SINGAPORE, 12 November 2026 – The first thing people often notice about 6-year-old Elliot Koh is his white cane. What they often miss is a courageous explorer with an inquisitive spirit, and a joyful child who plays with pure, unfiltered confidence. His parents, Mrs Koh Wei Shi and Mr Eric Koh, learned that he was completely blind when he was four months old. The couple initially struggled with a profound sense of uncertainty and helplessness as they faced an unfamiliar road ahead. Today, they see a boy who has never allowed his blindness to define his boundaries or limit his joy.
It is a gap between what people see and who a person truly is that UNLABEL 2026 sets to close. Held annually since 2019 around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, UNLABEL is a public education campaign by local disability-focused charity SPD. Its premise is simple: a label is often the first thing people notice, and too often the only thing they remember. Assumptions follow, overshadowing a person’s identity, capabilities and dreams. UNLABEL challenges these stereotypes and encourages everyone to look beyond labels and see the person first.
This year’s campaign, “Who Are You Not Seeing”, turns the questions back on the public. Its visual motif is a cloud covering an individual’s face, symbolising how disability is often the first thing people notice, overshadowing the person beneath. As the cloud lifts, it reveals the strengths and contributions so often overlooked. SPD once again partnered with creative agency Societal to bring the campaign to life.
Real stories show there is far more to see. Mr Shalom Lim, diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at three months old, and Ms Amanda Yip, who has retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye condition that causes tunnel vision, light perception challenges, and colour and night blindness, found love and a shared purpose. Together, the art enthusiasts co-founded Rebirth Ensemble, a creative studio dedicated to making art more accessible to everyone.
In 2018, a sudden spinal stroke changed the life of Mr Kishon Chong, once an accomplished chef, who now uses a wheelchair. His story is defined not by what he lost, but by how he has moved forward. Today, he is a customer experience and inclusivity officer at a public transport company and enjoys travelling with his wife, whom he met after the incident.
“Disability is just one aspect of a person’s identity,” said Mr Abhimanyau Pal, SPD’s chief executive officer. “Through UNLABEL 2026, we hope that everyone will see beyond assumptions and recognise the talents, aspirations and contributions that persons with disabilities bring to our communities every day.”
From 12 November to 11 December 2026, UNLABEL 2026 posters will run on in-train panels in one Downtown Line and one North East Line train, as well as on digital screens at CapitaLand Malls and properties, Heartbeat@Bedok, One Punggol Hub, and SAFRA Choa Chu Kang, Jurong and Punggol.
Learn more and read the featured stories at https://spd.org.sg/unlabel or by scanning the QR code featured on the campaign materials.
