Nanyang Technological University

Xi Xun is a passionate lady for causes. She was already enthusiastically contributing to environmental publications in JC. In her 2nd year, she spent summer holidays on Citibank-YMCA Youth for a cause - raise money for appointed charities. She was busy organising concerts and flea markets but looked energetic all the time. In the end, her team raised five-fold of the seed money. The next year, she did something unprecedented during her PA: she initiated a company-wide intern Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme at DBS Bank, cleaning tables and running errands to raise money for poor kids of Indonesia. Last October, she represented Singapore in Denso Youth for Earth Action 2009, visiting Japan and learning their ways of sustainable living. She shared much about environmental education with her friends. Concurrently with these activities, she volunteered at an old folks' home and promoted NTU's Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) campaign. Recently, she turned vegetarian to reduce her environmental footprint.

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During her 1st year, Shu Min volunteered to help the Intellectually-Disabled youths outside of her NTU commitments. With the mission of helping the less-privileged, she joined the Regular Service Project-Visually Handicapped (RSPVH) in Year 2. She played a major role in organising events for Visually-Handicapped beneficiaries and provided much joy to the kids when she volunteered for Kids-World (WSC-Camp for children from low income families). Her sincere contribution to RSPVH has helped many beneficiaries. In recognition of her services, she was appointed the coordinator of RSPVH.

Despite the academic workload in Year 3, Shu Min contributed to RSPVH by overseeing the activities & contributed to WSC as a Main-Committee member. From recruiting volunteers for RSPVH to organising fun-filled events and providing tuition for the beneficiaries, she helped make RSPVH a better place for the beneficiaries. Her contribution to RSPVH has been invaluable.

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Melvin spent the last seven years of his life contributing to Singapore in the areas of IT, Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy. He speaks regularly at conferences, such as the Student Network Forum 2008 on Social Entrepreneurship alongside Social Entrepreneurs like Mr. Jack Sim, Founder of the World Toilet Organization (WTO). Through encouragement of Melvin's life-long mentor, Ms. Elim Chew, Founder & President of 77th Street, Melvin spearheaded Lana's Confession - a social enterprise that helps children with financial difficulties and learning impairment. In 2007, Melvin helped build a school in the rural area of Orissia, India with the hope of abolishing witchcraft and human sacrifice through education.

As the Interim Chairman of the Securities Investors Association Singapore (SIAS) Youth Chapter, he works closely with Mr. David Gerald, Singapore's Financial Literacy/Investor Rights veteran, to set up the SIAS Youth Chapter to educate our future hopes and dreams of Singapore, our Young.

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Chu Jie has been actively involved in furthering the cause of the intellectually-disabled throughout her time in NTU. On top of setting aside her Saturdays with the Regular Service Project for the Intellectually Disabled, during which she sought  to impart life skills to its beneficiaries, she also took on the demanding role of Trainee Officer in her 2nd year. This role necessitated her deep understanding of the needs and characteristics of each beneficiary, such that she could foster a similar understanding in fellow volunteers for them to better serve this group of special individuals. As the co-chairperson of the Programmes Committee in 2009, she led her committee in planning and executing the event which consisted of a Walkathon and stage performances by the intellectually disabled and external groups.

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Kai Ting is a passionate and committed community service leader. During her Junior College years, she participated in a 30-hours famine camp to raise awareness for hunger. In the camp, she showed her passion by participating in newspaper collection activities and folding paper cranes to raise packets of Song He rice for less-privileged Singapore families. Her passion was also recognized by Seng Kang Community Library where she decorated an event at library for the kids to enjoy. To take a step further, she joined a student-initiated project to LAOS in 2009. Prior to the trip, she helped the team raised funds through private donations and numerous funds-raising activities. Her contribution during the trip was magnificent as she helped refurbish a run-down school by painting the walls and conduct one-day lesson to impart essential interview tips to Laos university graduates.

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During his Polytechnic days, Lawrence spearheaded a project to teach ex-offenders at Turning-Point Halfway House on accounting skills. He also led like-minded students to raise funds for needy students like newspaper collection and raised $12000 in total. He focused on promoting health messages to his peers. In 2006, in collaboration with Health Promotion Board (HPB), he organised “Refreshing Campus Run” to spread the anti-smoking message. His passion was recognised by Straits Times as “Under-25 Alternative Achiever” and was awarded National Youth Achievement Award (Gold). To help NTU needy students, he organised a 24-hours marathon to raise funds. Lawrence was also actively involved in overseas project. In 2004, he furnished a cook house and built a courtyard for a Cambodia orphanage. In 2008 and 2009, he again led student-initiated projects to refurbish a run-down school, set up a mini-library and conduct many other activities in LAOS.

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Deborah has been a volunteer with the NTU Welfare Services Club (Regular Service for the Intellectually Disabled) for 3 years. She works with the intellectually disabled on a weekly basis to help them achieve independence and confidence. As the vice president of RSPID, she is responsible for planning and executing each week's activities. She continually strives to make every session a fun filled learning experience for every beneficiary by having regular meetings with her team. She goes the extra mile by seeking to understand each of the beneficiaries well so that she can better plan their learning and development. Being also the chief programmer of an annual event, Project Identity, where she worked hard in order to raise awareness for beneficiaries. She locked in many precious hours and nights in order to make this event a success. Overall, Deborah is a caring and patient volunteer with a big heart.

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Rachel, being a foreigner, has contributed tremendously to Singapore. During her 1st year, she gave free-of-charge tuition on Saturday to hearing-impaired students. She also participated in a “song-signing” event to increase sensitivity and raise fund for the deaf community. In her 2nd year, Rachel facilitated various workshops and national events to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS, a taboo topic but a worsening case in Singapore. Being the Finance Vice-President of the HIV/AIDS project, she dedicated her time raising $25,000 worth of funds for the events and even exceeded the desired amount. In addition, even when she was not Red Cross member, she volunteered to help raise funds for the Philippine typhoon victims. Last but not least, she is actively supporting charity groups by giving clothes and donating money, although she is also in financial need.

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Yen Ling has dedicated 2/3 of her University life to Welfare Services Club, Overseas Volunteering Expedition (OVE). She served as a programmer and chairperson in Years 1 and 2 respectively. As the chairperson of OVE'09, she led the team to raise a total of $52000 (from both sponsorships and canvassing activities) for the expedition to Cambodia. She also liaised with overseas partners to plan the programmes and settled all administrative materials required for the trip. In order to ensure that the expedition is a fruitful one, she took time off during her recess week in March 2009 and flew to Cambodia for a recce trip. One of the main projects her team undertook in Cambodia was a water filtration project which greatly benefitted the villagers by giving them a supply of clean water. As a programmer of OVE'08, she was a great help in planning the expedition to Laos. What truly inspired the team was how she pulled the team together and motivated them during the trip where many fell sick and 1 even contracted H1N1. Her calm demeanor provided reassurance for the team at a time where many thought the trip would end prematurely.

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Andy has been a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer of NTU Welfare Services Club for the past 3 years. He volunteered with WSC's Regular Service Project for the Intellectually Disabled (RSPID), providing social, recreational and learning activities to the Intellectually Disabled on a weekly basis. In 2008, Andy was appointed coordinator for RSPID, and was responsible for the planning, directing and coordinating of RSPID's activities for the work year 2008/2009. As a coordinator, he was also part of WSC's 14th management committee, contributing to the overall management of the largest student voluntary organization in NTU. Andy was also the Chairperson for Project IDentity 2009, an annual public awareness event that was aimed to educate the members of the public and debunk misconceptions about the intellectually disabled so as to help them to gain acceptance and integrate into society.

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