{"id":8532,"date":"2025-08-07T08:50:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T00:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/?p=8532"},"modified":"2025-08-07T08:48:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T00:48:30","slug":"rachel-and-the-dream-of-a-kinder-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2025\/08\/07\/rachel-and-the-dream-of-a-kinder-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Rachel and the Dream of a Kinder World"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

When Ms Rachel Nadia Goh (Arts & Social Sciences ’14) speaks about her work, there is no saviour complex. No over-polished pitch. Just clarity, conviction and the kind of quiet fire that comes from years of bearing witness to the human cost of crisis. A humanitarian and development professional, Rachel has spent the last decade working across disaster zones, refugee settlements and conflict-affected regions with leading international NGOs. Along the way, she has listened to stories of unimaginable hardship, often shared in moments of radical vulnerability. In 2019, she founded Kin Collective, a social enterprise that transforms these lived realities into illustrated children\u2019s books designed to spark empathy and reflection among readers of all ages. \u201cI always get questions like, \u2018Why do you choose to do this kind of work?\u2019 Honestly, I don\u2019t know. Why not? It\u2019s as simple as that,\u201d she said. \u201cI just care.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Rachel's humanitarian work has taken her around the world. Here she is pictured with children in Vietnam. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

It is an instinct that has defined her path since childhood. At 14, she volunteered at an orphanage in Thailand, a formative experience that left her brimming with questions. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is it always the poor who suffer most? A mentor posed a challenge: \u201cIf you knew the answer, would it change what you choose to do?\u201d Her answer was no. That question \u2014 and her response \u2014 have stayed with her ever since.<\/p>

Rachel\u2019s academic path reflects her deep interest in the region. At the National University of Singapore (NUS), she majored in Southeast Asian studies, motivated by a desire to work directly with local communities and better understand the region\u2019s cultures and complexities. \u201cThat degree gave me the language, context and grounding I needed,\u201d she said. She credits her time at NUS as foundational, particularly the guidance of mentors like Professor TC Chang (Arts & Social Sciences \u201990,\u00a0 MA \u201994) and Dr George Radics (Arts & Social Sciences PhD \u201909). A poster on campus for a human rights programme in Geneva would later lead to a life-changing opportunity, a turning point that opened doors to a life of humanitarian service.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Three of Kin Collective's published titles.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

STORIES WITH HEART
<\/strong><\/p>

Today, Kin Collective has published four illustrated titles, all supported by the National Library Board and stocked in libraries across Singapore. The stories draw from Rachel\u2019s field experiences in some of the most complex corners of the world. Think Gaza, Ethiopia, Afghanistan. But rather than spotlighting trauma, her books elevate stories of courage, connection and hope. \u201cI\u2019ve had so many conversations over coffee, sharing these stories with friends. And they\u2019d say, \u2018I wish my kids could hear this\u2019 or \u2018I wish more people knew\u2019. But you can\u2019t have coffee with everyone. So we started writing.\u201d
<\/strong><\/p>

Tripina Finds Fresh Water<\/em>, Kin Collective\u2019s debut title, was inspired by the story of a mother and her children who were forced to fetch gallons of water from a neighbouring village each night, under the cover of darkness. \u201cWater was such a precious resource that if they went in the day, they risked being chased away or attacked,\u201d explained Rachel. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

The journey was perilous. The woman described how, at night, she could hear hyenas and had to weigh whether it was safe to go or better to stay home and endure a day without water. When a new water point was eventually built within her village, the trek dropped to just 20 minutes. Still a long walk, but a transformative one. \u201cShe could then go in the day and make multiple trips on her own. She said that this meant she could now send her kids to school. Now they can chase their dreams,\u201d said Rachel. \u201cSo for some communities, when we say water is life, water truly is life.\u201d
<\/strong><\/p>

All of Kin Collective\u2019s books are self-published to preserve the integrity of the stories. \u201cThese are real stories of real people,\u201d she shared. \u201cWe don\u2019t want them to be altered or pressured into being edited to take a different angle.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

BUILDING PEACE, ONE TALE AT A TIME\u00a0
<\/strong><\/p>

Kin Collective\u2019s most recent title, Sara, Hana and Their Three Wishes<\/em>, is a gentle fable inspired by the experiences of children growing up in conflict zones. This September, it will be adapted into a theatrical production to mark World Peace Day. \u201cEvery year on World Peace Day, nothing much actually happens,\u201d said Rachel, half-laughing. \u201cThere\u2019s this ceremonial bell that gets rung at the United Nations, and that\u2019s about it. But what does that do for children? For families? We wanted to create something that stirs conversation. Something immersive. Something that persists.\u201d
<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The play, like the book, is deliberately non-specific in setting and ethnicity. You can\u2019t tell where the characters are from, or what cultures they represent. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want people to focus on identity or geography,\u201d she explained. \u201cThis is about shared humanity.\u201d It\u2019s also about the power of choice. \u201cWe wanted to show that even in conflict, the possibility of choosing peace, of choosing friendship and love, still exists,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we hope for readers and viewers to reflect on.\u201d<\/p>

Storytelling, to Rachel, is ultimately about planting possibility. \u201cCreative storytelling can ignite conversations, memories and imagination,\u201d she said. \u201cIf we allow our narratives to be dominated by the worst of what\u2019s happening in the world, we\u2019re not really doing our part.\u201d<\/p>

The team behind Kin Collective is small and mostly made up of volunteers. Yet somehow, the books get made, thanks to a mix of tenacity, serendipity and shared belief. One of her illustrators, for instance, is an artist Rachel found online by chance\u2014someone touched by her own experiences of conflict who shares the same values. \u201cWhen I told her about the project, she immediately said yes. It was such a serendipitous connection.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The team behind Kin Collective is small and mostly made up of volunteers. Yet somehow, the books get made, thanks to a mix of tenacity, serendipity and shared belief. One of her illustrators, for instance, is an artist Rachel found online by chance\u2014someone touched by her own experiences of conflict who shares the same values. \u201cWhen I told her about the project, she immediately said yes. It was such a serendipitous connection.\u201d<\/p>

So what\u2019s next? \u201cPeople keep asking for more stories. And we do have more to tell. But right now, the focus is on the Peace Day play,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is the first time we\u2019re doing something like this. I don\u2019t see why it should be the last.\u201d Her message for young changemakers is this: Take action. Don\u2019t wait. \u201cBe courageous. Be kind. You have to be both. These times ask for it. They demand it.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Sara, Hana and Their Three Wishes will be brought to life on stage this September in a special theatrical production for World Peace Day. To experience the story and reflect on what peace means to you, get your tickets at <\/em>wearekinco.com\/tickets<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

She has worked in some of the world\u2019s most fragile places, from conflict zones to refugee camps. But it is in children\u2019s storybooks that Ms Rachel Nadia Goh (Arts & Social Sciences \u201914) has found her most enduring tool for change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":8533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-impact"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8532"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8546,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8532\/revisions\/8546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}