Playing mahjong to build intergenerational ties

Mahjong Together brings together players young and old over games of mahjong.SINGAPORE – Every Tuesday, elderly residents in Toa Payoh rush to register to ballot for a weekly mahjong session held on Sunday afternoons at their local community club.These sessions – where 24 youth volunteers mingle with 24 elderly residents over mahjong – are so well-received by seniors that they are frequently oversubscribed, and balloting had to be introduced in 2025 to give more people a chance to attend.“I’m very happy when I get the chance to play,” said retiree Kong Yoke Kew, 73, who has been attending the sessions at Toa Payoh West Community Club for two years. “I look forward to it every week.”These sessions are led by a group of young people who hope to bridge the intergenerational gap through a game that elderly residents can play. Called Mahjong Together, the group was started by students from Dunman High School in 2021.The initiative is now run by a committee of 15 young people that rotates yearly, mostly students, who handle its operations, outreach and recruitment.Youth volunteers for each month’s sessions are recruited monthly via online-sign ups, with about 70 to 90 volunteers turning up each month to play games at community clubs, active ageing centres and care homes across Singapore.Sessions are mostly organised on an ad-hoc basis, but they run most regularly on Sunday afternoons at Toa Payoh West Community Club.Ms Yap Yihui, a Dunman High School alumnus who is currently a University of Virginia undergraduate, was part of the founding batch of four students who independently initiated the project, as they wanted to do more for their community.The 21-year-old said news stories highlighting loneliness among the elderly during the Covid-19 pandemic spurred her to start the group.Of picking mahjong as the conduit, Ms Yap said: “The most important aspect of mahjong is the way it is set up – four people together at a table, half talking and laughing about the game, half catching up about life. This makes it possible for natural conversation to flow.”Ms Yap has stepped down from the initiative since going abroad for university, but said the growth of the project has been surreal to witness. She added: “I would never have guessed that the project we did in 2021 would have reached this stage, and I am so, so happy with how everything turned out.”At a recent session in December 2025, the sound of friendly chatter and mahjong tiles shuffling on tables filled the room as seniors and young people played.First-time volunteer and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student Duan Zehao, 16, said that he had a good time playing with the seniors. He said: “It was very fun. I even managed to learn some mahjong tips from the seniors I played with.” No money changes hands during Mahjong Together sessions, which last three hours each.For some volunteers, their love for mahjong is what initially drew them to join the initiative. “I started volunteering in January 2024 with my mahjong kakis after hearing about it in school,” said Dunman High School student Harris Lau, 17. “I grew up with mahjong and I love to socialize so it was perfect for me.”Knowing how to play mahjong is preferred but not necessary for taking part in the initiative. Dunman High School student Reese Chin, 17, was introduced to the initiative by a senior and learnt to play mahjong from other volunteers when she joined the group in January 2025.The Mahjong Together committee member said: “I picked the game up quite quickly, but some of the aunties will still jokingly scold me when I play too slowly or make the wrong move.”Other youth volunteers said the sense of community kept them coming back to volunteer. Dunman High alumnus Tan Yan Kai, who is currently waiting to enlist in national service, was a committee member in 2024. The 18-year-old returned for his first session in 10 months in December 2025, after taking time off to focus on his A-levels.“I was very touched that many of the aunties and uncles still recognised me and asked how I’d been,” he said. “I really missed the atmosphere. I think it’s very heartwarming for us to give back.”Seniors who participate also felt they benefited from and enjoyed the sessions. Ms Doris Tan, 66, a homemaker, said: “It’s a good way for me to pass the time and it keeps my mind active. I enjoy playing mahjong with young people because I can learn from them, and they can learn from me.” Madam Kong said in Mandarin: “It’s very fun to meet and play with these familiar faces.“Playing with these young people also makes me younger.”Young people aged 15 to 30 can sign up to volunteer with Mahjong Together at www.instagram.com/sgmahjongtogetherSource: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproductionDiscover how to enjoy other premium articles here