heroes

Everyday Heroes : Kok Chung

“I’m a catalyst – I play the enabler role to enable people to be the best that they can be.”

In our first meet-up with Kok Chung, he struck us as a person with a zest of life, a bag of passion and enthusiasm displayed through his energetic demeanour. Our next everyday hero is a Year 1 Environmental Engineering student at National University of Singapore. As a volunteer actively partaking in multiple volunteering events, Kok Chung dedicates time for this activity that is close to his heart – despite his intense schedule as a full-time student. With diverse experiences across many “kinds” of social enterprises and organisations, Kok Chung found himself being involved in projects involving a recurring audience group – particularly, youth at risks.

Some of the initiatives he has joined includes for organisations like Strong Mind Fit Body, Uninhibited Spaces, SDI Academy, Ground-up Initiative, EDGE Community, West Coast Youth Executive Committee, Youthcorps Singapore, REACH Youth and that includes The Hidden Good.

We caught up with the humble and mirthful youth to ask him about his thoughts about doing good and his inspirations.

What inspires or drives you in this direction?
KC: It is this collective understanding that there are things we can improve in this world and there are people out there who lives can be improved significantly – perhaps just not discovered. Youths at this age are also at the peak of their learning curves. They are open to wanting to change the world – and are deeply influenced by their peers. With this, it motivates me to push them further by bringing them out of their comfort zones and heighten their desire to change the world by influencing more people.

As a student in National University of Singapore (NUS), many may wonder – how can one find time amidst the tight schedules of project assignments, exams and whatnots? A commitment and dedication so admirable, Kok Chung is a certainly a tough character truly accountable to his cause.

What’s your biggest challenge juggling so many commitments?
KC: Time management, definitely! We only have 24 hours a day, there is only that much time we have, however, within this 24 hours that everyone has, we all choose to use it differently. Choose the right things and choose things that matter to you most and you won’t find yourself “juggling with commitments” but having enough time to “devote accordingly to make a fulfilling life”. Dissect your time and allocate them according to your priorities is how I deal with it – priorities.

As an ardent volunteer, what are your thoughts on volunteering?
KC: Volunteering builds empathy and such experiences also increase your tolerance for a lot of different things which is definitely helpful in the long run. However, like what I said earlier, volunteering should be something that is in the long run, never something that is touch and go.

Watch this video below and hear Kok Chung articulate his thoughts in this heartfelt interview.

Everyday Heroes is an online series that captures stories of youths creating impact and embracing possibilities to build a more positive community in Singapore. Most importantly, they help stand as positive reminders that doing good doesn’t have to look a certain way!

#EverydayHeroes #TheHiddenGood #sgyouthcares #nycsg

Everyday Heroes : Lloyd

“I don’t want them to go through the same kind of childhood as I did.”

Our next everyday hero is 25-year-old student Lloyd, who didn’t have the perfect of childhoods, and in fact he described it as tough. However, that didn’t stop him from being a wonderful person for himself, and for others too. Lloyd channeled his emotions, admirably so, to doing things for the community. He told us, “My childhood was tough, but I told myself – I’m going to try my best to make an positive impact in every child’s life so that none of them would have to go through the same kind of childhood as I did.”

When asked about his other inspirations, Lloyd told us, “I firmly believe that making a positive impact in their lives while they (the kids) are young and showing them acts of kindness – this will allow them to pass on the kindness to others when the day comes.”

Packed with a bag of motivation from his past, Lloyd went on to spearhead some community-beneficial projects like Ahoy Captain, on top of his volunteer stints with external organisations like YouthCorps and SIM iCare. Ahoy Captain started out as a random idea that he proposed to his friends and it turned into a fruitful experience for Lloyd and his friends!

Why not just stick to volunteering you’d wonder? Well, we had the same thought as well. He later explained the trigger point was when he realised that he’s joined multiple volunteering events, so why not organise one?

“Doing good to me simply means helping others unconditionally and offering simple gestures of gratitude.”

We asked further about the event Touch with Love, an initiative that he was volunteering with HCA Hospice Care, Singapore’s largest home hospice care provider. Lloyd described it as an eye-opening experience, much expectably. Often times, people take time for granted, and only pay more attention to what we do with it when it is slowly escaping us. He recalls the eventful project and described, “This event itself showed me a new perspective on life and struck me. I was amazed how these patients, despite their illnesses, still live their lives in content and to the fullest, cherishing their every day till the end. This taught me that I should appreciate what I have now, and cherish every bit of it too.”

When asked about the influence of volunteerism in Singapore, Lloyd relates that it’s kind of hard to spread volunteerism to the younger generation as it is not a norm to do so, and especially in Singapore context where a lot younger people are more concern with their own immediate well-being, hence the pursuit of money or self-interest first.

On a more uplifting note, he added, “It’s worthy to note here that there will also be other young people of the opposite side who would dedicate their time to volunteer and help make a change in other’s life.”

We hope that Lloyd’s story has inspired you or struck a chord within you to give back to the community! Lloyd’s inspiring story has taught us an important learning point – that anyone can turn their life around if they want to, and they can turn others’ too. We end this story with a rousing word of advice from Lloyd.

“Anyone can be a change maker- it all boils down to whether an individual is willing or not. I would just encourage them to take the first step to see what it is like to make a difference in someone else’s life and what new journey lies for them.”

#EverydayHeroes #TheHiddenGood #sgyouthcares #nycsg

Everyday Heroes : Suzana

Born hearing, many questioned for Suzana Slemat on her business model – a social enterprise that aims to bring light on the Deaf community in Singapore. But the then 19-year-old Graduate in Business Studies from Ngee Ann Polytechnic is not paying heed – for all the right reasons.

Founded in 2017, Puzzles SG is the brainchild of students Suzana and Shazlina looking to bridge the gap between the hearing and the Deaf. By encouraging students to order in Sign Language and hiring employees who are Deaf, this initiative excited many eager students and piqued the interest of many others into the realm of the Deaf community. When asked about her motivation behind this “aha moment”, Suzana shares, “I often ask myself…What can I do that can impact people positively for the long run? This question triggered the idea of a social enterprise.”

An initiative borne out of a noble deliberation, Suzana’s altruism for social responsibility was unlike any her age. While there are many marginalised communities in Singapore, you’d probably have the same question as we did – why specifically the Deaf community?

“I’ll tell you why..being involved in the Deaf culture is really enjoyable. When one person is talking, all eyes and focus will be on him/her to get the message across. It’s a beautiful and respectful culture that many of the Hearing should experience. At the same time, I want to ease the isolation that the Deaf face by spreading interest in Sign Language.”

Her words hit us hard – there was so much truth there. It hits us that respect in communication has often been trivialised to even points of disrespect in this day and age.

Having to grapple between creating a sustainable business model and impacting a community for a great good, Suzana admitted there were many challenges. One of them was a self-limiting belief that she was “too young”. But what struck us was the fiery passion in her eyes – she’s certainly not caving in to these thoughts.

Have you ever felt your young age is a limit or barrier to your role here?

Suzana: “To overcome my lack of experience in years, I sprint towards any opportunity to listen to the stories and tips that the experienced have. Mentors are an essential resource for us. If there is an opportunity to contribute or make a difference in someone else’s life, there’s your chance. Decide, and follow through. And if that doesn’t work, you learn and grow.”

While there are still many detractors in the road ahead, Suzana’s grit and determination has shown us what it means to channel your passion for a greater good. Her noble quest to ease isolation that the Deaf faces, for one, is indeed a humbling reminder to us in the Hearing world. Speaking beyond her years, Suzana’s inspiring last words certainly left a deep impact in us.

How would you encourage other youths to be a change maker?

Suzana: Instead of asking “why should I”, many in my generation already has the mindset of “why not?”. And that’s a great start already! We have to remind ourselves once in awhile, “Are we okay living in comfort while others are not?”. That leads to the discussion of the definition of comfort according to different people. “Everyone has the potential to be a changemaker. It is not my place to advise other youths, so just do what you’re passionate for, and once you can support yourself emotionally, financially, physically – reach out to those around you and get to know about their life. For me, it’s the Deaf community.”

It is indeed selfless people like Suzana Slemat that truly makes the community a better place. The everyday heroes, right amongst us.

#EverydayHeroes #TheHiddenGood #sgyouthcares #nycsg

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: