“I didn’t even know I was a volunteer,” Mr. Yogan laughs, his unassuming nature shining through. “I just helped out where I could. Then one day, the staff said, ‘You’re already a volunteer. Please attend this training.’ Wah, I was shocked!”

Mr. Tan supports in quiet, thoughtful ways—setting up chairs, arranging tables, and gently reaching out to those who seem hesitant. “Some old people… yeah, they very shy,” he says. “You need time to know a person. I observe first, then I go near them. They just need someone to say hello.”

It’s this spirit—of giving, connecting, and growing—that makes Lions Befrienders more than just an activity centre. It’s a place where the kampong spirit lives on, even in the heart of urban Singapore.

“I feel that spending time here is really worth it,” Mr. Yogan says. “If I sit at home, I don’t know—maybe I’d be thinking of old stories. Nowadays, I just think of what I want to do the next day.”

Mr. Tan, reflecting on his own experience, adds, “Most of the time, about four days in a week… there are a lot of friends to talk to and plenty of activities.”

For a city built on diversity, their friendship is a powerful reminder of how culture, language, and race don’t divide—they enrich.

“Singapore is special,” Mr. Tan says. “So many races, so many religions.” In this multicultural small country, racial harmony is apparent in many moments. Such as at a senior Chinese member’s 84th birthday, Mr. Yogan was her honoured guest. “She insisted I be there. Brought cake and pizza,” he says, touched. “Just a small celebration at our table. But those moments—you remember them.”

Despite their differences in background, upbringing, and even religion, what binds Mr. Yogan and Mr. Tan is a quiet empathy—and a shared belief in kindness, humour, and humanity.

So whether you’re Indian, Chinese, Malay, or from any walk of life — Lions Befrienders welcomes you. Come for the activities. Stay for the laughter. And who knows — you might just find your own Mr. Yogan or Mr. Tan.