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KGS and Swiftly partnered with Colours Foundation to loan refurbished laptops for their digital literacy programme at Kaki Bukit, giving more foreign workers in Singapore access to hands-on learning.
When the Colours Foundation launched its digital literacy classes at Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre for foreign workers in Singapore, they ran into an unexpected problem. Many of the devices they had on hand were no longer functional. With a shortage of usable laptops, they could not accommodate as many participants as they had hoped.
For a programme built around hands-on digital skills, this was a meaningful gap. Sharing a device between participants or sitting out entirely is not the same as learning.
That is where KGS and Swiftly came in.
Through Swiftly, KGS's in-house refurbishment brand, we loaned 12 refurbished laptops to Colours Foundation for their engagement programme with migrant and domestic workers. Swiftly takes devices collected through KGS's e-waste recycling process, refurbishes the ones that are still functional, and prepares them for a second life. Rather than being dismantled for parts, these laptops were put back to work where they were needed most.
It is a small but tangible example of what circular economy thinking looks like in practice: a device that might otherwise have reached the end of its useful life instead going on to support someone else's learning journey.
Devices that might otherwise have reached end of life, put back to work where they were needed most.
When we began the first round of our digital classes at Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre, we faced an unexpected challenge of a shortage of usable laptops. Many of the devices we had on hand were no longer functional, which limited the number of participants we could accommodate.
We are thankful for the timely and meaningful support from Swiftly. Through a generous loan of 12 laptops, we were able to significantly expand our class capacity and ensure that more participants could benefit from our programme. These digital classes are part of our broader engagement efforts with foreign workers, providing them with access to essential digital skills that can support their personal and professional growth.
Swiftly's contribution has made an immediate difference on the ground. With the additional laptops, participants were able to actively take part in hands-on learning, rather than having to share limited devices or miss out altogether.
We are deeply grateful for Swiftly's support and partnership. Their contribution has helped us take a meaningful step toward bridging the digital divide and ensuring that more individuals can access learning opportunities.
Rachael Koh, Singapore Country Director, Colours Foundation
The Colours Foundation runs the Colours Friendship Centre, a project dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and compassionate Singapore. Through regular engagement programmes at Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre and beyond, they create spaces where foreign workers can connect, learn conversational English, build digital literacy, and form friendships with Singaporeans.
Their work is built on a simple belief: a truly healthy society values and nurtures every individual, regardless of their background or role. Digital skills are increasingly essential for personal and professional life, and programmes like theirs help ensure that foreign workers in Singapore are not left behind as the world becomes more connected.
You can follow their work on Instagram at @thecoloursfoundation.
Swiftly is KGS's in-house refurbishment brand. When e-waste is collected through KGS's recycling services, devices are assessed on arrival. Those that are still functional are refurbished, tested, and prepared for a second life under the Swiftly brand. Those that cannot be restored are responsibly recycled at KGS's integrated facility in Tuas.
As shared in our Vulcan Post feature, this approach is central to how KGS thinks about circularity: extending the life of a device wherever possible, and recycling responsibly when that is no longer an option. The laptop loan to Colours Foundation is a natural extension of that thinking.
Extend the life of a device wherever possible. Recycle responsibly when that is no longer an option. That is the circular economy in practice.
KGS's mission has always been to be the answer to the e-waste question, and to build toward a sustainable tomorrow through innovation and partnership. That means reducing what goes to landfill, yes. But it also means asking what value can still be created from devices that are no longer needed by their original owners.
Partnering with Colours Foundation is a reminder that sustainability and social impact are not separate conversations. The same device that might have become e-waste instead became a tool for learning, connection, and opportunity for someone who needed it.
We are proud to support the work Colours Foundation is doing, and we hope this is just the beginning of a longer partnership.
If your organisation has devices that are no longer in use and you would like to explore how they could be refurbished and redeployed for community impact, reach out to us at ask@kgs.com.sg. For residents looking to recycle old electronics responsibly, visit takebag.kgs.com.sg.
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