History
Kampong Gelam, one of Singapore's oldest urban areas, is a place where age-old customs and cutting-edge lifestyle collide in a heady mix.

The district has a long history dating back to Sir Stamford Raffles' allocation of the land to the Malay, Arab, and Bugis communities during Singapore's colonial era. Today, it has been identified as the coolest neighbourhood in the world by Timeout! 

The Backstory
Being situated in the kampong since we opened our yellow doors in 2009, not only have we created a home at Kampong Gelam, but we have since forged friendships and connections among our community and businesses alike. We have seen the busy, hustle and bustle of our fellow kampong Kakis and Kawans day and night.

However, with the COVID endemic, multiple businesses in Kampong Gelam have permanently pulled their shutters down and we can’t bear seeing any more experience the same fate. With businesses gone, jobs are gone, history and the vibrancy that once filled our precinct… is slowly going.

The Initiative and how we are trying to help
Being a survivor of COVID’s hard hit, we thought, “How can we help?”. Having experienced firsthand the hard hit caused by the pandemic, we wanted to pull together our resources and help in the best way we can— through marketing. Kampong Gelam United was incubated with everyone in mind. By creating a unified platform where businesses can list their promotions, people will be able to find the coolest happenings and best deals around the kampong collectively.

Our aim is to help retain the neighbourhood’s charm through #KampongGelamUnited, a co-marketing platform that shares these awesome deals with the world. This digital platform helps businesses reach out and connect with the world by sharing their awesome deals and sweet offers, ultimately inviting more people to come and enjoy Kampong Gelam.

Why is this initiative essential and how does it help to save Kampong Gelam?
What comes to mind when you think of Kampong Gelam? Haji Lane? Arab Street? The diverse selection of food? What about what you think makes Kampong Gelam? The quirky vibes, the shophouses, the colourful murals, the desserts and hang out spots and small cafes and shops? The heritage sites and sights?

Now imagine this: the next time you visit the precinct, your favourite spots or what you think makes Kampong Gelam is not here anymore. Then, what do you think Kampong Gelam will be made of?

Yes, sometimes change is good, but other times, it is what makes a place it’s own.

Kampong Gelam is home to more than the businesses and residents in the precinct - it is one of the world’s coolest neighborhoods located right in Singapore. Losing Kampong Gelam means losing a big part of our culture and heritage.

Hence, #KampongGelamUnited aims to preserve this precinct and the businesses that make this place what it is known for today, and conserve its beauty and energy for when you come visit to makan (eat), shop and lepak (chill).

What this means for you
By supporting this initiative, you are helping to preserve the Kampong Gelam precinct and its businesses. You are also creating a connection with them and signing up to receive great promotion deals that help you save money and the businesses along the way.

In populating content from our precinct, the awareness and traffic for the businesses increases, giving them a higher chance of survival for their business operations.

How you can help
1. Sign this petition and share it to your groupchats, so that we can get as much support as we can from the relevant stakeholders!
2. Join as a FREE member at www.kamponggelamunited.sg so you can get notified of the precinct’s happenings and offerings by the businesses!

In these low moments, we only have each other to help each other out. Help us save our kampong and #supportlocal!