International Women's Day 2025
If we have 25 hours a day, would we use that extra hour serving others? For two women leaders, the answer would be a resounding “yes!” In fact, they would have dedicated more than that extra time to help build strong, stable communities where they live and work. Meet Soo-Lin Lee-Sparrow and Tammy Hoy who are making a difference through a Habitat for Humanity program to clean and declutter homes in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Soo-Lin was spurred into action by the COVID-19 pandemic. She said, “Seeing the global crisis unfold deepened my sense of purpose and urgency to make a difference.” She started with volunteering once a month before increasing the frequency to two or more monthly. Having completed 53 Project HomeWorks sessions by end-December 2024, Soo-Lin was recognized as a volunteer champion by Habitat for Humanity Singapore.
For Tammy, her involvement with Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong is two-fold. Currently the client experience director at JLL, she started spearheading its corporate social responsibility initiatives when she was the marketing lead. She decided on partnering with Habitat Hong Kong because of the housing nonprofit’s vision—everyone deserves a decent place to live. “We just want to make sure that whatever we’re doing is going to be something that’s of value.” She followed through with individual volunteer stints in Hong Kong as well as overseas.
Tammy Hoy (front row, fourth from right) with other JLL volunteers at Habitat
Hong Kong’s Project Homeworks. Photos courtesy of Tammy Hoy.
Referring to Project Home Works (spelled as two words in Hong Kong), Tammy said, “It’s really interesting. I think until people go, they don’t actually realize what the need is.” Be it interior painting or deep-cleaning, the volunteers improve people’s living conditions that are appreciated by those they helped. “There was one lady who was like ‘oh, you need to do the bathroom and the kitchen as well!” Together with her colleagues, Tammy also painted murals in schools which was fun because of the interaction with the students.
In 2018, Tammy had a different taste of volunteerism in the town of Bago in Myanmar. “We were actually building houses, which is a very different experience from what you’re doing in Hong Kong.” Joining her team were Japanese youth volunteers and Boy Scouts who contributed under Habitat for Humanity’s Young Leaders Build campaign. Tammy was impressed by the young volunteers. “We had the Boy Scouts of Myanmar join us, and they were fantastic! They were young teenagers, but they were just so responsible.
Tammy Hoy (R) and another Hong Kong volunteer in Myanmar.
Be it housing or other causes, both women volunteers want to give back to their community. Having a roof over one’s head, safe from the elements, is important. Tammy shares, “It means you’ve got something that is your space, where you can feel safe and know that you can go out and do what you need to do to make things work.”
She also sees value in making soup for older adults, handing out daily essentials to people experiencing homelessness. “Every single bit of that counts in terms of giving back to the community.”
Reflecting on the theme of the 2025 International Women’s Day, Soo-Lin said, “To truly accelerate action, we need more visibility for diverse role models, more education for allies, and more intentional efforts to open doors. Mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership development programs are key to ensuring women don’t just participate but also shape the spaces they’re in.” Soo-Lin is managing director and chapter lead of Singapore-based Sponsors in Tech that aims to support and empower women in technology.
Meanwhile, Tammy calls for more support for women who juggle a full-time job and a primary carer role for their children or their parents. These women need access to childcare or tutoring services or seniors’ care support. Girls and women can be empowered through training in financial literacy, women’s rights, education, job opportunities, health and wellness. In Tammy’s words, it is super important to help women feel a bit more secure in their role, be it as a mother, daughter, sister, or whatever they need to be.
Soo-Lin Lee-Sparrow (left) with Singapore volunteers and homeowners at Project
HomeWorks. Photos including main image courtesy of Soo-Lin Lee-Sparrow.
Soo-Lin shares the sentiment. “At Habitat for Humanity, giving women a safe and stable home is a fundamental step toward empowerment. But beyond shelter, we must also build networks of support where women are seen, heard, and uplifted. When we make space for women’s success in all its forms, we create stronger communities for everyone.”
Tammy and Soo-Lin are not the only ones taking action to advance the rights of women’s and girls’ rights, promote gender equality and foster empowerment. So can you — and you don’t need a 25-hour day to do so.
Happy International Women’s Day!