Singapore couple and children give free drinks to runners in Woodlands
Syafa’at Rahman, 34, and Izyan Liana, 33, distributed free isotonic drinks to runners and members of the public exercising at Woodlands Avenue 12 on Saturday, Sept 26. Inspired by an overseas Instagram post, the couple set up a small station with two of their three children using their own money to encourage and support the running community.
Sparks of Inspiration from Abroad
The community initiative materialized after the couple viewed social media content featuring individuals handing out beverages to long-distance runners as a gesture of encouragement. Wanting to teach their children practical lessons in empathy rather than mere verbal advice, Syafa’at and Izyan organized the hydration stop. An Instagram post documenting the effort garnered more than 21,000 views, capturing their children holding a sign to attract passersby and athletes.
Izyan, an educator at an Islamic education centre for children, noted that the outreach gave their kids direct exposure to community interaction. Some athletes stopped to converse after completing runs exceeding 20 kilometers.
Building Confidence and Community Connection
Sharing an active interest in running, the parents emphasized that the exercise helped their children develop confidence when approaching strangers.
“As runners, we understand the importance of supporting runners because it can give them the encouragement to keep going,” Syafa’at told Berita Harian on Wednesday. “So, we chose this activity because we also wanted to make them feel happy,” he added, noting his gratitude for contributing to the running community alongside his family.
Expanding the FuelGudClub Platform
Buoyed by positive public reactions, the couple established an Instagram platform named FuelGudClub to sustain and grow the effort. Izyan stated that the project will initially concentrate on providing refreshments to runners before potentially branching into broader forms of community philanthropy.
“We also want to highlight the message to encourage the community to do good for one another,” Izyan said. “If you already have the intention, just do it. We don’t have to wait for the right time to do good.” Media outlets including AsiaOne have reached out to the family for further details regarding the ongoing community project.