She is the first female president in the Association's 122-year history
In a momentous occasion for The Peranakan Association Singapore (TPAS), Genevieve Peggy Jeffs joins the long line of TPAS dignitaries—Tan Jiak Kim, Lim Boon Keng, Song Ong Siang—as its first female President.
Descending from a line of notable Peranakans from Medan, Indonesia, her distinguished lineage traces to her paternal great-grandfather, Baba Tjong A Fie, capitan of Medan and a successful planter and merchant, as well as his daughter, Queeny Chang, author of the memoir, Memories of a Nyonya.
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Volunteering from a young age, Jeffs has served various charities and NGOs. She was also a member of Lions Club International for 26 years, serving as the president of its Singapore chapter for a period of time. Whilst living in the United Kingdom, she was a committee board member of the International Red Cross and helped raise funds for the London-based organisation.
After returning to Singapore, Jeffs chaired the Singapore Red Cross gala dinner and bazaar-organising committees from 2007 to 2019. Her contributions to the Red Cross were recognised in 2019, receiving the Singapore Red Cross’s Outstanding Service Award from its Patron, President Halimah Yacob.
Jeffs will take the reins of TPAS from outgoing president, Colin Chee. She thanked him for his numerous contributions and dedication to TPAS in her address. Forming a General Committee, she will be supported by an experienced team during her tenure as president.
The Peranakan Association Singapore has over 2,100 members and publishes an award-winning magazine, The Peranakan. TPAS also runs The Peranakan Voices, a show choir, and regularly organises culture and heritage events.
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