At a time when Singaporean society continues to divide over a variety of issues ranging from foreign immigration to pro-family policies, a band of people have come together to kickstart a project that could very well be the solution Singaporeans need to foster a more cohesive society.
The team has come up with a hyperlocal online social platform targeted at bringing neighbours together within the same neighbourhood or within a 2 km radius.
Called Nearcircles, the project, launched a month ago, hopes to let people discover the world within their neighbourhoods through fun and social activities. Users can seek out like-minded neighbours, create a social circle or purchase a group-training course for a hobby or interest. Where previously it was difficult to find “kakis” for almost anything, neighbours can now search for like-minded people to participate in activities together.
Also read: Malaysian Startup Rolls Out Next Big Social Platform, Will It Be The New Facebook?
The idea was conceived by a group of friends who realized that it was difficult to get to know neighbours and ask for small requests; requests such as walking pets or gardening plants while being away overseas. The founders wanted to create a simple system through which residents in a neighbourhood can connect with people nearby and engage in mutually beneficial activities or sharing of information.
The team is ambitious. They want to create connected and empowered neighbourhoods. The project, which is now in public beta, would serve to facilitate the spirit of collective community or locally termed as the “kampong spirit”. Neighbours can build strong bonds and forge relationships with each other within the same neighbourhood. In this way, neighbours can turn to each other for help or ask their neighbours for advice, knitting them closer within their same community just like how it was during the traditional kampong days.
New residents who come to the neighbourhood can also be engaged and be included within the community through Nearcircles.
A cool feature of Nearcircles is that it offers activity classes at packaged prices for our users. However, it is not the primary function of Nearcircles. It is hoped that through the activity classes, it can provide a draw for neighbours to gather together and meet each other within the comforts of their own facility room, since these classes are in demand right now.
Using it is a breeze. Input your name, neighbourhood/condo, email and password. From there, you can view the groups found within your condos or neighbourhoods and the events happening near them. You can also view the classes offered within your neighbourhood. The classes will be conducted within your condo’s facility room or in the case of HDB’s, booking the nearest facility area to conduct the classes for the neighbours.
Get to know your neighbours and participate in fun beneficial activities with your new friends!
Also read: Would You Be A Superhero For Malaysia’s New Community App MyHERO?
