Azhar and his wife Yasmin wanted their children and others in the neighbourhood to read more. They also felt family members should spend time together, rather than alone with a screen. So in March 2025, the couple and fellow volunteers turned the void deck of their block in Yishun into a community library, furnished with books and furniture donated by neighbours. There was no five-year road map, just a shared observation that something was missing, and a willingness to do something about it.

“We wanted to develop a space where children can read, play and interact together,” Azhar told Berita Harian in February 2026. His wife added that the library has become a place for parents to share experiences, form friendships, and rebuild a sense of neighbourliness many felt has quietly eroded.

This piece was first published in The Straits Times on 25 October 2026.

Robyn Tan is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore.

Top Image by Canva.