Fajar Infant Care, Childcare Ministry

In a mature estate like Fajar where fewer babies are born each year, it’s only a matter of time before private preschools face a natural decline. LOT Fajar was heading down that path.

Operating costs kept rising, but enrolment stayed stubbornly flat. And if we wanted to remain competitive for families, raising fees further wasn’t a realistic option. We did what we could to communicate the value of what we offered, but in a crowded landscape, it was tough.

As an Early Years centre, our focus was on the 2-month to 4-year-old age group, and eventually, we made the difficult decision to call it a day.

We informed parents that the centre would be closing by November 2025, and our team worked tirelessly to support every family through the transition, helping to relocate children to other nearby preschools so that no one was left scrambling.

And yet, when we look back, we realise LOT Fajar was never merely a “centre” in an aging estate.

Fajar is a neighbourhood with real families, real pressures, and real needs. Grandparents helping with caregiving, parents juggling long work hours, and children growing up in a world that is louder, faster, and more anxious than ever. In estates like these, it can be easy for services to quietly disappear over time. But we believe God places His people and His work right where it matters.

Our presence in Fajar has always been a steady, faithful witness in the everyday: a place where children are known by name, where families are welcomed, and where educators show up with patience, courage, and love.

In early childhood, the “small” things are not small at all. A child learning to trust. A parent learning they are not alone. A teacher choosing gentleness on a hard day. These are precious moments, formation moments.

And we believe this is part of God’s ministry through LOT: to nurture the whole child, and to walk alongside families as co-labourers in the journey of parenting.

A turning point we didn’t expect

Then, in November itself, by God’s grace, we received news we never expected:

Fajar had attained POP 3.0 status.

With added government support, we could continue operating LOT Fajar at a preferential rate for Singapore Citizens. The team rejoiced and immediately got to work. We refreshed the centre, strengthened our plans, and stepped into a new chapter.

Today, LOT Fajar is no longer only an Early Years centre. It is now a full-service childcare for children aged 2 months to 6 years old.

We thank God for this provision not as a “lucky break”, but as a clear reminder that He is the One who opens doors no one can open, and sustains what He calls.

God’s ministry, carried out in ordinary days

When people think of “ministry”, they often picture a stage, a pulpit, or a mission trip. But the ministry of early childhood is often quiet and unseen.

It looks like:

• Creating a safe space for a child who struggles to separate

• Teaching a toddler to name their feelings instead of hitting

• Helping a preschooler learn to apologise and try again

• Partnering with parents through seasons of worry, fatigue, and doubt

• Building a classroom culture of kindness, respect, and courage

  
  

This is discipleship in its earliest form by shaping what children believe about themselves, about others, and about the world.

And because we are rooted in faith, we hold a deeper conviction:

Every child is made in the image of God, and every child is worthy of patient, intentional love.

We are not just preparing children for formal learning. We are helping to form resilient, compassionate, steadfast human beings.

The future of children in Singapore

Singapore’s children are growing up in a complex time.

Families are smaller. Support systems can be stretched. Screens are everywhere. Expectations are high. And many children are carrying stress earlier than we realise—stress from hurried schedules, academic pressure, social comparison, and the quiet loneliness that can exist even in a busy city.

That is why preschools matter so much. The early years are not simply a “prep stage”; they are the foundation.

What children experience between 2 months and 6 years old shapes how they:

• relate to authority and community

• handle frustration and disappointment

• see themselves as capable (or not)

• learn to love learning (or fear it)

• practise empathy, courage, and self-control

  
  

If we want a future Singapore that is not only competent, but also kind—then we must invest in the formation of our youngest.

And in a mature estate like Fajar, this investment becomes even more important. It says to families:

You matter here. Your children matter here.

What we’re believing for

We are not fully enrolled yet, but we believe in the God of wonders and miracles.

We will trust Him, abide in Him, and keep doing the work faithfully: strengthening our programmes, caring for families well, supporting our educators, and building a centre culture that reflects God’s goodness.

We believe LOT Fajar is here for a purpose.

Not just to remain open.

But to flourish so that children in this community can be nurtured with love, taught with wisdom, and anchored in values that will hold them steady for life.

And in God’s time, we believe He will do what only He can do: provide, protect, and bring fruit from what has been planted in faith.