissa Law

Youths Pave the Way for Green Education

By Melissa Law Mark Cheng, Executive Director and Co-founder of Avelife Foundation, is not your typical boss. Instead of sitting behind his desk in a suit, poring over paperwork, he is often seen pushing a trolley filled with old newspapers or bending over a bucket of eco-friendly paint, re-painting rental one-room flats in the heartlands of Singapore for the environment non-profit organisation (NPO). Today is no exception. Despite it being his 24th birthday, the young man is seen in the middle of the action, packing food for Avelifes Green Xchange an initiative to inculcate recycling habits by allowing residents to exchange recyclables for rice and other food. At the tender age of 13, the young Singaporean began his journey as an activist of sustainable development after an environmental awakening while working on a school recycling project. He subsequently volunteered in various social and environmental projects in Asia. After almost 10 years, he began to notice the lack of environmental education in the region. Inspired to make a change in the way socio-environment projects are conducted, Mark co-founded Avelife Foundation in 2009. While many of us may know the 3Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle we may not have the know-how of going green. For example, what do we recycle and what do we reuse, says Mark. Avelifes various community outreach and awareness projects such as Green Flea, Green Xchange and Avelife CREATE (Centre of Recycled Environmental Art and Training for the Elderly) strives to meet social and environmental needs by getting the community and corporations to work together. While working to improve environmental education, I discovered that the environment is closely related to social causes, says Mark, Since then, I have strived to meet the needs of both in all of our projects. More importantly, Avelife emphasises the importance of the 3Ps People, Public and Private sectors for the success of socio-environment programs. I believe that this has contributed greatly to our relatively fast growth, Mark added. The organizations work has also successfully inspired many youths to hop onto the environmental conservation bandwagon. One such example is Joanna Tan, a final year business student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

At first glance, Joanna would seem like an unlikely volunteer at this environmental NPO. Dressed in a blue shift dress, the NTU Deans Lister admits shyly that she was unsure of the idea of helping out at Avelife when her university senior first introduced the charity in 2009. When I first joined Avelife, I was not an advocate for the environment and joining a non-profit organisation was a novel idea. Being a part of its activities has helped me to be more conscious of the impact of my actions on the environment, says Joanna. Bit by bit, she added, I started to practise environmentally-friendly habits because of the benefits that could be reaped by conserving the environment. I then began to develop a passion to value-add to the community and help others see these benefits. After being with the organisation for almost three years, Avelife is no longer just a charity to Joanna. Avelifes volunteers and her interaction with international activists has been a source of inspiration to her. Avelife has shown me that the youth are truly societys leaders of tomorrow, says Joanna. As young leaders, what we need is support and opportunities to learn through trial and error. The leadership opportunities that Avelife has provided have given me both. Besides mobilizing youths in Singapore, Avelife has also inspired youth groups in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Korea and the Philippines. Its clout in the region has enabled it to be recognized as an environment NGO and youth NGO under the United Nations Framework of Conventions for Climate Change (UNFCC) the first for a Singapore environment NPO and a major achievement for this young organisation. With many more projects in the pipeline, it is just the beginning for Avelife and its young Executive Director. When asked what it feels like to turn 24, the bespectacled entrepreneur stops his work momentarily to adjust his glasses before replying, Age is just a number. Anything is possible as long as you are passionate in what you do. Word count: 691 words

What is Avelife?
Avelife is a Singapore-based environment non-profit organisation that aims to improve environmental education in Asia. Avelife was incorporated in November 2009 and was awarded the Charities Act in October 2010.

Vision
To be the preferred educational platform for active learners and corporate leaders, specialising in the promotion of green innovation.

Mission
To match green innovation with relevant resources Instill resource management values Impart green values Organize green-themed awareness campaigns and competitions To be Asias leading green event organizer

People
Avelife is fully run by a dedicated and passionate volunteer management team. With the support of its advisory panel, board of directors and a 7,000-strong volunteer base, the organization has inspired more than 200,000 youths in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Korea and the Philippines.

Projects
Avelife projects are centered on bringing the community and corporations together to work on environmental projects. Since its inception, the organisation has implemented a total of 47 projects. Key projects include: Green Xchange Avelife Sustainable Art and Design Awards for Green Innovation Green Flea C.R.E.A.T.E (Centre of Recycled Environmental Art and Training for the Elderly) ASEAN Green Arts Festival

Avelife Foundation 23 Woking Road, #01-01 Quebec Court Singapore (138701) http://www.avelife.org

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