Ground-Up Initiative (GUI)
A space I have seen change lives—quietly and deeply

Tay Lai Hock, Kampung Chief. (1964 – 2018)

There are many organisations doing good work.

GUI is different.

I first came to know Tay Lai Hock not just as the founder of an organisation, but as a person deeply committed to building something meaningful for the community. We crossed paths through a shared intention—to find ways to contribute and do better good for the people around us.

A good friend, a mentor, and someone who inspired me to do better good passed on in 2018. Kampung Chief Lai Hock of Ground-Up Initiative.

I first met him in 2015 at a meeting with MOE. A group of us were invited because we were, in many ways, the “rebels” of the system—pushing for something different. I remember this loud, burly guy challenging ideas directly. I was struck by his frankness and his no-nonsense approach.

Over time, we became friends. I came to see him as a mentor in doing good, and more importantly, a friend.

He once said to me:

“If rich people can come together, work together and get richer together,
certainly those of us who want to do good can come together and do greater good.”

That stayed with me. It shaped how I think about collaboration and the work that I do today.

I was with Lai Hock just days before his passing. The Kampung was full of life—activities everywhere. And he was the same as always. Walking the ground, picking up trash, drinking from the same container as everyone else. Greeting volunteers by name, stopping for conversations about their health, their families, their lives.

There was no distance between him and the people.

From a small 100 sqft space, Lai Hock built what is now known as Kampung Kampus.

But more than the physical space, he built something harder to describe.

For him, the kampung was not just a place.
It was a space for peace, healing, and connection.
A place where people could return to something more grounded —
to feel a sense of ownership, belonging, and care for one another.

He carried much of this work himself, including the responsibility of raising funds to sustain the space. It was not easy work, but it was the work he believed in deeply

Continuing the Work

After his passing, the work did not stop.

A group of committed individuals stepped forward to continue what he started. People who care deeply—not just about the idea of GUI, but about the people who come through it.

The current team has been working tirelessly with limited resources. They roll up their sleeves, work the ground, spend long hours under the sun, and continue doing what is needed to keep the space going while raising funds to sustain it.

Over time, more people have come forward to help. But the reality is—they still need more support.

I’ve stayed connected with the team since, supporting in whatever way I can. Not just to keep his work going, but because the people there continue to carry the same spirit—with humility, care, and quiet commitment.

Over the years, they managed to carry the financial burden and stabilise the organisation. But more recently, they have had to relocate due to land use changes—something they had hoped to delay for as long as possible.

Relocation means rebuilding.
And rebuilding requires resources.

For a not-for-profit serving the community, this is not a small challenge.

Why This Matters

What GUI offers is not easily replaced.

It reaches people in ways that many formal systems do not.

GUI serves a group of people who often go unseen. Not those in acute need where formal systems step in, but everyday individuals who need space—space to slow down, to be themselves, to find some peace.

I have seen people come through who are not in crisis, but are quietly struggling—older individuals who find it hard to connect, youths navigating pressure and expectations, and others simply looking for a place where they can just be.

It’s difficult to fully describe the impact of Lai Hock and GUI in words. This short memorial captures it more honestly than anything written here.

 

This is why I believe this work should continue.

A Small Way to Contribute

This charity initiative is my small way of supporting GUI and the team behind it.

If you are joining the Power-To-Train September run, you are already contributing.
All proceeds from that run will go towards supporting GUI.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to be part of this journey—not just as a participant, but as someone contributing to something larger.

Learn More

If you would like to understand more about Lai Hock and the work of GUI: