Climate change is one of the most urgent issues facing our planet today, but its complexity can make it an overwhelming topic especially for children. In a unique and timely initiative launched in celebration of Earth Day 2025, Mandai X and Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) have teamed up to make sustainability accessible and engaging for young minds through Ranger Buddies @ PLQ Parkside: Missions Around the World.
Running from now until the end of 2026, this immersive activation invites children and families to take on conservation-themed missions at PLQ Parkside a lush, outdoor environment enhanced by augmented reality (AR) and hands-on play.
To delve deeper into the philosophy and ambitions behind this initiative, we spoke with Belina Lee, CEO of Mandai X and Deputy CEO, Transformation & Growth of Mandai Wildlife Group, and Jenny Khoo, Head of Retail and Workspace Management, Singapore at Lendlease. They shared how Ranger Buddies is shaping a generation of eco-conscious changemakers, and why PLQ Parkside was the perfect urban setting for this impactful collaboration.
(L-R) Belina Lee, CEO of Mandai X & Deputy CEO of Mandai Wildlife Group, and Jenny Khoo, Head of Retail and Workspace Management, Singapore, Lendlease.
1. Climate change is a significant concern, especially for the younger generation. How does the Ranger Buddies programme approach this topic to make it both understandable and empowering for children?
Belina Lee: The Ranger Buddies Missions make climate and conservation topics relatable and empowering for children by combining fun with purpose. Developed with education and wildlife experts, each mission blends age-appropriate storytelling with hands-on activities—both physical and digital—that children can complete on their own or with their parents. Through relatable characters, including animal friends inspired by our beloved animal residents in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, as well as bite-sized knowledge, children learn that even small actions can have big impact. It’s about nurturing a generation that sees itself as changemakers today and takes action towards creating positive change.
2. The programme emphasises the C.O.U.R.A.G.E. strengths—Curious, Optimistic, Undaunted, Resourceful, Adaptable, Gritty, and Empathetic. How are these traits integrated into the activities at PLQ Parkside to foster these qualities in children?
Belina Lee: The mission activities at PLQ Parkside have been thoughtfully curated for children to put character strengths into action as they learn about their role in protecting the environment. For instance, the Village Voices activity sparks curiosity as children listen to the audio clips about a village at the foot of Mount Everest and investigate its flooding. In the Red Panda Rescue mission, kids tap into their adaptability and undauntedness as they navigate obstacles to “save” a red panda.
These hands-on opportunities not only help children embody and grow these traits but also provide opportunities to nurture essential life skills, shaping them into future-ready global citizens who are ready to make a difference.
3. The Ranger Buddies @ PLQ Parkside initiative combines physical and digital experiences. How does this “phygital” approach enhance children’s engagement and understanding of conservation topics?
Belina Lee: Ranger Buddies Missions are all about real-world exploration and enabling children to learn through play. We believe in harnessing technology to complement physical, real-world learning. For example, augmented reality (AR) brings the missions to life by adding a layer of immersion to the experience. At PLQ Parkside, children can “step through” an AR “teleportation portal” to mark the beginning of their adventure and get “transported” to the virtual expedition at the Himalayas to investigate sudden floods and learn how to help. In the Go Green activity, the physical effort of rolling coloured balls into positive energy sources is then recorded on the Ranger Buddies app as reflections on their learnings, which they can then apply in their day-to-day lives.
By merging physical and digital realms, we foster imagination and curiosity, empowering children to take ownership of their learning journey. They can not only engage physically with their environment but also benefit from virtual opportunities to enhance their learning.
4. Mandai Wildlife Group is traditionally associated with wildlife parks. What motivated Mandai X to extend its outreach to urban spaces like PLQ Parkside, and how does this align with your broader conservation goals?
Belina Lee: As the growth and impact venture building arm of Mandai Wildlife Group, Mandai X spearheads purpose-led innovation to make the world a better place for people and wildlife. Our broader goal is to reach 1 billion children globally, encouraging positive changes in attitudes and behaviours, while equipping them to contribute to a sustainable future. To achieve this requires Mandai to create and scale consumer offerings that go beyond wildlife parks.
This partnership with PLQ allows us to bring purposeful play beyond the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, into the heart of the city. It offers families greater accessibility to engage with conservation education in a fun and interactive way – right where they live, shop, and play. This makes it easier for them to participate in the missions all year round, reinforcing our commitment to shaping the next generation of conservation advocates.
5. What are the intended long-term outcomes of the Ranger Buddies initiative in shaping children’s relationship with sustainability and conservation?
Belina Lee: The Ranger Buddies programme is designed to nurture future generations of children to become future-ready yet responsible global citizens. By fostering essential life skills (like curiosity and resilience) combined with knowledge of conservation and sustainability, as well as a love for our natural world, Ranger Buddies instills lifelong values that children can carry with them as they grow, becoming passionate changemakers for good.
As children gain a better understanding of the challenges our world faces and learn how they can make a difference, we hope they feel inspired and empowered to take action and shape a healthier tomorrow.
At the heart of the programme is our belief in the potential of children to lead positive change. Ranger Buddies aims to ignite a generation of young heroes who will positively impact their communities, their world and the earth.
6. Are there plans to expand the Ranger Buddies programme to other locations in Singapore or internationally, and what factors will influence these decisions?
Belina Lee: We are continuously exploring opportunities to expand the Ranger Buddies Missions both locally and internationally. Collaborations with like-minded partners like Paya Lebar Quarter allow us to create accessible and impactful experiences for children. Currently, our Missions can also be found at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, as well as Club Med Bintan.
1. PLQ Parkside is known for being an active community space. What made it the right choice to host the Ranger Buddies initiative, and how does this tie into Lendlease’s vision for sustainability and placemaking?
Jenny Khoo: PLQ Parkside is designed as a vibrant, welcoming space where the community can connect, learn, and grow. With over 100,000 square feet of lush greenery to provide shade, good air quality and mitigate the urban heat island effect, an outdoor playground, and casual alfresco dining, it serves as the perfect “third place” for families and individuals alike.
The Ranger Buddies initiative aligns seamlessly with our vision for placemaking, sustainability and shared value partnerships beyond project and asset obligations. By hosting this immersive and educational experience at PLQ Parkside, we not only provide families with an opportunity to engage with nature and conservation themes, but we also demonstrate how thoughtfully designed spaces can foster meaningful connections and inspire action for a healthier planet. This collaboration with Mandai X embodies our shared goal of championing sustainability through interactive and enriching activities.
2. Lendlease has long focused on sustainable design and operations. How does partnering with Mandai X on an education-focused activation like this complement your commitment to environmental and social responsibility?
Jenny Khoo: At Lendlease, sustainability is at the core of everything we do, from designing green spaces to creating impactful programs that promote environmental stewardship. Partnering with Mandai X allows us to extend this commitment by leveraging their expertise in conservation education.
We actively advocate for a healthy people and a healthy planet, connecting to and respecting nature and facilitating wellbeing. Through the Ranger Buddies Missions, we’re fostering eco-conscious habits in children and their families, combining learning with fun to create a lasting impact. This initiative amplifies our broader sustainability goals by making sustainability approachable and actionable, reinforcing the importance of community involvement in driving positive change for the environment.
3. Children now experience the world through screens as much as physical space. What role do you see PLQ Parkside playing in offering immersive learning experiences that bring these two worlds together?
Jenny Khoo: PLQ Parkside bridges the gap between the digital and physical worlds, offering a dynamic environment where families can explore and learn together. The Ranger Buddies initiative is a prime example of how we integrate these elements — combining augmented reality (AR) games with hands-on activities that bring conservation themes to life in an engaging and memorable way.
By blending technology with interactive play in a lush, outdoor setting, we create opportunities for children to connect with nature while leveraging the tools they’re already familiar with. This approach not only enriches their learning experience but also encourages a balanced interaction with the world around them.
4. This collaboration brings conservation-themed play into a mall-adjacent park space. What has the response been from families so far, and how does that shape your thinking about future programmes?
Jenny Khoo: The response from families has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents have shared how much their children enjoy the immersive nature of the missions, from rescuing red pandas in augmented reality to earning badges that mark their progress. We’ve also received enthusiastic feedback about how the activities make sustainability relatable and actionable for young participants.
This feedback reinforces the importance of creating interactive, family-friendly experiences that are both fun and meaningful. The outcomes from our two-year partnership with Ranger Buddies will undoubtedly inform how we shape future programs that align with our values and the needs of our community.
5. The experience includes interactive tech like AR games and hands-on stations. From Lendlease’s perspective, how important is it to integrate technology in creating meaningful, community-driven learning environments?
Jenny Khoo: Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing community-driven learning experiences by making complex themes accessible and engaging. Through AR and interactive stations, the Ranger Buddies Missions allow participants to “travel” to different parts of the world, tackling environmental challenges in a way that feels immediate and impactful.
For Lendlease, integrating technology into our initiatives is about fostering meaningful engagement. It enables us to create immersive experiences that inspire learning, spark curiosity, and deepen the connection between families and the spaces they explore.
6. As Singapore moves forward with its Green Plan, how does Lendlease envision its developments continuing to champion initiatives that bring people together around sustainability and learning?
Jenny Khoo: Lendlease envisions its developments as dynamic platforms that go beyond meeting environmental benchmarks. We seek to actively engage communities when it comes to sustainability and education, in alignment with the Singapore Green Plan where we constantly look for ways to integrate sustainability elements in our design, operations, and campaigns. With conscious integration of sustainability into our business decisions, we hope to bring various parties to work, eat and play in a sustainable space and bring that hope into their lifestyle as well.
Through Ranger Buddies Missions, we hope to inspire communities to be more aware of global environmental challenges, and to take gradual – but meaningful – actions for the good of the planet, and to work together to build a greener, more resilient future for all.
Lendlease is also committed to supporting Singapore’s Green Plan by creating developments that champion sustainability and community engagement. In addition to supporting the local agencies’ PUB “Singapore World Water Day”, WWF Earth Hour and NEA “Say Yes to Waste Less”, one of our flagship initiatives, the “You Won’t Believe It’s Trash” (Y.W.B.I.T.) campaign, exemplifies this commitment. Since 2022, Y.W.B.I.T. – a roaming exhibition that holds pop-ups and activations at various Lendlease malls around Singapore – has sought to reach out to the public through creative showcases on how to repurpose waste, ranging from art installations to urban farming workshops. The campaign hopes to encourage sustainable habits in an innovative and approachable manner, and aligns especially with the Green Plan’s key focus area of Sustainable Living, which aims to encourage people to live more sustainably, especially by reducing waste and recycling.
Through Ranger Buddies @ PLQ Parkside: Missions Around the World, Mandai X and Lendlease have created a timely and much-needed platform that brings climate and conservation education to the urban forefront accessible, exciting, and empowering for children and their families. As both organisations look toward a more sustainable and community-driven future, this partnership serves as a blueprint for how play, purpose, and placemaking can come together to nurture the next generation of changemakers. Because when it comes to shaping a greener tomorrow, every mission matters. For more information on Mandai X and Ranger Buddies, please visit https://www.mandaix.com/ and www.rangerbuddies.com.
