Dr Kanwaljit Soin
President of Women’s Initiative for Ageing Successfully (WINGS)

By Seah Nida

“I don’t mind telling people my age,” said Dr Kanwaljit Soin.

Unlike many women who prefer to keep their age a secret, the president of WINGS (Women’s Initiative for Ageing Successfully) is proud to declare that she is 69 years old. “I believe aging must be accepted, because it’s inevitable. The more you try to resist it, the more unhappy you will be.”

Aging is something Dr Soin, an orthopaedic and hand surgeon, is very comfortable with. As with age comes experience, contentment and the time to give back to society, she said.

"I really want to make the world a better place. It sounds very simplistic but most of us who want to do things, do so because we want to help, to give back to society. If I keep in good health, then I can do some work. Whether it’s paid or unpaid, I will continue to work, that much I know." And it is this belief that inspired her to co-found WINGS five years ago. She explained: “We want to educate and empower women over the age of 40 to be able to have a healthy life, be financially secure, and to give back.”

The focus on “health, wealth and happiness” has resulted in numerous programmes such as peer support groups, health screenings and financial workshops. Notable initiatives include the WINGS My Health Guide (a health reference and tracking tool for women aged 40 and up) and the WINGS-KK Hospital Confinement Nanny Training Programme. One of its biggest successes so far, said Dr Soin, is the setting up of a WINGS branch in Hong Kong last month.

Coming from a male dominated profession, Dr Soin said she has had her share of experiences which opened her eyes to gender inequality. So it’s no surprise that women are Dr Soin’s special passion.

For more than two decades, Dr Soin has been an active figure championing equal opportunities for women. She was one of the founding members of AWARE (Association of Women for Action & Research) and the founding president of the National Committee of UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) Singapore. She was also a Nominated Member of Parliament from 1992 to 1996, championing women’s rights.

Asked if she thought about taking it slow, the sprightly grandmother of seven said she has no plans to stop working, although she intends to step down as president of WINGS later this year as “there should be leadership renewal.”

She will however remain on the board of the non-profit organisation. “I really want to make the world a better place. It sounds very simplistic but most of us who want to do things, do so because we want to help, to give back to society. If I keep in good health, then I can do some work. Whether it’s paid or unpaid, I will continue to work, that much I know."