Stories

 Every young person carries a story shaped by their circumstances, but at Yong-en, we believe circumstances are never the whole story. Christopher and Insyirah are living proof.

Christopher’s family moved to Singapore from Indonesia, hoping to give him a smoother start to his studies. But tuition costs were a real barrier, until a classmate told him about Yong-en’s free tuition programme. Christopher joined at the start of 2025, during his final year before moving on to tertiary education. His consistent attendance, good conduct and dedication to learning earned him the Yong-en Bursary Award, in recognition of his academic efforts and positive attitude towards learning.

Insyirah’s journey began when Kukoh+, Children & Youth Centre first opened in 2022, introduced by ex-staff member, Bryson. What started as a place to belong became a space where she reconnected with old friends, built new ones, and grew into herself.

What makes their stories remarkable isn’t just where they started, instead, it’s where they’ve gone. As youth volunteers, Christopher and Insyirah have grown from programme participants into active contributors to the wider Yong-en community. During tuition sessions, they supported day-to-day operations, from attendance-taking to tutor deployment, while also engaging younger participants and helping staff manage groups during outings. Most recently, they volunteered as ushers and booth helpers at our Strong & Health Fiesta, with Christopher ushering participants to their stations, and Insyirah stationed at the Gym Tonic booth, guiding seniors on how to use the Gym Tonic equipment.

Once reserved and hesitant, they’ve grown into confident young people who show up for others the way Yong-en once showed up for them.

Christopher, inspired by tutors like Lisa, Joo and Juraimi, now pays it forward to younger students. Insyirah has become a role model to those coming up behind her. Their journeys reflect exactly what this anniversary is about: strength that runs through every story, and growth that carries from one generation to the next.