In Mahjong Together, generations come together through tiles, conversation, and friendly competition
On a Sunday afternoon at the Toa Payoh West Community Club, mahjong tiles rattled around the room as players shoved stacks against the walls and called out their moves.
At each table, four players lean forward in concentration—scanning their tiles, calculating their next move, and occasionally pausing to trade friendly jabs at the table.
But the tables here include a unique combination of players.
Beyond the retired uncle may live a young college student. A seventy-year-old aunt might be teaching a youngster the finer points of reading scrap tiles.
They have gathered here Mahjong Togetheris a youth-led show that brings seniors and young volunteers together over one of Singapore’s most popular sports—and it’s become so popular that adults have to vote every week just to get a seat.
Mahjong Together was started by a group of four students
Mahjong Together started in 2021, it was started by four students from Dunman High School who wanted to do more for their community. Inspired by stories of isolation among adults during the violence of COVID-19, they set out to create meaningful, intergenerational connections.
Today, the program is run by a committee of 15 young people, mostly students, who rotate every year and manage its operations, outreach and recruitment of volunteers.
Each session brings together 24 youth volunteers and 24 older participants for three hours of mahjong, with no money involved.
Youth volunteers (Mahjong Together currently accepts those aged 15 to 30) are recruited monthly through online registration, with approximately 70 to 90 participants joining each month. Sessions are held every Sunday afternoon at the Toa Payoh West Community Club, although they sometimes take place at other community clubs, active aged care facilities, and care homes in Singapore.
What makes Mahjong Together unique is its simplicity.
There are no formal courses, formal service activities, or rigid agendas. Instead, the game itself becomes a bridge between generations. Four players at a table, a wall of construction tiles, and three hours of discussion and strategy create a natural environment for generations to come together.
Its popularity highlights the success of the program: in 2025, sessions were often oversubscribed, which led to the introduction of a voting system to give more people a fair chance to attend.
More than just a game
Adults who have attended the sessions speak highly of the experience.
“I am very happy when I get a chance to play,” said 73-year-old retired Kong Yoke Kew in an interview with the Straits Times. He had been learning Mahjong Together at Toa Payoh West Community Club for two years. “I look forward to it every week.”
The sessions are as rewarding as they are fun.
For the elderly, they provide a reason to leave the house and socialize, helping to combat social isolation. Mahjong doubles as a mental exercise, exercising memory, pattern recognition, and strategic thinking.
Meanwhile, youth volunteers gain insight into older generations, hearing stories from past decades and perspectives rarely found in school. For many, that sense of community keeps them coming back week after week, long after their first session.
Unlike organized international programs, Mahjong Together encourages teamwork in nature. Old and young sit equally at the same table, playing, giving each other tips, and sharing stories during the game.
As Singapore’s population grows, the country doesn’t just need more hospitals—it needs more places like this, where people of different generations can meet, connect, and spend time together.
- Read more about Mahjong Together here.
- Read other articles we have written about current affairs in Singapore here.
Featured Image Credit: Mahjong Together
