Gaw Qian Xuan, 16 and Natalie Boo Tawanchai Rui Qing, 16

School: Zhenghua Secondary School

Topic: Roadshows are the most effective way to engage, educate and encourage all age groups on organ donation

Award: Fifth Place, Senior Category, 2025

Imagine walking past a roadshow, stopping for a moment, and leaving with a newfound understanding of how to save a life through organ donation — would you consider donating? Roadshows can exert influence and motivation while serving as a dynamic conduit to heighten the public’s consciousness regarding organ donation, especially in the heartlands. Situating roadshows in the heartlands of Singapore makes it easy for people from all walks of life to effectively connect, inform, and inspire residents of all ages. However, some argue that roadshows in the heartlands can seem ineffective due to their weak calls to action and antiquated messaging that fails to engage the public in our present digital age. This essay will evaluate how far roadshows in the heartlands are effective for organ donation awareness. 

Firstly, setting up roadshows in the heartlands gives convenient access to the target audience, allowing residents of all ages to take a moment of their time to be inspired and empowered to donate their organs to people in critical need. The heartlands of Singapore are bustling with people of all ages, ranging from families, seniors, working adults and students. This causes areas such as town centres, malls, transport hubs and residential areas to be high in traffic. Thus, by having roadshows in heartlands, people are more likely to visit them since many would naturally pass through them as part of their daily routine. For instance, retirees, homemakers, or those running errands, have flexible schedules whereas people in Central Bureau Districts (CBDs) are usually preoccupied with work commitments, leaving them with little time to stop by roadshows. In the heartlands, the flow of foot traffic is steady especially during peak hours when residents are commuting or running errands. In contrast to CBDs, where people are often pressed for time and focused on work, the heartlands offer a more casual environment where residents would be more open to stopping by. This setting makes it easier to capture the attention of residents in their own neighbourhoods. Furthermore, situating roadshows in the heartlands ensures a diverse reach of the audience, maximising the opportunity to encourage organ donation as residents are available and are more inclined to participate in roadshows. Thus, setting up roadshows in the heartlands effortlessly attracts a diverse audience spanning all age groups. 

Secondly, roadshows in the heartlands will deepen residents’ understanding on organ transplant, sparking curiosity regarding the topic. To add on, young attendees can clear their doubts and be more well-versed in organ donation. By introducing the topic of organ donation at a young age, in a thought-provoking way, children will develop a firm and well-established understanding of organ donation that carries into adulthood. As an article written by Renu Susan Thomas states, “The study revealed that the majority of participants had only moderate knowledge regarding organ donation and transplantation. It highlighted the need for targeted educational interventions to increase awareness and promote positive attitudes, especially among young adults.” This suggests that early education and awareness allows young adults to lay a strong foundation on organ transplant and carry such behaviour and decision making into adulthood. Therefore, the diverse and interactive nature of roadshows can successfully bring about a greater understanding regarding organ transplant and willingness to take actions. 

Despite these benefits, some contend that roadshows fall short in delivering a compelling call to action. Information about organ donation may not be convincing enough to drive action, especially for those who feel the topic is irrelevant to them or their loved ones. Without a personal connection, they can perceive organ donation as a distant issue that does not concern them as they would feel that organ donation is pointless and does not impact them or others in any way. In the absence of a clear and personal narrative that connects the importance of organ donation to their own experiences, some will remain indifferent and consider organ donation to be unnecessary, undermining the effectiveness of roadshows in generating meaningful participation. This becomes a problem for raising awareness on organ donation through roadshows in the heartlands, where the topic must resonate with a diverse audience. With these challenges in mind, the increasing shift toward digital engagement further calls into question the effectiveness of traditional roadshows in the heartlands. 

Setting up roadshows in the heartlands can be subject to scrutiny by tech-savvy individuals where technology is widely utilised due to its transient and passive nature in today’s digital age. From entertainment to advertisement, we are beginning to observe a shift towards digital promotions. Therefore, traditional roadshows are no longer as effective as they used to be. For instance, the ‘Don’t Hold Back’ campaign, which was created by four Nanyang Technological University students, showed how technology can be used to spread awareness on organ transplant. Through statistics, it showed that this fully virtual programme increased by 4.8% the number of conversations people have regarding organ transplant. Thus, locating roadshows in the heartlands is not necessarily the only method of reaching a wide range of audience. This is due to many choosing to stay informed and educated through social media and online resources. This is especially true in today’s fast-paced world, where many are actively engaged in their own lives and rarely pause to heed exhibitions. Furthermore, younger generations favour concise and digestible content over lengthy physical events. This is due to the convenience and the long-term exposure to short social media videos. For instance, research conducted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) revealed that, in 2023, 17.7% of Singapore’s gross domestic product came from the online sector where a significant portion of retail transactions were made online, it is thus clear that consumers are increasingly choosing digital channels — suggesting a broader, more active online audience. Moreover, the elderly may face mobility difficulties, hindering their ability to attend the roadshows. Hence, traditional roadshows, despite being in the heartlands, can struggle to draw attention leading to a lack of attendees, limiting their effectiveness in motivating the public to donate their organs. 

In conclusion, while roadshows in the heartlands attract a larger audience and offer captivating experiences that attract many residents, not all will be drawn to roadshows, as some still find them outdated and uninspiring no matter their location and ability to drive residents of all ages to consider organ donation. With the expansion of digital outreach, the public is becoming more inclined to donate their organs. Companies may choose to integrate digital outreach into their physical roadshows to better connect with their attendees, spreading long-term awareness of organ donation. Companies can choose to utilise such methods to promote organ donation. Hence, allowing others to truly understand it and to make a choice on whether to donate.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2025 are those of the participants and are not endorsed by the National Organ Transplant Unit (Ministry of Health).

To learn more about organ donation and organ transplantation in Singapore, please visit www.liveon.gov.sg