SMU student Ethan Tan together with his former Eunoia Junior College classmates Rachel Goh and Clarence Chua founded the Project Obscura which received the Communities of Good (Groundup) award at the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) 2026 for making a positive impact on the community. The idea for Project Obscura started in December 2022, when they wondered if they could lend their photography skills to charities that may not have the budget to afford such services. Project Obscura has since photographed more than 170 events and delivered over 50,000 photos to charities and beneficiaries. It now has more than 330 in its volunteer pool, and it also mentors underprivileged groups in photography skills. For events of a more corporate nature, such as charity galas, it charges below-market rates. Of the fees collected, 80% goes to the volunteer photographer and 20% funds the initiative’s operations.