SINGAPORE – Alessandria van Boonstra-Nasution struggled to adapt to school here in Secondary 1 after moving back from Malaysia, where her mother was working.
The 15-year-old Singaporean was cyber-bullied and did not have friends in school.
Looking for counselling sessions, she chanced upon Singapore charity Impart, in September 2024.
She joined Impart’s callisthenics, which are strength-training exercises, and dance programmes, pulling off a hip-hop performance on May 10.
Alessandria was among 156 graduates of Impart’s community programmes recognised at a ceremony held at community hall Glass Dome in Telok Ayer.
Impart founder and executive director Narasimman Tivasiha Mani said it was to acknowledge the accomplishments of young people beyond academic achievements.
Founded in 2017, Impart works with young people facing adversities. It offers tutoring, interest groups and programmes matching youth with volunteers to teach them coping skills.
Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee presented the awards.
He said: “In recent years, there has been growing conversation around how young people are feeling more disconnected in today’s fast-paced and highly digitalised world. It affects their mental health and overall well-being.
“For young people facing tough circumstances, the lack of meaningful connections can make challenges feel even heavier.”
He said outside of school, many young people turn to their local communities for a sense of belonging, and Impart works with them to tackle challenges they face through a community-based model of care.
Mr Narasimman said young people lost time during the Covid-19 pandemic to develop their socialising skills and executive function, such as planning skills.
This impacted their self-esteem, and led to high rates of depression and anxiety, particularly social anxiety, among youth.
Alessandria said joining the dance programme helped her build up her confidence.
Alessandria van Boonstra-Nasution (front row, second from right) performing at the ceremony on May 10.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
At a surprise segment at the event where parents presented their children with letters they wrote to them, both Alessandria and her mother got emotional.
Alessandria said: “I always think that my hard work is never noticed. When my mum tells me how she really feels, I feel that she appreciates me, and that I matter.”
Her mother, Ms Munas van Boonstra-Nasution, a single mother with another teenage daughter, said: “Seeing her grow in Impart and as a person, I am the proudest mum that any mum can be.”
Mr Lee also announced Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC coming forward with funding support for Impart’s initiatives.
GIC will provide Impart $150,000 a year over three years, and send its employees to volunteer with the youth, mentoring them and taking them on outings to Bird Paradise and Universal Studios Singapore.
Cahya Dewi, 17, was recognised as a top performer in Impart’s muay thai programme Fite.
Cahya Dewi, 17, was recognised as a top performer in Impart’s muay thai programme Fite.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Cahya, who struggled with depression and isolation, which led her to skip school, was referred to Impart by her school counsellor.
After joining the charity in end-2023, she said she feels a new sense of self-confidence.
Cahya, who is now in Secondary 5 and an aspiring biomedical engineer, said: “I could re-learn how to communicate with people. I realised everyone’s going through their own stuff and it’s ok.”
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