Co-founder of Project Green Ribbon
I wanted to use my personal experiences and struggles to help those in a similar position, resulting in the creation of Project Green Ribbon.
Tell us your story, how did you get here?
I’m a mother of three and co-founder of Project Green Ribbon. Growing up, I had a difficult childhood.
I was living with my great grandmother at the age of five and everything was good then. I was then forcefully moved to live with my “aunt” (whom I found out was my biological mother) at the age of nine after my great grandmother passed away. Living with my “aunt” caused a lot of family friction and trauma.
Complex as it may sound, I adopted many unhealthy habits from a young age. I was involved with teenage pregnancy and worked in the shadier nightlife of Singapore.
In my teenage years, I had my fair share of experiences with mental health struggles. However, I didn’t feel I was able to receive or get adequate support from hotlines or care counselling services. I wanted to use my personal experiences and struggles to help those in a similar position, resulting in the creation of Project Green Ribbon (PGR).
In February 2021, I co-founded PGR with my husband, with the purpose to be a platform and community for those who are struggling. For those who’d like to have their stories heard, PGR is here for you. We strive to empathise, empower and enable individuals to build mental health resilience, and eradicate mental health stigmas within our society.
What impact have you made in Singapore?
Since PGR was created, we’ve continuously reached out to the local community. One instance is simply through event sharing sessions, such as corporate webinars and community talks, to increase awareness and understanding of mental health within our youth and workplace.
Last year, we reached out to over 8,000 attendees. We believe youth are the important pillars of our society and mental health truly starts from young. We’ve created a mentorship program with students, and so far, have managed to coach 20 youths in total. Going forward, I hope to reach out to more youths.
What does 2022 look like for you?
This will be a year for me to learn to focus. Focus on the things I want to do, and remain steadfast.
What do you love most about Singapore?
Food! I don’t think I’ll survive elsewhere because of the food in Singapore.
What’s the one product you can’t live without?
My deodorant. Because I don’t use perfume, it helps to keep my armpits dry and fresh the entire day while running around with housework, motherhood and meetings.
Who is your Local Legend, and why?
Irene Ang. For what she’s gone through in her life, she remains ambitious yet humble. This is something not many can achieve. To succeed but never forget where she came from, and continue to pay it forward to many others today.