Building on the success of its 2023 festive campaign, The Magic of Hope, Geneco unveils its latest initiative, Till the End of Time, reaffirming its commitment to supporting second chances and reintegration. Collaborating with like-minded partners—New Life Stories, Yellow Ribbon Project, and CANVAS—the campaign seeks to foster an ecosystem of support that emphasises the vital role of strong familial bonds in helping ex-offenders and inmates rebuild their lives and break the cycle of recidivism and intergenerational incarceration.
In Singapore, recidivism remains a pressing issue, with 40% of individuals reoffending within five years of release. A deeper concern lies in the ripple effects of incarceration, as children of offenders are nearly three times more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system. Family connections are often strained, with inmates typically having limited opportunities for brief visits a few times a month, leaving children and other loved ones without consistent support or presence. This absence can profoundly affect development and emotional well-being, making strong family relationships essential to breaking negative cycles.
To address this, Geneco aims to bridge the emotional gap by offering inmates opportunities to share unspoken words and nurture deeper connections with their loved ones. Through initiatives like the Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time book, the campaign highlights the power of hope, resilience, and familial support in transforming lives and building brighter futures.
To delve deeper into the vision and objectives of the Till the End of Time initiative, our editorial team spoke with Alex Chan, Head of Brand, Communications, and Marketing at Geneco. Alex shared his thoughts on the campaign’s focus, the importance of family support, and how businesses can drive purpose-driven initiatives to create meaningful societal impact.
1) Could you tell us about the ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign and its focus on family support for ex-offenders? Why is this initiative especially relevant for parents and families?
Alex Chan: At Geneco, our purpose has always been to #PowerTheChange—whether through advancing sustainability or fostering social impact. Central to this is our belief in the transformative power of second chances. This belief underpins our ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign, which seeks to highlight the ripple effects incarceration can have on families while emphasising the crucial role of family support in the reintegration journey of ex-offenders.
Second chances are not just about offering a fresh start—they represent a critical pathway to healing, growth, and transformation. When incarcerated parents are given opportunities to reconnect with their families, they gain a renewed sense of purpose and a stronger foundation to rebuild their lives.
By shining a spotlight on family ties, our campaign aims to create a framework for understanding, compassion, and healing. We hope to inspire communities to challenge preconceived notions, reduce the stigma surrounding ex-offenders, and actively contribute to a more inclusive society. Through this approach, we reaffirm our commitment to making a meaningful social impact—one that transforms lives and encourages others to see the value in giving second chances.
2) Are there specific challenges faced by families of ex-offenders that may inadvertently lead to repeated incarceration?
Alex Chan: Families of ex-offenders face numerous challenges that can perpetuate the cycle of incarceration. Financial instability, emotional strain, and the social stigma of having an incarcerated family member often create a difficult environment for both the family and the returning individual. These compounded struggles can result in ex-offenders returning to environments that lack the essential support systems needed for successful reintegration, contributing to a troubling reality where approximately 40% of cases lead to re-incarceration.
Through our ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign, we aim to raise awareness of these struggles and provide both the resources and rally the community support needed to help break this cycle.
3) Family is a central theme of this campaign. How do you see the role of family in supporting incarcerated inmates and helping them reintegrate into society? Could stronger family support systems reduce recidivism rates in younger offenders or prevent intergenerational incarceration patterns?
Alex Chan: We firmly believe that family plays a crucial role not only in the reintegration process for incarcerated individuals but also in breaking the cycle of intergenerational incarceration. This is why we are proud to collaborate with New Life Stories (NLS) for this campaign.
As a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting inmates and their families, NLS understands the profound impact that incarceration has on both the individuals involved and their loved ones. Through NLS’s targeted programmes, they offer the resources and support needed to strengthen and rebuild these family connections and aims to create lasting change by empowering families and strengthening the bonds that are essential to successful reintegration.
Family serves as the cornerstone of an inmate’s reintegration, providing essential emotional support and guidance. This is especially true for children of incarcerated parents who often lack the emotional and physical support from their parents. When compounded with the stigma of having an incarcerated parent, these children are about three times more likely to encounter the criminal justice system themselves.
By partnering with NLS through our ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign, we aim to raise awareness of the far-reaching impact incarceration has, not only on the individuals directly involved but also on their families and communities. Together, we seek to break the cycle of incarceration by fostering a strong support system that provides children with the foundation they need to thrive and create brighter, more promising futures.
4) The holiday season is a time for families to come together. How does the festive season tie into the goals of this campaign, and what message does it send to families who might be separated?
Alex Chan: The holiday season is often associated with togetherness, warmth, and family. For many, it is a time to reconnect and celebrate bonds. On the other hand, for incarcerated parents and their families this season can bring a sense of longing and sadness due to the physical separation.
We want to leverage on this season of hope and warmth to highlight the importance of family support and the role it plays in overcoming adversity, particularly for incarcerated inmates and their loved ones.
Our message to families who may be separated is one of hope and resilience. We want them to know that while challenges may arise, the strength of family bonds can help overcome even the toughest circumstances.
Through this campaign, we aim to inspire society to embrace compassion, understanding, and acceptance towards ex-offenders and their families, while also highlighting the critical role that familial support and bonds play in our daily lives.
5) The ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’ book features stories from incarcerated parents. Can you share how these personal stories can impact families, especially those who may be going through similar challenges?
Alex Chan: The book, Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time, brings together deeply personal stories from incarcerated parents, offering a heartfelt glimpse into their emotional struggles, hopes, and dreams. This initiative, created in collaboration with New Life Stories (NLS), Yellow Ribbon Project, and CANVAS, seeks to amplify these voices and shed light on the strength of family bonds even in the face of adversity.
We were fortunate to work with CANVAS and the talented community of artists and mentors from the Visual Arts Hub (VAH) in Changi Prison, whose compelling illustrations bring the stories to life in a truly moving way.
We are also honoured to have the support of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who penned the foreword for this book. His thoughtful words underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the challenges faced by incarcerated individuals and their families, reflecting a broader commitment to fostering second chances and stronger family connections within our society.
Through these heartfelt stories of love, regret, and hope, we hope to send a message to families facing similar struggles—that even in the face of adversity, hope and healing remain within reach, fostering resilience and the opportunity for renewal.
6) Geneco has set up interactive installations at libraries for the campaign as well as a pop-up at Ngee Ann City. Can you tell us more about how these activations can help families connect with the message of the campaign and what kind of experience visitors can expect?
Alex Chan: As part of our ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign, we have created immersive and interactive experiences that encourage deeper engagement with the themes of family support and the impact of incarceration on families. Our pop-up at Ngee Ann City, running from 12 to 18 December, offers an interactive space where visitors can explore the stories in ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’.
Visitors will also have the chance to pledge their support by downloading any of the three e-stories from our ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’ book and participate in a special giveaway where they can stand to win attractive prizes.
We have also set up interactive installations at several libraries across Singapore, including at Queenstown, Sembawang, and Jurong Regional Libraries. These installations will be available from 1 November to 31 December and feature larger-than-life book displays crafted from sustainable materials where visitors can engage with both the new stories in ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’ as well as previous editions of the ‘Love Beyond the Walls’ series.
Additionally, there will be an interactive reading session at Jurong Regional Library on 14 December from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM, hosted by local celebrity Kelly Latimer. The session will highlight three stories from our ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’ book, providing a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with the book.
These activities serve as a platform for people to connect with the campaign’s message in a meaningful way and inspire empathy for families affected by incarceration. It is our hope that these experiences will encourage the public to reflect on the power of familial bonds and join us in supporting the mission to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration and recidivism.
7) Why do you think this campaign is important for the wider community to understand, especially when it comes to helping children and families of incarcerated parents?
Alex Chan: The ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign is important because it helps the wider community understand the challenges faced by families of incarcerated parents. Often, these families are overlooked or stigmatised, but they too are affected by the effects of incarceration.
By raising awareness about the impact that incarceration has on families, particularly on children, we hope to encourage greater empathy and support. This campaign reminds us that we all have a role to play in supporting these families and helping them break the cycle of incarceration. Understanding and extending compassion to these families not only helps them heal but also contributes to building a more inclusive and resilient society.
8) What can parents and families do to support the ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign, and how can small actions make a big difference in helping these families break the cycle of incarceration?
Alex Chan: Small actions can have a profound impact on helping families break the cycle of incarceration by creating a ripple effect of understanding, support, and change. When parents and families share the campaign’s message, whether through social media or word of mouth, they help shift public perception and increase empathy for those affected by incarceration.
This small effort contributes to a larger movement that seeks to break down the stigma surrounding ex-offenders and their families, fostering a more supportive environment for their reintegration into society.
Parents and families can support our initiative by pre-ordering our ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’ book for $22.50 (U.P. $25) directly through our campaign site. The book will also be available for direct purchase at our Ngee Ann City pop-up and during the storytelling session led by Kelly Latimer at Jurong Regional Library. All proceeds will directly fund New Life Stories’ Family Strengthening Programme, helping sustain vital efforts to support families and individuals in need.
They can also further their involvement by pledging their support and downloading any of the three e-stories from our ‘Love Beyond the Walls: Till the End of Time’ book, either through our campaign microsite or at our Ngee Ann City pop-up. By doing so, they not only stand a chance to win $100 worth of eCapitaVoucher but also make a meaningful commitment to amplifying the campaign’s impact and supporting families navigating the challenges of incarceration.
These actions, though simple, play a key role in rallying community support, which is essential for breaking the cycle of incarceration. In this way, even the smallest gestures can help create a lasting impact, offering hope and support to families who are often overlooked and ensuring that they have the tools to build a better future.
Empowering Families to Break the Cycle
Geneco’s ‘Till the End of Time’ campaign is a timely and impactful initiative that not only raises awareness about the struggles faced by families of incarcerated parents but also offers a roadmap for change. Through storytelling, partnerships with organisations like New Life Stories, and immersive public activations, Geneco is working to foster stronger family connections and support systems that are crucial to reducing recidivism. By championing the importance of second chances, the campaign reminds us all of the transformative power of family and compassion. It’s an invitation to all of us to be part of a more understanding and inclusive society—one where families of incarcerated individuals are supported, and the cycle of incarceration can be broken.
