More than 60 colourful paintings and prints are on display, including watercolours on silk, as well as acrylic pieces depicting aspects of Lao culture, nature and the modernisation of the lifestyle of various ethnic groups.

The paintings and prints are the work of Sivilay Saypaserth, Phouthone Vithainorath and Oudomxay Thammavongsa, all talented local artists.

The three artists are also teachers at the National Institute of Fine Arts who, after graduating from fine arts schools, went on to work as teachers and resident artists and have produced many pieces for exhibition.

However this is the first time they have exhibited their work together as a trio, choosing this time to collaborate in staging the exhibition.

Sivilay is displaying his watercolours on silk and paintings, Phouthone his acrylic paintings, and Oudomxay his mix of coloured paintings and prints.

The exhibition will run until October 12. Art lovers and interested people can visit La Maison de la Culture, to which entrance is free, and support the artists by purchasing one of their pieces.

The opening ceremony took place on Monday evening and was attended by a large number of art lovers.

At the opening ceremony, Mr Sivilay represented the artists to welcome the audience, offered his impressions of the displayed artwork, explained the background and purpose of the event, and urged the audience to enjoy the items on display.

Phouthone told Vientiane Times he was very happy to take part in the exhibition and called on members of the public to visit and witness the beauty of the artists’ work.

“I am very happy to take part by displaying my artwork here. I have exhibited my pieces many times in Laos and other countries. But this time is special because I am displaying my work with two other Lao artists and we want to present the output of Lao artists to both local and foreign art lovers. We want people to know that Lao artists can do what artists in other countries can do and that our work is as beautiful as theirs,” he said.

Oudomxay said he too was very happy to display his work alongside that of his colleagues and explained the importance of his creations and asked members of the public to support the artists.

“I love creating art, especially painting and printmaking. Art is very important because it helps to make people feel relaxed while the pieces on display here reflect Lao style and our culture and traditions.”

“Creating art is not easy because it takes time and you need special techniques and skills. I would like to invite all art lovers to visit the exhibition, learn about our work and support us,” he added.

The benefits of keeping a graphic diary were discussed during Ideafest 2016’s first day session in Jakarta, featuring Bandung-based comic artist Tita Larasati as speaker.

Tita, who is also the general secretary of Bandung Creative City Forum (BCCF), explained that graphic diaries have a positive impact on the senses. “When we create one, we directly observe our surroundings, such as where the door is located,” she said, adding that her graphic diary helps her reflect on the reality of her perceptions. It also helps her to narrate stories concisely without boring her readers, and it improves her empathy.

In her first graphic comics, Tita illustrated how she had to cook Indonesian food for 11 people, went to IKEA, built her own bike, cleaned up her apartment, and do other daily activities. “It was actually just fragments of highlights of the day,” she said. Her books include the paperback version of her 2008 graphic diary, Curhat Tita (Tita Tells Her Stories), Curhat Tita: Back in Bandung ( 2008 ), Kid Stuff ( 2010 ), and Transition, which is published under her own publishing company Curhat Anak Bangsa. She also collaborated with other artists in various books.

Tita has loved drawing since she was little and went to Germany in 1995 for an internship program in a product design company. Her boss at that time urged her to keep in touch with her family by writing a letter every week. “I was too lazy to write, so I faxed my family a comic in a piece of paper,” she said. The comics were then copied by her mother and distributed to her family and friends.

Tita is one of 150 speakers who participated in Ideafest’s first-day session alongside film director Nia Dinata, screenwriter Salman Aristo and blogger Astrid Satwika.

One first-time visitor, Mega Kharismawati, said the event was full to the brim with knowledge from the professional speakers. “It offers many categories and topics that we can choose from depending on our preference,” she told The Jakarta Post. “There are so many sessions that I wanted to attend, but I think [some] good topics are being held at the same time, so people may find it difficult [to choose].”

In addition to new sessions, the second day of the event will also feature a conference and Indovidfest. Prominent figures scheduled to speak at the conference include President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, presenter and journalist Andy F. Noya, Grab co-founder Hooi Ling Tan and Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil. Meanwhile, Indovidfest is a collaboration between Ideafest and Indovidgram that is said to be the biggest creative video festival in the country.

In a two-story building at Jl. Ring Road Utara 18 in Sleman, Upside Down World Jogja features 12 different themed rooms with real furniture sets, as the name suggests, placed upside down or stuck onto the roof and walls, including beds, sofas, dining tables and toilets.

The result provides a fun photo opportunity as it makes visitors appear to be flying or defying gravity like in a 3D art museum; the difference is that all things featured in the rooms are authentic items you usually find in houses.

“This place was inspired by the animated movie Upside Down,” said the attraction’s supervisor Femil Wahyu Hardono, as quoted by Tribun Jogja. “The general concept is showcasing rooms in a regular house. But we added a new theme called warung burjo [mung bean porridge stall], which can be found across the city and has become one of the popular characteristics.”

Established on July 4, the attraction also has attendants who can assist visitors in finding good angles for selfies. “They will also help visitors take photos for free,” said Femil.

Open daily between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., entry costs Rp 80,000 (US$6) for adults and Rp 40,000 for children, including insurance. The attraction reportedly sees at least 100 visitors per day. A similar site is also available in Bali.

Such is the refreshing morning landscape and atmosphere when one lives amidst hectares of plantation land, away from busy rush hour traffic noise and city pollution.

Zulinawati, 38, is the wife of Sime Darby Plantation’s Bukit Paloh Estate manager Nor Yazid Kanapi, who has been in the role since January 2013.

Together with their four boys, aged five to 15, they currently live in the estate manager’s bungalow, which was built way back in the 1930s.

Bukit Paloh Estate is a 2,700-hectare oil palm plantation located in the Kluang district in Johor, about 25km from Yong Peng, Batu Pahat.

According to the book The Planter’s Bungalow: A Journey Down the Malay Peninsula by Peter & Waveney Jenkins (EDM Books, 2007), the Bukit Paloh Estate was formerly part of the Straits Rubber Co Ltd and later Kempas Sime Darby, before becoming part of the Sime Darby Plantation. The first occupant of the bungalow was manager John Hedley.

Located on a small hill, the two-storey masonry building bears hints of Scottish baronial architecture — a style that spread well beyond its Scottish borders and into the British colonies (victorianweb.org) — in the two small angle-walled turrets at the back of the house. Behind these angled walls are spacious living room and kitchen areas.

A porte cochère (porch) that shelters estate and guest cars forms part of the bungalow’s design in front, with a sturdy balcony resting above it.

Near the porch are windows with rounded tops that complement the building’s design. Some of the original paned windows on the upper floor have since been replaced with louvered glass and aluminium panel windows.

Walking inside the house, one of the first things we notice is the staircase with a wooden balustrade that penetrates the exposed beam ceiling to lead up to the second floor.

The wooden-floored upper level consists of four spacious bedrooms, bathrooms, and a small landing area that leads out to the balcony above the porte cochere.

“Back in those days, when general managers visited the plantation, they would stay at the manager’s bungalow, where a room would have been set aside as the guest room,” says Yazid, 47.

“But sometimes, with the manager’s family living in the house, it may not be conducive, especially when there are kids running around. Coupled with the availability of modern hotels, this practice has stopped.”

The master bedroom is connected to the children’s room, reflecting the Western practice of having kids sleep in an adjoining room.

Today, most of the furniture in the house has been largely replaced with modern pieces.

Yazid and his family also keep many pets —1a Boer goat, a mynah and seven cats that include a Persian and two Bengals. Some minor extension work has been done to the back of the house between the turrets to accommodate the cats.

Surrounding the property are fruit trees such as durian, pulasan, mango, mangosteen and kuinin, while (a currently unused) swimming pool is located at the back of the house.

Reflection of a Rich Heritage

About 20km away is the Yong Peng Estate, which spreads over 2,600 hectares. The first manager recorded at the estate office was R.H.V. Reed, who served from 1948 to 1950. In the years since then, there were 21 other managers before current manager Syed Akhmal Syed Isa took over in June 2015.

The manager’s bungalow is also located on a steep hill and was built in 1935. Also featuring a porte cochère and a balcony above, this handsome house features rounded and square pillars on its left side, forming part of the verandas on both the lower and upper floors.

Patterned concrete balustrades are seen all around the bungalow, as are grey wooden window panes with frosted glass and louvered wooden window panels.

Inside, 90cm-high dividers made of wood and concrete functionally separate the living room space, which features sand-coloured marble.

Arched entrance ways are seen around the white walled interiors, which still houses dark, solid wood furniture and an old Singer sewing machine, a gentle throwback to the old days.

The upper floor is designed with wooden flooring and has four bedrooms, each with a bathroom and a veranda. The main balcony offers a sprawling view of the plantation. All around the house are sapota, mango and coconut trees as well as a swimming pool (currently not in use).

Sime Darby Plantation special projects manager Ezzaruddin Abdul Rapar explains how these old estate bungalows are managed: “Most of the heritage buildings within Sime Darby Plantation’s operations are maintained by the respective home estates except for those on Carey Island (which come under Sime Darby Plantation HQ). The (preservation of the) roof structure is the common issue for all heritage buildings.

“Most of the heritage bungalows are of great significance and we value the rich history of these buildings that reflect the rich heritage of the company itself,” he says.

Bacani’s story has been extensively covered by the international media. She was among the BBC’s 100 Women in 2015 and also featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia 2016 list. After all, it’s not every day that a young woman from the rural outback of the Philippines arriving to work as a foreign domestic worker (FDW) in Hong Kong ends up being a globe-trotting photographer. What’s more, Bacani has become a crusader for the community of FDWs, drawing attention to the abuse and discrimination suffered by some of them through her work.

Taking up photography brought about a 180-degree turnaround in her life when the San Francisco-based Filipino photographer Rick Rocamora spotted Bacani’s work on Facebook and helped promote them. In a recent interview to China Daily (see sidebar) Bacani acknowledged that she owed the dream life she was living now entirely to her art. She travels a lot these days, zipping across half the globe, from Makati to Abu Dhabi to the backstreets of New Jersey, on photographic assignments, loving every moment of this newfound freedom.

Could the practice of art make a real difference to people’s lives even if they weren’t as obviously talented and aided by a stroke of luck as Bacani was?

At Para Site’s Quarry Bay art gallery on Aug 28, there was some evidence that art could indeed cross a few hurdles and add meaning to an otherwise often humdrum, and sometimes rather sordid, existence. On that afternoon, Para Site, Hong Kong’s leading institution for promotion of arts, hosted a pop-up exhibition to showcase the images shot by FDWs as part of a series of photography workshops conducted by Lensational Academy. Participating FDWs shared the stories of their daily struggles to find a space to pursue creative interests in the middle of hectic 18-hour work days, watched closely, sometimes, by unsympathetic employers.

The writer Jason Ng came away from the sharing session teary-eyed. Ng has written extensively about the plight of FDWs at the mercy of abusive employers. He also sits on the judging panel of a support group that invites FDWs to design sustainable rehabilitation options once they retire from working in Hong Kong. Still, it came as a pleasant surprise to him to see the far-reaching impact of art and its efficacy in helping Hong Kong’s maids cope with the hardships in their lives.

“I felt the courage and the resolve to push themselves because they finally believed in themselves,” said Ng. “These artists didn’t just take pictures. They were pushing themselves to be spokespeople for themselves and their community.”

Avenues of creativity

Arista Devi, one of the FDWs making a presentation that afternoon, is, in fact, a published writer. She might touch her nose with her index finger, “making a funny face” when she’s posing for a photo, but there is nothing childlike about her resolve to shape up into a fine writer. She has published several stories in her native Bahasa Indonesia and will soon have a book to her name. Her short fiction about a maid who throws herself from the balcony of a high-rise to escape the asphyxiating, soul-killing environment in her employer’s home appears in the Para Site publication Afterwork Readings. The book is a quadrilingual (Chinese, Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and English) anthology of writings exploring the ideas of migration and domestic work where contributions by FDWs appear alongside those by reputed writers such as the English poet Edmund Blunden and the Indonesian feminist-novelist NH Dini.

Devi sees the book as a tangible proof of FDWs in Hong Kong having a life beyond minding the employer’s dog and picking up the weekly groceries.

“Some of my Chinese friends who read my story have told me, ‘I’m so proud of you’,” she says. “They promised to care more about human rights issues in the future.”

Devi also played a key role in making a reading group for Indonesian FDWs, started by the KUNCI Cultural Studies Center, Yogyakarta, in Victoria Park, gather momentum. Its success seems to have inspired a spin-off reading group of FDWs in Taipei.

More such cheerful stories of FDWs reaching out, trying to leverage the fruits of personal achievement and public recognition into making a difference to others’ lives, were shared by Bonnie Chiu and Sunny Chiu — the young duo running Lensational, a platform to empower women in developing countries through photography. Jem Guanzon, who was in the first batch of students they workshopped, moved to Russia and is now leading her own edition of the program among the FDW community there, with support from the Philippine Embassy in Moscow. Arumy Marzudhy from Indonesia wrote a book, Second Home, after completing eight years as an FDW in Hong Kong. Lensational curated an exhibition in London featuring works by FDWs in Hong Kong last year, called Transit in Doubt, which was a sellout.

FDWs in Hong Kong are not legally allowed to have a second source of income. “The only way we can give them income is by budgeting for a training program they might like to attend, or upgrade their equipment,” informs Bonnie Chiu. Refreshingly enough, most of them want the money they have made from selling a photo to be donated back in their home country, “towards helping even more disadvantaged people than themselves, like those who are unable to afford education”.Deep-seated prejudices

Evidently there is more to the lives of the women who sit out in Hong Kong’s parks and pedestrian walkways on Sunday afternoons, doing each other’s hair and karaoke-ing to recorded music than meets the eye. One or two of them, like Bacani and Guanzon, have gone places since they arrived in Hong Kong. Some are just happy discovering unknown facets of themselves. But is Hong Kong aware of this happy transition?

Freya Chou, one of the prime movers behind Para Site’s project with FDWs, says stereotypical images of Hong Kong maids, perpetuated through soap operas and TV commercials, are too entrenched in people’s minds to disappear in a day. Chou mentions how even after Bacani had appeared in The New York Times she noticed people would slow down while talking to her in English, as they had preconceived notions about her proficiency in the language.

On the flip side of that story is one told by Sunny Chiu about the Indonesian domestic helper Anik Davanika who invited her employer to her exhibition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. “It takes huge courage to be able to invite a boss,” says Chiu. “She was so moved to see that the boss actually turned up. Such recognition was more valuable than monetary reward.”

Arista Devi says greater sensitivity on the part of the media could go a long way in removing the prejudices held against FDWs since the colonial times. “A lot of media in Hong Kong cover only the bad news about domestic workers and don’t write enough about the positive developments. If the media could strike a balance between putting out the good with the bad, that will help us immensely.”‘Photography saved me’

China Daily catches up with Xyza Bacani, who went from being a foreign domestic worker in Hong Kong to a globe-trotting photographer.

On Para Site’s role in nurturing her talent and giving her a platform …

I’m really proud to be part of Para Site’s show last summer. They connected me with galleries and gave me a home to stay in for two weeks when I was doing a project in Hong Kong.

On being a self-taught photographer and current inspirations…

I feel like I’m still in my formative years. I learn from people who have been in the industry longer than me, from the people I photograph, the places I go to. My inspirations include Susan Maisales, Ed Kashi, Fred Ritchin, Rick Rocamora, Jonathan van Smit, Sim Chi Yin.

On how photography changed her life …

I think photography saved me. It gave me a chance to change my life situation, to explore the world, to learn and be free.

On her role in helping fellow FDWs…

My exhibition in Hong Kong last November, called Behind the Concrete Wall, was about raising awareness about migrant domestic workers’ issues. Then I did a similar show called Modern Slavery. I try to help raise funds for Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge through selling my photos.

On life after appearing in The New York Times…

Getting international recognition did make me more sociable but I still shoot alone. I’m more connected to communities now but I still need my me time. I enjoy my solitude.

On whether practicing art can make a real difference to the lives of FDWs…

It can, provided the artist is using it with social responsibility and consciousness. Art gave a lot of invisible people like me a platform where they might be heard.

On whether Hong Kong media are doing the right thing by FDWs…

I think Hong Kong press are trying to do their best. There are sites or publications that run stories about migrant workers in a sustained way. There are some who are just looking for content to fill their pages for the time being and do not really care what happens afterwards, but that happens elsewhere as well.

They were bringing home the popular Brazilian footwear brand for family members, though not for their only daughter, 24-year-old Pin Xiu.

The couple both 61, were in Rio where they watched her compete in last Thursday’s (Friday morning, Singapore time) 50m backstroke S2 event, where she became the first Singaporean to win multiple gold medals at the same Games.

Chee Khiong, a businessman, recalled how it was Pin Xiu’s inability to keep a pair of flip-flops on her feet that was the first hint something was amiss. At two, the toddler was unable to grip the straps with her toes or flex her foot fully.

Pin Xiu was taken to a doctor, and had surgery to release what were thought to be tight tendons, but the doctor noticed that her muscles did not seem to be growing even after the cast had been removed.

Medical tests confirmed she had muscular dystrophy, a genetic muscle-wasting illness, and that there was no cure.

Tears still well up in Mum’s eyes now as she recalls how upset she was when they were told the news.

“I was worried about her future and about things such as whether people would want to make friends with her,” she said.

“The doctor advised us to let her be active to remain mobile for as long as possible.”

Looking back now, their fears were unfounded, said Margaret, a senior officer with Singapore Airlines.

Pin Xiu has a group of close friends who are athletes and she is as independent as any able-bodied person, even as her condition continues to deteriorate.

Perhaps the water called to her as a kinder place than land. In any case, at age five, she asked for lessons after watching her two older brothers learn their strokes in the pool. Alvin, 31, now works in finance and Augustus, 29, is an engineer.

Alvin said his sister is “extremely thoughtful”, recalling how she made time to accompany his pregnant wife to hospital daily in June when he was overseas.

“We knew she was tired from her training twice a day, but she still went anyway, which helped put my wife at ease,” he said.

“I rushed from the airport to visit my wife and newborn and saw that Pin Xiu was still there even though she had morning training in a few hours’ time.”

Sunday mornings became about family time at the pool at the Kallang Bahru Swimming Complex. It was here that the future champion first tasted failure – she could not complete a swim test, at half the distance done by others, in the stipulated time. Disappointed, she wept.

But still, she pressed on. When the complex was closed for renovation, she continued lessons at Jalan Besar, where a sports volunteer spotted her talent. A few months later, she was entered in the national junior para championships, where she won gold in all of her six events.

By then, Pin Xiu was swimming two hours every night on weekdays. Her dad would drive her there and back, and she would have dinner in the car.

But as Pin Xiu became faster in the pool, she grew weaker on land.

At four, she needed an ankle-foot orthotic brace to assist her with walking. By 12, she had to hold on to the wall or a friend’s shoulder to steady herself while walking with the brace.

By the time she enrolled in Bendemeer Secondary School, she was in a wheelchair.

The family is grateful that she was well taken care of in school, with teachers giving her access to a staff toilet that was bigger and could accommodate her wheelchair.

The reigning Straits Times ‘Athlete of the Year’ has said in past interviews that she was bullied in school, but her mother could only remember the kindness of classmates who helped carry her and her wheelchair up the stairs to class.

The Yips never thought as far ahead as the Paralympics. But they knew she had something special.

When Pin Xiu won the 100m backstroke S2 on Sept 9, she set two world records in the process.

She had also won the nation’s first Paralympic gold in 2008 in Beijing in the 50m back S3, as well as silver in the 50m freestyle S3.

Four years later, she finished fourth in both events in London.

Yet, even as their daughter grew from strength to strength in the pool, the Yips had their own Olympic-sized quest.

Margaret said their greatest challenge was the ceaseless quest to find someone who could cure her or help her live as full a life as possible.

For Pin Xiu, trips to clinics and hospitals were almost as routine as time in the pool. The Yips sought help from mainstream treatment to traditional cures and Pin Xiu obediently downed bitter concoctions and allowed herself to have almost-daily leg massages.

She took it all in her stride.

“She will just do whatever you say can help her legs,” says her mum.

It was Pin Xiu’s medical bills and not her swim training and competition expenses — most of which are paid for by the Singapore Disability Sports Council — which have been the greatest burden on their finances, one they bear willingly.

Mindful of their daughter’s happiness, the Yips were never stressed about how training could affect Pin Xiu’s studies. Swimming took precedence over school in 2008, the year she sat her O levels.

Margaret said: “I told her if she didn’t do well, she could just repeat the exam.”

She did well enough to become a sports and health student at Republic Polytechnic.

This year, she deferred her final-year studies at the Singapore Management University to concentrate on preparing for the Rio Games. Her mother said she would have graduated in July otherwise.

By giving their talented and single-minded child the space to think and make choices for herself, Pin Xiu’s parents have encouraged her independence. In fact, the soft-spoken pair are hard-pressed to think of instances when she needs help around the house.

Margaret finally thinks of something: Sometimes Pin Xiu needs items in her wardrobe she cannot reach. “She may tell me in advance what clothes she’ll like to wear the next day and where these are exactly, so I can get them for her.”

She also needs help getting into her tricky competition swimsuits, which her close friend and fellow swimmer, Theresa Goh, lends a hand with. Her waist-length hair is tucked into her swim cap by coach Mick Massey, who also holds her hands before the start of a race because she cannot hold the bar on her own.

But she gets around on her own by cab, is an expert at texting with her thumb and knuckles, and opens bottle caps using her palms.

A few months ago, she cooked her own meal and proudly sent pictures to her parents and brothers.

And she has done what most people never would, in reaching the pinnacle of her chosen sport.

Her parents, who were present at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium for Pin Xiu’s second final, say they could not have wished for more.

“Seeing my children so independent, I always tell them that I can close my eyes now and go,” says her mum.

Theresa Goh: Family Heartbreak Soothed

It was what the doctors could not say about the infant, rather than what they could say that caused her anxious parents far more anguish than anything else in the emerging crisis.

The baby girl, born two months premature, had been diagnosed with spina bifida, a neural tube defect in which the backbone protecting the spinal cord does not close as it should, causing a range of physical limitations.

Those were the harrowing moments that confronted Bernard Goh and his wife, Rose Mok, after the arrival of their first-born, Theresa, back in 1987.

There were the questions that had no immediate definitive answers for the couple: How severe was the physical disability? Would there be any allied intellectual hurdles? Could the nerve tissue be repaired? Would she need surgery? And what were the baby’s long-term prospects?

“We were shocked and didn’t know where to turn to in order to learn about spina bifida, since there was no Internet then,” recalled Bernard.

His wife teared up when this topic was raised, and turned away to compose herself.

The first-time parents’ heartbreak was compounded because, they said, doctors were not keen to take up Theresa’s case, and she was transferred from one hospital to another.

The family finally found a neurosurgeon who operated on the baby when she was four months old, closing the opening in her back, which had not fused as normal. However, defining the full extent of her medical condition was slow and — literally and metaphorically — extremely painful.

When she was about four, she was asleep in her cot in the living room when both parents heard a loud snapping sound. They realised that she had broken her thigh bone after her leg became caught between the railings of her cot.

By the time Theresa was seven, she had already endured 10 orthopaedic operations, some to correct the alignment of both club feet as well as to alleviate webbed fingers.

“Every bout of surgery she had was difficult for her, and for us. It was difficult for her to get used to injections,” recalled Bernard at the Windsor Barra Hotel in Rio de Janeiro during the Paralympics.

Defining the course of their daughter’s life was, in no small measure, her indomitable will. Despite being paralysed from the waist down and suffering from urinary and bowel dysfunction, she placed no limitations on her physical boundaries and — crucially — her parents supported her all the way.

When she was nine and wearing leg braces, Theresa asked her parents for permission to climb up a playground structure about 3-metres high. They did not have the heart to say no, but watched her like a hawk as she made her way up on her own, fuelled by raw courage.

“It is this freedom we gave her,” said Bernard, “that boosted her confidence over the years.”

The family grew, with the arrival of a sister and brother for Theresa. And despite frequent hospital trips for their eldest child, the parents made sure she was not spared punishment when she misbehaved.

“We tried not to differentiate between the three of them (in our parenting style). We helped her, but did not give in to her just because of her disability,” Rose said firmly.

Like most children, Theresa loved being put in the water, observed her mother. There was also the realisation that she needed to work on her upper body strength to compensate for her lower limbs.

When she was five, her father taught her a simple approach to the breaststroke which, not surprisingly, is her pet event. She began competing at 12 after being spotted by a sports volunteer at a public pool.

Theresa learnt the rules of competition the hard way when she was disqualified at a local swim meet after failing to touch the wall with both hands at both ends of the pool, recalled Bernard.

He and his wife firmly advocate the value of sport, especially for children with special needs. Bernard said: “Every child, able-bodied or disabled, has his or her unique strengths. With sports, (special-needs children) get more opportunities to meet up with friends and keep themselves busy. It really helps them socially, emotionally and mentally.”

While Theresa dabbled in other sports like wheelchair racing, archery and power-lifting over the years, no environment felt more like home to her than the swimming pool.

She set her first world record at 15 and another at 19. The three-time Singapore Disability Sports Council’s Sportswoman of the Year is also the country’s most decorated Asean Para Games athlete with 27 golds.

Theresa also became the first swimmer from Singapore to compete at the Paralympics, in Athens in 2004.

In 2007, deciding she could not juggle her polytechnic course and swim training, she dropped out to focus on training full-time for the Beijing Paralympics.

It was a fraught decision, said her mother, revealing that it was ” very difficult” for them, as parents, to agree to. They eventually relented, and let her quit school to concentrate on Beijing, where she came agonisingly came close to a podium finish in the 100m breaststroke SB4 event, only to miss the bronze by 0.74sec.

Her anguish was clear to her parents, who were in Beijing, witnessed the race and then took her out of the Athletes’ Village for dinner that evening, where they could sense her devastation.

Bernard said: “We avoided the topic altogether and she put up a brave front for us. We knew she felt she had let everybody down, but we were not disappointed with her.”

After that, Theresa laid off swimming for a year before returning to the pool. It was a wise decision, vindicated by her bronze medal in the same event in Rio last weekend.

No words were needed when Rose embraced her daughter after the victory ceremony at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Brazil, said the proud mother. “We just hugged; we didn’t have to say anything.”

No surprise, then, that the 29-year-old woman whose physical limitations are imposed by a faulty spinal column has proved that she has a backbone beyond compare.

If you have ever visited the Settha Palace hotel in Vientiane, you might have noticed a tiny shop called Caruso Lao. It displays the finest handmade wooden pieces trimmed with silver, along with silver and textile products. They are symbolic of Laos and are elegant and artistic, appealing to international tastes. A similar, larger shop can be found in Luang Prabang, also called Caruso Lao.

Each piece made by Caruso Lao reflects aspects of Lao culture and features unique designs, crafted to perfection by local master carvers.

“I wanted to make products that would attract foreign visitors and I wanted to make them completely Lao but of a quality that would satisfy international tastes, so that people from all over the world would want to take them home and display them as a very special souvenir of Laos,” said Sandra S. Yuck, the founder of Caruso Lao.

Sandra was born in Montreal, Canada, and has been living in Southeast Asia for over 30 years. Her Hong Kong-based career in fashion design and development has taken her all over the world.

In 1997, she moved to Laos, attracted by its natural beauty, the people and the culture. Since then, she has been working with talented local artisans to develop a handmade collection of high quality home accessories that combine function with elegance.

“When I first came to Laos, it was so amazing; the sky was so clear I could even imagine touching the stars. The country was very young, not much industry, no traffic jams, few hotels and restaurants. I felt that I loved this country and I would come back and I did so.”

Despite her years working with textiles and garments, she found that her passion lay more with artistic creations, so she decided to concentrate on this aspect of design.

On a quest to add other materials and skills to her collection she uncovered a pair of chopsticks made from black and white ebony.

She found the artisan who had made them and discovered that the wood was being used mainly to make charcoal and not for turning out decorative items.

“I was determined to change that and thus began my journey into wood accessories development, resulting in a lot of trial and error, in a collection of black and white ebony followed by various exotic types of wood, turned, carved and sculpted by hand.”

Today, Caruso Laos produces a broad range of fine wood products with silver and copper trim, as well as textiles and silver and copper home accessories.

“All of our products are designed by me and crafted in Laos. Our silks are hand-woven by local weavers. Our exclusive woods are indigenous to Laos and handcrafted by master carvers and turners,” Sandra said.

Caruso Lao currently employs 40 people, mostly local. “Many of them have been working with us for years, and they are good and skilled workers.

“Our main clients are from all over the world. Many people come here on holiday, go shopping and are craving for something interesting, which they find in our shop. They buy something from us and we can ship it for them,” she added.

“Our main clients are American, European, South American, Mexican, and Asian and we also have local clients who want high value souvenirs.

“The clients who buy my products always mail me when they want to buy more. We also have new designs all the time because we always have regular clients, so we need to have new designs for them.

“The products are designed to be used and also can be a home decoration at the same time,” Sandra said.

“We also deal with shipping, and can ship directly to clients in their home countries.”

The products are also on display in some luxury hotels in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and boutique shops in neighbouring countries. “Our main sales centre is in Luang Prabang, and in Vientiane, we have our office, arrange the shipping and have a workshop. By appointment, clients visit our showroom at our workshop in Vientiane.”

“We also have outlets in Thailand,” she added.

French pop-rock singer La Grande Sophie (real name Sophie Huriaux) demonstrated her love for the city by writing the song Hanoi, which has enchanted music lovers in Vietnam and France.

Last week, her song won her the award Bui Xuan Phai-For the love of Ha Noi that recognises the contributions of individuals and organisations to the capital’s cultural and societal development. The song was lauded by the jury as “it is deeply imbued with the singer’s love for Hanoi and spreads the love of this city to the Vietnamese people and to those across the world.”

When La Grande Sophie performed the song in Vietnam in December last year, she won the hearts of the locals who were touched by the love of a foreign person for their capital.

“I am extremely touched by this decision of the jury of the awards. I feel very honoured,” said the singer.

“What makes me very happy is to know that the inhabitants of Hanoi can identify themselves in the song. I love this city. The memories come back, I see myself again in the city,” she said.

“To celebrate this happy news, I’ll come to eat bun cha (noodles with grilled pork and herbs), one of the specialities of Hanoi and find again all tastes that I miss,” she wrote in an email from Paris late last week.

Love song for Hanoi

La Grande Sophie wrote the song after her first visit to Vietnam in 2013. She was invited to perform in Hanoi at the “Oh la la” music festival, as part of the activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Vietnam.

Unfortunately, the concert in Hanoi was cancelled due to the death of General Vo Nguyen Giap. The country held a state funeral for several days for the general amidst national mourning.

After the concert was cancelled, she planned to travel to Hue City. However, a typhoon prevented her from leaving the city, forcing her to stay in Hanoi much longer than she expected.

“I met some Vietnamese translators and made friends with them. They helped me to discover the city. They spoke perfect French despite the fact that they had never been to France. I was very impressed to see their willingness to speak my language,” Sophie recalled.

“After several days of going out with them, and seeing Hanoi, I developed a real attachment towards them and to the city. I was sad when I had to leave Hanoi to return to Paris. I told myself that I had to come back to Vietnam. When I was back in Paris, I was very nostalgic about this city. I took my guitar and composed the song Hanoi to keep all those memories with me,” she said.

The singer was touched to discover the city, its charm and traditions with its motorcycles, water puppets, cyclos and street vendors.

“It is interesting to see that the life here revolves around the lake Hoan Kiem (the Sword Lake). I am impressed to see the energy and the dynamism of its inhabitants. They are tender, and so kind,” she added.

“I sang about the city like I had discovered it. Hanoi gave me the desire to pick up my guitar again and compose songs,” she said.

During her 20-year musical career, it was the first time that she wrote a song about a city that she had visited.

Huge success in France

The song was well-received in France when it was first presented to the public in her new album last year. People who heard the song wrote on the singer’s Facebook fan page, saying they could recognise images of Hanoi in the video and lyrics. Others said the song made them want to visit Hanoi.

One fan, Nadine Meihac, said: “I have a charming memory of your visit to Hanoi while listening to the song and hope to come to this city one day.”

Another fan, Stephen Bunard, wrote on Facebook: “a very beautiful melody and nice lyrics that make those who know this city nostalgic.”

The singer said that she has always enjoyed performing this song during her concerts.

“I tell the public that I will take them to the country of smiles. But I don’t have time to finish my sentence. Some already said Ha Noi,” she said.

Sophie first began writing songs since the age of 12.

For her, music is a means of communication to make friends and meet interesting people.

To sing is to convey her emotions to others and spend good moments together. Beginning her career in the 1990s, La Grande Sophie first saw fame in 2004 when her third album, If It Were Me, earned her the first Victoires de la Musique, a music award in France.

Now with the prestigious Bui Xuan Phai award, she has a place in the heart of Vietnamese music lovers.

“My story with Hanoi continues and it’s a beautiful story. I wrote the song to always remember this fantastic trip made in 2013 as well as the kind people that I met. Hanoi accompanies me in all my concerts. The public waits for it, appreciates it. We travel together and create a strong link with Vietnam,” added the singer.

At 27, she just meets the age requirement for the pageant for women from 18 to 27 years.

She is also the oldest of the 15 finalists unveiled on Wednesday.

“My family and friends had encouraged me to join previously, but I always thought I was not ready. My mother said that I’m of age and this is the last time I could try, so I decided to go for it,” says Eng, who designs and sells her own line of jewellery online.

This year also marks the first year that Singapore Press Holdings’ The New Paper is co-organising the beauty pageant.

Murali Subramaniam, deputy editor of The New Paper, says: “The competition is not just about picking the most beautiful contestant, but about finding someone who can represent the country with confidence and pride. With this exciting crop of finalists, I am sure we will find the right ambassador to represent Singapore.”

He points out that changing the stigma that shrouds beauty pageants takes time.

“We can’t do anything overnight to change perceptions or stereotypical thinking,” he says, adding that the way to do so would be by “running the pageant properly and treating the contestants with respect”.

Miss Universe Singapore 2016 will be crowned on Oct 16 at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.

The winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize, $24,000 of beauty and wellness services from Beaute Hub, up to $20,000 of dental aesthetic services from Orchard Scotts Dental and $9,000 of training sessions from Bodyburn Fitness Singapore.

She will also receive coverage in Singapore Press Holding’s stable of titles including print, radio and magazines.

The 15 finalists include trainee lawyer Nikki Tay, 23, who tells The Straits Times that she has had aspirations of winning the Miss Universe Singapore contest even before she had dreams of becoming a lawyer in Primary 6.

“When I set my sights on something, I won’t let it go. Joining this is like fulfilling a promise to myself,” she says.

Citing Miss Singapore Universe 2002 Nuraliza Osman, who has a law degree, as her role model, she adds: “I wanted to join this pageant primarily because I wanted to eliminate certain stereotypes of beauty pageants.”

Nuraliza, 39, is now the national director of Miss Universe Singapore Organisation.

Another finalist this year is data analyst Hazel Tay, who chooses to ignore the negative comments about beauty pageant contestants.

Says the 25-year-old, who has a master’s degree in financial mathematics from the University of Chicago: “Life is busy enough, there’s no time to deal with negative comments.”