Carousell users, partners #ChooseToGive amid Covid-19

Online community marketplace Carousell has started a movement called #ChooseToGive to encourage Singaporeans to donate items through its platform and show compassion to people in need amid Covid-19.

These donated items, which the company calls "blessings", include clothing, furniture, bicycles and diapers.

Ms Peh Jing Zhi, 27, product marketing lead at Carousell, said her team received response when Carousell shared stories of users who gave out free items.

She told The New Paper: "Acts like these should be supported and amplified. That's why we started this campaign."

Carousell has a "free items" category, which it has started spotlighting with a banner in its mobile app since the movement started on Feb 19.

Carousell also released a video featuring users who have donated items on the platform.

One of them is Mr Nigel Teo, co-founder of Our Heroes SG, an online appreciation wall born out of a web-based tracker initially designed to display the number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore.

Mr Teo, 39, said: "We realised there is a lot of good going around, and thought about how we can change the narrative a bit and make it less about fear.

"We thought of latching onto the tracker, so that people can toggle to a page beside it and read uplifting stories."

Also supporting Carousell's #ChooseToGive movement is soap brand Lifebuoy, which is giving hand sanitisers to vulnerable groups such as the elderly.

Local YouTube channel Night Owl Cinematics has donated 100 bottles of hand sanitisers and five cartons of wet wipes to be distributed to the less fortunate while homegrown retail logistics company Blu is offering free delivery for all items listed under #ChooseToGive till the end of the month.