"We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without." – Immanuel Kant. + Tickintorque

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Hey guys! 
Im finally free, now that finals has ended, i can put studies at the back of my head now and get back to doing what I've always loved - blogging and shooting.



The first thing i'd like to share with you guys is a shoot for a cause I did a while back. It was for Project Dark, a project aiming to help the homeless and the poor across 37 cities in Indonesia. 



Project Dark (More about project Dark can be found here)
Berbagi Nasi is a movement is initiated by a group of young people in Bandung. They gather a few times a week to distribute rice to the poor and homeless. This movement has gathered pace and spread to 37 other cities in Indonesia. The main group in Bandung consists of young doctors, college students, photographers and people from various backgrounds coming together to do good a few times a week. They restrict themselves to 3 times a week so that the poor do not get dependent, but offer a tinge of help just to fill the stomachs. Once in awhile, when finances permit, they gather to distribute medicine and give treatment in slums. 
These poor live much below the poverty line. Almost all of them collect plastic to recycle for a living. 1kg of plastic earns them SGD$0.20. To collect 1kg of plastics, one has to gather approximately 400-500 1.5L plastic bottles. That is how much they gather. One can only imagine the amount of filth and living conditions they work and live in.
The main distributing group in Bandung is small. The number of families living in appalling conditions is huge. Each family is big, with kids as young as 2 months old living in a broken trishaw, random metallic containers, under the bridge, along pavements and so on.  
The reality is, it is hard to maintain such an entity without manpower and awareness. They need manpower and help. Every pair of hands extra means more poor families get fed. 
They hope to remain independent. Staying independent and doing things from the heart is the only way to maintain purity of the movement. 
This campaign is derived to promote awareness and volunteerism.
I was invited by Rebecca, a few model who was helping a friend, Jia Hui with this outreach. And i'm so glad they gave me a chance to be part of something so meaningful and even though I know i wont be of much help (in comparison to the other more experienced models who were there), im just glad that I got this opportunity to serve. In my own little way :)

The shoot was realllllly coool. Never did anything like this before! Everything was taken in darkness and you literally cant even see where the camera was. I couldn't see anyone, nothing, cept the flash whenever the talented photographer hit the shutter. 

I was also given plastic wrap and a few bottles to work around with. Look at how meticulously everything has been prepared and thought through. If you've already read about this movement from the other bloggers and seen their photos, you'll know that every single one of us had different looks and props. And each photo told a different story.
Brilliant.


Remember how these poor live on collecting plastic to recycle for a living? 
1kg of plastic earns them SGD$0.20, and you might think. 
20 CENTS?! Who'd do that just for 20 cents?! Yeah. that was honestly my first reaction when Jia hui told me that. What came next was even more mind blowing, do you know how many plastic bottles they need to collect for 20 Cents?
Approximately 400-500 1.5L plastic bottles

My heart ached a little as I thought about how much they are living with. It's definitely not enough and much more help is needed. If any one of you is interested, they are always welcoming volunteers around the world who wants to make an impact on people's lives.  



The kind souls in Singapore are also looking for partnerships with schools, studios, companies and organizations to initiate trips over to Bandung. 
If you wish to know more about these programs, wish to be a partner or just hope to go over to volunteer for one weekend, contact them at:

Budget airlines fly from Singapore to Bandung and other Indonesian cities daily.


 "We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without." – Immanuel Kant.

This project is a journey. There is no end point.
Do your part now!

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Next up! SHOPPING TIME!
You guys might have seen the watch ive been wearing to death lately. I wear it literally every day! Eversince I destroyed my rose gold one from River Island, i've been searching for the next successor.
Im not usually a watch person. and by that, i don't mean that I don't wear watches, I do. But watches were always an accessory to me. I wear them like bracelets and to be very honest, I can't even tell the time thaaaaaattt well. LOL
I'll usually depend on my digital clock on my phone. Hehe. 
For those who are looking for watches that are of superb quality and are trendy/beautiful/vintage and affordable, Tickintorque is the place for you!
/tik/•/torque/

The ticking movement of a clock.
A moment in time.







Did a mini photoshoot with Matt because we're in love with our Couple watch! 
If you're interested to know, we got the Armour Internporel set in White 

The perfect gift for your other half for anniversaries, birthdays, or any occasion! Actually you dont need an occasion to give, but well, since christmas is coming up, you know what to get!

Im so in love with the thought that we both have somethin "couple-y" without looking too gay.
Am i the only one who cringes whenever i see couples in matchy matchy couple tees on the street?
Especially those with half a heart printed across each others' shirts. Well... those kinda things are just not my cup of tea haha.

Instead of that, why not get yourselves a pair of couple watch?:) Classy.


Love, Mong



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