Giving her time to build others up

L-R: Ms Chia Ee Han (3^rd from left), Mr Wong Fung Shing (4^th from left) and Mr Tan Jing Qun (5^th from left) are the winners of the Volunteer of the Year Award

Five years ago, 31 year old Chia Ee Han pushed the boundaries of her comfort zone and embarked on her first overseas volunteering trip with YMCA International Service Programmes to Cambodia. Since then, she has led three young working adults' and a junior college team to reach out to the overseas community. During the 8 day trip in Cambodia, she spent five days in Unaccompanied Association (UNACAS), a Children's Centre in Lech Wat, Phnom Penh where she taught English to the children and also helped with infrastructural work. The rustic living conditions taught Ee Han to appreciate life better, and inspired her to return as a volunteer leader, leading groups of working adults and students overseas to countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar with an aim to help improve education and infrastructures.

“The first year when I was the volunteer leader, we had three youths-at-risk who joined us on the trip. At the start they were reluctant to hear what we have to tell them. They would just sit in one corner and talk to themselves instead of serving the community. Initially we told them don’t do this and that, and said no to every of their requests. Then I think they felt they need to fight back, so that is why they don’t really want to listen to us. But when we sit down and talk to them nicely, and make them understand why they are here on the service trip, their attitude towards us actually changed, and we started to chit chat, talk and laugh together,” said Ee Han. “That’s one of the challenges I faced and overcame, and knowing how nine days of service benefited not only the locals but also the volunteers motivates me to return time and again as a volunteer leader,” she added.

For making significant impact to YMCA’s International Service Programme through her leadership and service contribution, Ee Han was presented the YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer of the Year Award at the YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Awards Night on 20 January 2017. Organised by YMCA of Singapore, the YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Awards Night was specially created to recognise and thank the volunteers who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the YMCA and to the various YMCA community services programmes for the year; and also to those volunteers who have made long term contributions to the organisation.

“Volunteers do so much to support our programmes and the value of their work is immeasurable,” said Mr Lo Chee Wen, General Secretary, YMCA of Singapore. “They do not seek recognition or the limelight but quietly go about making an immense difference to those in need. They are truly our unsung heroes and YMCA recognises and appreciates their contributions, and hope that the Awards can serve as a platform to encourage others to rise up to be community champions just like our volunteers and impact lives.”

Over 80 individuals, corporations and organisations received awards across five categories, namely Corporate Volunteer Excellence Award, Corporate Volunteer Long Service Award, Volunteer Excellence Award, Volunteer Long Service Award and Volunteer of the Year Award.

The full list of Award recipients are as follows:

YMCA-Lim Kim San Corporate Volunteer Excellence Award

3M Singapore

Barclays Bank PLC, Singapore Branch

Citi Singapore

Credit Suisse AG

International Y's Men's Club of Singapore (Alpha Chapter)

LINGJACK Engineering Works Pte Ltd

NTUC Fairprice Foundation Ltd

Prudential Assurance Co Singapore (Pte) Limited (Jeanette Pay & Associates)

PwC Singapore

Superior Multi-Packaging Limited

Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church

YMCA-Lim Kim San Corporate Volunteer Long Service Award

DHL eCommerce (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Foo Kon Tan LLP

NTUC Fairprice Foundation Ltd

PwC Singapore

Superior Multi-Packaging Limited

UPS (S) Pte Ltd

YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Excellence Award

A Jaisaravana

Brian Kek Shu Huan

Chelsia Low

Cheryl Yeo Xin Hui

Chng Hui Shan Chloe

Chua Pearlyn

Chua Rui De

Clara Chong

Eddy Cheng Kuan Quan

Enid Tee Mun Xin

Fan Yunan

Haw Chee Yeng

Ho Shujun Ken

Ivan Toh Jun Liang

Jasmine Teo Jie Min

Joab Koh En Ze

Koh Jian Wei

Koh Yan Ting Michelle

Lee Si En, Ruth

Li Fusen

Lim Jia En

Lim Shi Ying Candice

Lim Xiao Qi

Lip Pin Han (Lie Pinhan)

Lynette Chang Yu Bin

Mathew Ang Cheng Long

Ng Bo Lin

Nivia Satriavi Soetrisno

Oh Chin Yang (Hu Zheng Yang)

Ong Yie Yin

Queenie Tan Lin Ling

Saih Shi Qi

See Yeu Huei Stella

Sherwin Tesalonika Thie

Sim Ai

Sitoe Wing Yan Samuel

Tan Jian Hui Scott

Tan Wen Kai

Tan Yangda Ian

Tan Yi, Rachel

Tang Wu Hwan, Ivan

Teo Qizi Chelsi

Teo Shi Min Shermin

Toh Chong Li, Joseph

Vivien Relyn Yong Hui Xia

Wong Yun Hong

Xu Baoyan

Yao Jiyi (Patrick)

YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Long Service Award

Chew Hui Keong, Andrew

Chua Rui De

Foo Chee Wei Eddie

Ho Wai Min

Ko Jie Yan Jonathan

Lim Tong Li, Christina

Pang Jin Yi (Jinny)

Quak Yong Sheng

Tan Kar Wee

Teo Yong Hao

Tran Anh Phuong

Yvonne Ang Jie Ling

YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer of the Year Award

Chia Ee Han

Mak Wei Seng

Tan Jing Qun

Wong Fung Shing

Click here to view photos of the YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteer Awards Night 2017.