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📷: Cake cutting at Sharity’s birthday during Sharity Heart Award at the former Haw Par Villa Dragon World Amphitheatre (NAS)
On Children’s Day in 1984, a #mascot now familiar and dear to Singaporeans, was introduced for the Community Chest Singapore, a Singaporean non-profit organisation that supports social service programmes for the less fortunate. The mascot was Sharity, the name a combination of “share” and “charity”, values that the Community Chest wishes our children to emulate. The character was an elephant “because elephants live in communities and help each other”.
The campaign was targeted at primary and lower secondary school students when launched, and most Singaporeans remember the Sharity donation envelopes from their school days. Sharity appeared in numerous publicity materials, merchandise and events over the years, with a backstory that evolved over time.
The first backstory, published in the Straits Times as a comic strip during its 1984 launch, portrayed Sharity as a selfish and spoilt female elephant who did not have friends. A water crisis taught her the importance of sharing and helping others, and she made friends along the process.
The second backstory happened in 1987 when Community Chest rebranded the campaign through a new series of books, “My Sharity Collection”, launched at a book fair. Sharity was re-imagined as a young male elephant who had to leave the forest because he was pink, rejected by the other elephants for looking different from the rest. Eventually, Sharity made friends with other animals and they went on various adventures together.
The last backstory was in 2016 after a period of inactivity from 2008. It was a continuation of the 1987 story – but instead of running away for looking different, Sharity took it in his stride and continued caring and sharing with his friends and the less fortunate. Additional characters such as Buddy the dog, Felicity the cat, and Cheeky the monkey – Sharity’s friends from Sharityland were also introduced.
Today, Sharity has a YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram pages, and even a page on a local e-commerce platform where proceeds go to various causes, including ComLink, an initiative recently mentioned at the #Budget2023 in support children living in rental flats.
Often seen at charity events, community outreach programs, and fundraising events throughout Singapore, Sharity remains an icon for Singaporeans, reminding and inspiring us toward a more caring, and compassionate society. ❤️
Sharity the mascot might have changed over the years, but the values represented, of sharing and caring, remain timeless.
P.S/ Fun fact: Sharity’s favourite food is peanut ice kachang and he would share it with his friends! 😄
#OurMascots #Sharing #Caring #Neighbourliness #Singapore #SingaporeWay