For International Women’s Day 2022, our special edition of HerWorldHerStory celebrates women who have embarked on journeys towards a sustainable future, and are driven to inspire others along the way. Here are their stories.
Katrina Lee, 24
The CEO and co-founder of Savour!, a tech startup that was founded in 2019, she aims to reduce food wastage via a business-to-business online marketplace that lists expiring, blemished and surplus food at corporate or charity discounts.
“I realised that there’s a huge mismatch between the demand and supply of food after working in the F&B industry, where perfectly good food is thrown away in bulk. Food waste is a growing issue in Singapore, and the amount of food waste generated has risen by around 20 per cent over the last decade.
This made me determined to develop a tech solution that could solve this issue. I chose to do this via an app and website, instead of starting a food rescue group, because the latter is heavily reliant on volunteers, and manpower isn’t always available. Plus, technology not only allows real live-time updates of inventory, but also saves merchants and customers time and money when listing and looking for items.
When I first started, I did not have the funds, a team or a developed platform – it was just me. I e-mailed 100 merchants and only got one reply. It was definitely discouraging, but I did not give up; I knocked on doors and partnered with the first 10 merchants through my passion and sincerity. I then went on to take part in hackathons and entrepreneurship programmes to network with like-minded individuals, and it was through these events that I met my co-founder and secured sufficient funding to develop my product. There are now 15 people on the team, with plans for Savour! to venture into the regional market within the next three years.
Esta historia es de la edición March 2022 de Her World Singapore.
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Esta historia es de la edición March 2022 de Her World Singapore.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
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TREASURE ISLAND
When plans to demolish the Merlion Tower on Sentosa were announced in 2019, some Singaporeans were sad to see one of the island's most iconic attractions go. After all, the quirky creature – with the head of a lion and the body of a fish – had been a significant part of their memories of Sentosa.The 37m-tall, 12-storey structure, completed in 1996 and designed by Australian sculptor James Martin, was a focal point for laser light shows and projections that transformed its ivory facade into a vibrant display of colours.The Merlion Tower was a popular attraction for families. Singaporean couple Anand and Vrunda Patel would often take their children there for outings. Vrunda, now 50, fondly recalls climbing the structure and admiring the views of Sentosa from the Merlion's mouth. “Outside the Merlion, there was a beautiful step garden with flowing water. I used to love walking there,” she shares.Years later, the statue, covered in dirt and grime, required a refresh. The demolition was not only part of a larger vision to connect Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in the north to the three beaches (Palawan, Tanjong and Siloso) on the island's south, it was also the start of a massive rebranding project to transform Sentosa from a recreational family destination to a premier lifestyle attraction.Today, Sentosa Sensoryscape stands in its place. Set within a lush landscape, the 30,000 sqm attraction features a 350m-long connector that leads visitors to six sensory gardens – where they can explore the gardens’ massive vessel-like sculptures, observe the various flora and fauna inhabiting the space, and interact with Instagrammable light displays through an augmented reality app after nightfall.“To attract younger visitors, our additional focus is on creating more authentic and immersive experiences, recognising that this demographic seeks deeper, more engaging interactions with the places they visit,” says Thien Kwee Eng, CEO, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).Just as Sensoryscape is designed to create an otherworldly atmosphere after dark, the Sentosa Night Mode campaign, launched in August, aims to introduce the island as a day-to-night destination for both locals and tourists, who would typically only make day trips to Sentosa. In addition to more nightlife events – such as the recent Waterbomb Festival, which saw about 10,000 revellers partying to a live K-pop line-up – the initiative includes extended operating hours at key attractions, along with street performances and dining promotions.It’s a move that has boosted visitorship to the island, with total numbers reaching 16 million this year.“This is a 20 per cent increase in the number of visitors as compared to the same period last year,” reveals Kwee Eng.
TAKING THE LEAP
It’s 10 am on a Monday, and Gan Guoyi, 40, walks into Jigger & Pony with a set of dry-cleaned clothes – a picture of calm amid the aftermath of last night’s chaos. The Singapore bar recently secured a spot in the Top 5 of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list, announced in Madrid on Oct 23. To celebrate, she threw a three-night promotion from Nov 10, where customers enjoyed five premium cocktails for just $5 each at select bars like Gibson, Live Twice, Sugarhall, Como Pony Jakarta, and Jigger & Pony.Naturally, the event was a hit, and Guoyi, who was manning the guest list at Sugarhall, only managed a few hours of sleep the night before. Still, she arrives promptly to our photo shoot without complaints.
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