Community
Ground-up Initiative kampong chief & founder, Tay Hock Lai dies at 54

The sudden passing of Tay Lai Hock was announced on the Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) Facebook page on Tuesday Morning (Aug 14). The founder and ‘kampong chief’ of the non-profit organization apparently collapsed at work on Tuesday morning and couldn’t be revived. He was then rushed to the hospital in an ambulance where we later died.
Tay Hock Lai who has been a champion for a sustainable Singapore founded GUI with the intention of reconnecting city dwellers with nature after giving up a well-paying career to backpack around the world.
Mr Tay’s vision was both radical and inspiring – so much so that he attracted hundred of volunteers who work together to nurture an experiential and nature-led learning campus that aims to reconnect people with the land through activities like farming. GUI’s 26,000 sqm Kampung Kampus site is designed as a low-carbon footprint area featuring sustainable architecture.
The GUI community is holding a memorial service for Mr Tay tomorrow (18th August, Saturday) at 12:30pm on their Kampung Kampus for anyone who would like to pay their respects and say their goodbyes.
Mr Tay leaves behind a powerful legacy of a potential sustainable Singapore and hundreds of inspired members of the community who we’re sure will continue to build on his dream.

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