27.6 C
Vientiane
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 2731

Social Impact Enterprise Kind Citizen Set to transform pandemic aids and the grey zones

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 15 November 2021 – In line with World Kindness Day, social impact enterprise, Kind Citizen, officially launches its marketplace platform that provides an avenue for contributors to pay it forward with holistic and essential gifts to a broader range of beneficiaries with its wide range of merchant partners in Asia.

 

Built in alignment with the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17, the tech-for-good enterprise is the result of two years of development and establishing partnerships with community groups, government and merchants, integrating them into a single platform to deliver lasting social impact.

 

The platform is a first-of-its-kind social impact marketplace rooted in the concept of paying it forward with holistic gifts beyond the basic needs, including essential lifestyle services, for beneficiaries at a time that is most needed for the individual. The platform aims to be all-inclusive by having a broader range of beneficiaries than the usual charity, such as frontline workers, mental health support staff, caregiver supporters, special needs individuals, single parents and ex-offenders. The platform hopes to be able to comprehensively support social inclusion, and motivate people to live well again in a timely way.

 

How Kind Citizen Platform Works


Already boasting a strong line up of community partners and retail merchants including Singtel, ComfortDelGro, Ez-link, Grab, merchants can list their food, lifestyle and essential items on the platform for contributors to purchase and pay it forward. Following which, community partners perform due diligence, managing the beneficiaries directly and according to the support they need.

 

Users can select the contributions they wish to make from their favourite merchants, or based on the top needed list on the marketplace app. They can then complete their orders similar to how they would any other e-commerce site, in addition to leaving their personalised kindness message. Subsequently, they will be notified when their Kind contribution is received.

 

Through its platform, Kind Citizen enables anyone to extend help in an easy, practical and transparent manner, and to demonstrate kindness to the invisible struggles of others. By providing accessible and timely help to often unseen groups of people (such as caregivers of elderly), Kind Citizen facilitates greater social inclusion to those who may have fallen through the cracks, especially in tough times during the pandemic.

 

To ensure transparency and the appropriate allocation of resources, Kind Citizen works with community partners including grassroots community development, local social enterprises, non-profit organisations, social service agencies and ground-up community projects. Through the consolidated efforts, any wastage or mismatch of resources is minimised, ensuring that contributions are well handled and accessible to beneficiaries who need them the most.

 

Kind Citizen is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) Our Singapore Fund for Digital Readiness, and is also affiliated with a number of notable partners, including Singapore Management University’s Business Innovations Generator, its startup incubator. In addition, Kind Citizen is backed by venture capital firm, Quest Ventures, which focuses on digital commerce in early-stage marketplaces.

 

Mr Jackson Chia, CEO of ComfortDelGro Private Mobility Group, said: “ComfortDelGro is happy to be able to participate in Kind Citizen’s pay-it-forward initiative and we hope that point-to-point transport will be made easier for all who are in need, whether it is for their medical appointments or social outings.”

 

On partnering with Kind Citizen, Mr Nicholas Lee, CEO at EZ-Link, said: “EZ-Link is delighted to partner Kind Citizen to power the growth of social giving in Singapore. At EZ-Link, we strongly believe in building an inclusive society. Our EZ-Link Wallet credits enable consumers to make purchases conveniently for meals at hawker centres or make top-ups to their EZ-Link cards for their daily transport needs.”

 

Leading up to its timely launch this World Kindness Day, Kind Citizen, started by Founder and CEO, Bernice Tan, has been in the works for two years. The platform was developed closely alongside the UN’s SDG 17 goals, combining the need for strong partnerships between multiple stakeholders to aid in sustainable development, with the concept of paying it forward. Having been the beneficiary herself of generous contributors, Ms Tan aims to drive social impact with the use of technology through Kind Citizen’s digital channel.

 

Sharing her insights into the launch of Kind Citizen, Ms Tan said: “I believe that the spirit of helpfulness and unity has always been evident in Singaporeans. Kind Citizen aims to enhance the way Singaporeans can do holistic giving by providing the flexibility on a transparent platform that connects merchants, community groups and contributors. It is my hope that this will help people to see the good in everyone and provide companies with practical ways to advance their social responsibilities.” 

 

Alongside the aforementioned partners, Kind Citizen has more than 100 merchants on its platform to date, including Flash Coffee, Love Bonito, Huggs Coffee and Swensens, to aid a pool of over 3000 beneficiaries.

About Kind Citizen

Kind Citizen is a social impact marketplace with the concept of Pay-it-forward. The Tech-For-Good platform enables everyone to contribute meals and essential lifestyle services to complement nationwide community campaigns with a holistic and effective approach. Its primary goal is to create a new social inclusion movement where everyone demonstrates graciousness and kind understanding for the invisible struggles of others.

For more information, visit https://www.payitforward.com.sg/

#KindCitizen

Vientiane Capital Reserves Land for Smart City Development

Buddha Park in Xiengkhuan Village, Hatxaifong District
Buddha Park in Xiengkhuan Village, Hatxayfong District


The sale of land across 12 villages in two districts of Vientiane Capital has been prohibited by city authorities after greenlighting a Smart City project.

Justin Sun Is Invited to 2021 Milken Institute Asia Summit

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 15 November 2021 – On November 15, the 2021 Milken Institute Asia Summit kicked off at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. TRON founder Justin Sun has been invited to attend this event and will join in the discussion of “Crypto’s Continuing Chronicles”, one of the summit’s major sessions.

The Milken Institute Asia Summit, hosted by the U.S.-based non-profit think tank Milken Institute, is now in its eighth year. This three-day summit will focus on “the Power of Human Connection”. It will bring together senior officials, politicians, philanthropists, industry leaders, and academics across the world, including Gan Kim Yong (Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore), Jacqueline Poh (managing director of IDA Singapore), and Simon Birmingham (Minister for Finance of Australia), who will be discussing how to address the challenges that are looming large in the world. The key solution is to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and equal society by utilizing the power of human connection.

According to the conference program, over 20 sessions will be held, covering topics such as “Real Assets Investment in the Years Ahead”, “Crypto’s Continuing Chronicles”, and “Technology Changing Lives”. The session of “Crypto’s Continuing Chronicles” will be held from 13:40 SGT to 14:20 SGT on November 15 in Singapore, focusing on topics including supervision on crypto assets and prospect of the cryptocurrency industry. Speakers of this session include Justin Sun, the leading role of the blockchain industry, and Sopnendu Mohanty, chief fintech officer of Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Justin Sun is invited to this event because TRON, under his leadership, has been powering the blockchain sphere with its constant endeavor. Public statistics show that TRON is now among the world’s top three public chains and boasts over 610 million users with the number of transactions topping 2.5 billion. TRON is also the largest blockchain where stablecoin (USDT) circulates, with over 50% global market share and over $50 billion on-chain cryptocurrency assets. TRON has now formed a sound blockchain ecosystem, holding a leading position in the mainstream smart contract-based applications inlcuding DeFi, NFT, stablecoin, and distributed protocol.

Recently, TRON also rolled out BitTorrent Chain (BTTC), the first heterogeneous cross-chain interoperability protocol in the industry. It will provide global mainstream blockchains with practical scaling solutions and deliver heterogeneous cross-chain communication that is decentralized and free of trust, ushering in a new era of “connecting all chains”. It can be expected that BTTC will help TRON further cement its dominant position in the blockchain space.

Milken Institute Asia Summit 2021, one of the largest international conferences held in Singapore this year, brings together around 400 leading roles across the political, business, and academic fields to discuss feasible solutions to the raging challenges of the day. This year’s summit includes in-person meetings, virtual sessions and private roundtable forums on specific topics and will be broadcast live globally through its official channel.

#TRON

Covid Death Toll Reaches Over 100 in Laos

Vientiane Covid Update


Laos has recorded 826 new cases of Covid-19 today, with five new deaths bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 104.

Smoking-related Deaths On the Rise in Laos

Smoking in Laos

 

Health officials in Laos say some 6,700 people die from smoking-related diseases each year, with the use of e-cigarettes on the rise among youth.

CUHK: The influential academic leader in the world

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 15 November 2021 – Established in 1963 and still expanding, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is ranked among the best research universities internationally, 39th in the World# and 7th in Asia*. As a pioneering institution, the University gathered a team of worldwide scholars and scientists, globally appreciated for its outstanding research in a wide range of disciplines. It is the centre of excellence for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research with a global impact while making significant benefactions to society by transposing research findings into practical utilisation.

The University boasts an array of over 300 research institutes and research centres. It has also established many joint research units partnering with external academic institutions. CUHK has five State Key Laboratories, including Laboratories of Agrobiotechnology, Digestive Disease, Research on Bioactivities and Clinical Applications of Medicinal Plants, Synthetic Chemistry, and Translational Oncology. These state-level laboratories enable the country’s most proficient experts and scholars to conduct leading studies and experiments. It shows a positive growth in the number of high-quality research output covering journal publications, creative and literary works, consulting reports and cases studies, scholarly books, monographs and chapters, conference papers, filed patents, granted patents and many others.

Taking pride in its culture of teaching quality, the University attaches great importance to teaching and learning, so that students can benefit from an education of the highest possible quality. Providing professional guidance builds students’ emerging academic identities and wisdom. CUHK is here to help students realise their potential, develop their skills, and find the best-suited career opportunities.

The University offers a variety of study options to suit the different needs of students, ranging from the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) to Taught Doctoral degree, Taught Master’s degree, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate.

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) at CUHK now invites the best and brightest students worldwide to pursue their PhD studies in Hong Kong. The Scheme covers the tuition fee, monthly stipend, conference and research-related travel expenses, lodging allowance, and also guarantee on-campus accommodation to support student’s research studies, with generous financial support totaling up US$210,000.

To learn more the details, please visit https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/hkpfs?utm_source=CM&utm_medium=CM&utm_campaign=HKPFS.

 

#QS World University Rankings in 2022

*Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2021

Ox Street Joins Carousell Group as It Sets Sights on the US$10 Billion Sneaker Resale Market in Greater Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 15 November 2021 – Carousell Group, the leading classifieds group in the Greater Southeast Asian region, has announced that it has acquired Ox Street, one of the fastest growing end-to-end marketplaces for authenticated sneakers and streetwear in Southeast Asia, as it sets sights on the US$10 billion sneaker resale market in Greater Southeast Asia.

What started as an underground movement has quickly become mainstream with sneakers emerging as one of the must-haves in men’s accessories. In fact, in 2020, the total global sneaker market revenue was valued at approximately US$70 billion and was forecasted to reach a value of US$102 billion by 20251. Within Southeast Asia, the forecasted yearly growth is over 20%, double the global average.

The partnership reflects Carousell’s deep commitment to reimagining the classifieds experience, with a focus on trust and convenience, to make secondhand the first choice. The Ox Street team inspects and authenticates every pair of sneakers before it reaches its buyers. Carousell’s advanced and intuitive technology, extensive reach, and marketplace liquidity across a wide range of categories, combined with Ox Street’s authentication capabilities will further propel the mutual goal of creating an experience where transacting secondhand is as convenient and trusted as buying first hand.

Leveraging Ox Street’s strong domain expertise in the streetwear industry, Carousell intends to deepen its reach and scale to become a market leader for fashion and luxury goods. It will also allow both marketplaces to capture the growth of the Greater Southeast Asian market across sneakers and more emerging categories driven by Gen Z trends.

The demand for sneakers on both platforms are growing, especially among male users. 70% of Ox Street users are male who spend on average $400 per pair. While on Carousell, 28% of  men’s footwear is sold for US$100 to $250, double that of women’s footwear.

“We are excited to partner with Gijs and team in our mission to inspire the world to start selling. We share common values in being user-first and in building communities, as evidenced by the brand love they have created amongst their dedicated community of sneakerheads and fashion enthusiasts, especially amongst the Gen Z. They have also built trust by authenticating every pair of sneakers that gets transacted on the Ox Street marketplace. We see immense opportunity in bringing that capability and their learnings to double down on our recommerce efforts. Most of all, we see this acquisition as joining forces to accelerate our shared vision of making secondhand the first choice.” said Quek Siu Rui, Co-founder and CEO of Carousell.

“We initially started a conversation with Carousell on partnering up to provide authentication as a service for sneakers, but as discussions progressed we found so much common ground in how we see the future, that we decided it would be much more powerful for Ox Street to fully join the Carousell group. Our focus markets align nearly 1 to 1, and in these markets Carousell was actually the first, and remains the largest marketplace for sneakers and streetwear. We started Ox Street to bring a more seamless experience to buying and selling in these categories, and it’s very exciting that we can now continue building our vision for this space on a much larger scale.

With Carousell’s reach and technological capabilities, we can supercharge Ox Street’s ability to innovate and reach more buyers and sellers. Last but not least, we have a lot of shared values and found a very strong cultural fit, and I cannot be more excited to partner with Siu Rui, Marcus, Lucas and the entire Carousell team.” said Gijs Verheijke, the Founder and CEO of Ox Street.

1.     https://www.statista.com/statistics/1017918/sneakers-market-value-forecast-worldwide/

About Carousell Group

Carousell Group is the leading classifieds group in Greater Southeast Asia on a mission to inspire the world to start selling, and to make secondhand the first choice. Founded in August 2012 in Singapore, the group has a leading presence in eight markets under the brands Carousell, Mudah.my, Cho Tot and OneKyat, serving tens of millions of monthly active users. Carousell is backed by leading investors including Telenor Group, Rakuten Ventures, Naver, STIC Investments and Sequoia Capital India. Visit here for more information.

#CarousellGroup

About Ox Street

Ox Street is one of the leading end-to-end marketplaces for authenticated sneakers and streetwear in Southeast Asia, focused on Gen Z and Y consumers in the region. There are 85 million Gen Z and Y consumers in Southeast Asia, who together will spend 128 billion USD on fashion in 2025. None of them are wearing suits, and these consumers spend a lot of time on their phones. Ox Street’s mission is to create a new way to shop, where buying and selling second-hand feels just as seamless as a luxury eCommerce experience. The company was founded in November 2019 and is currently operating in 5 markets across Southeast Asia. Learn more about Ox Street here.

Pretty Beauty Group introduces LDM® technology to treat and lighten wounds

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 15 November 2021 – Our skin is so delicate that­­­ stubborn scars caused by issues from acnes to postpartum stretch marks and subcutaneous tissue injuries seem to never fade once they are formed on our skin. While time surely can heal all wounds, Pretty Beauty Group presents to you our new LDM® (Local Dynamic Micro-Massage) device that can quicken the healing process. Developed by Wellcomet Technology, the new LDM® device combines technologies using thermal energy, biochemistry and mechanics that penetrate deep skin tissues with no pain and side effects. It helps repair skin cells and boost their regenerative power at the roots, thus activating our body’s self-healing process and greatly shortening the scarring process, resulting in an overall smoothing of wounds and a reduced appearance of scars.

 

Pretty Beauty Group’s Groundbreaking LDM® triple waves ultrasonic technology to repair and rejuvenate

Pretty Beauty Group’s LDM® device uses a patented technology that is beneficial for treating scarring issues. The latest and most upgraded beauty device from the line, LDM®Noblesse is equipped with triple waves ultrasonic technology that can penetrate deep skin tissues and tackle skin problems at the root. Developed by the German leading scientific research team Wellcomet Technology, this device uses technologies combining thermal energy, biochemistry, and mechanics to exploit the effect of ultrasound as fully as possible. Making use of three different ultrasonic frequencies, which helps stimulate and repair the cells of each skin layer.

 

3 frequencies to tackle skin inflammation issues from acne, wrinkles to stretch marks

Our skin structure is divided into three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. The patented triple-waves ultrasonic technology LDM® Noblesse makes use of the instantaneous change between three frequencies from 1MHz, 3MHz to 10MHz to power a deep penetration into each skin layer within a second, filling up our dermis and hypodermis with moisture and structure which help clear acnes, blackheads, and pigment, tighten sagging skin and smoothen wrinkles. LDM®️Noblesse can also treat troublesome cellulite and stretch marks for pregnant ladies. The highest 10MHz ultrasonic frequency transmitted into 0.3cm depth under our skin layer helps tighten and lighten wrinkles, hence revitalizing our skin to prenatal smoothness.

Treating stubborn scars with no pain, scars, or side effects

Scars form due to excessive cell proliferation during the skin healing process. LDM® Noblesse’s gentle and painless treatment combines technologies using thermal energy, biochemistry and mechanics that helps repair the tearing of capillaries in the epidermis and promote their growth to produce a large amount of VEGF that stops wounds from opening repeatedly, thus reducing the chance of forming scars. For wounds and scars that have already existed, the device’s high-quality ultrasound probe made of titanium helps remove dead skin cells and accelerate the shedding of scab and the overall healing process.

Renew your skin in a 28 days golden cycle

Pretty Beauty Group’s LDM® cell regeneration technology promotes collagen proliferation and replenishes hyaluronic acid in our skin through high-frequency ultrasound waves. The anti-aging Glycosaminoglycan is used to lock in the moisture for our skin, encourage the growth of skin cells and replace the damaged cells within a golden skin renewal cycle of 28 days against aggressors such as weather changes, which tend to make our skin prone to dryness, redness, peeling and sensitivity.

About Pretty Beauty Group

Pretty Beauty Group has been established for 36 years since 1985 and has 16 branches in the premium locations across Hong Kong. Pretty Beauty Group’s beauty equipments meet strict international standards to ensure that it offers exceptional beauty services that are safe, hygienic, and reliable. Delivered by professional and experienced aestheticians, the treatments will grant you confidence and pleasure. To learn more about beauty, skin, and body shape treatments, please visit https://prettybeautygroup.com.

#PrettyBeautyGroup