First batch of Sustainable Development Goals Grant recipients share their internship learnings

The late Reverend Dr Yap Kim Hao was a benefactor, dear friend of Yale-NUS College and a strong champion of our values. Image provided by Yale-NUS Development Office.

Established in loving memory of Reverend Dr Yap Kim Hao, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Grant supported its first batch of students who gained professional experience in the social development sector during the recent semester break.

The SDG Grant, inspired by Rev Dr Yap’s own beliefs, aims to bolster students engaging with marginalised communities, addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality and climate action, in alignment with the United Nation’s SDGs.

Mrs Susan Tang, daughter of the late Rev Dr Yap, explained how the SDG Grant reflected his motivations and convictions, “Rev Yap often advocated ‘for the common good of all’ [when he] talked about the future he hoped for. He firmly believed [that] every person is of worth, and no one should be left behind.”

“This will not come to be as long as we have poverty, inequality, a lack of access to peace and justice, and a dying planet. The SDG Grant accords students the opportunity to work in sectors that focus on the SDG goals to achieve this end.”

Underscoring her hopes for the students, Mrs Yap Hee Choo, wife of the late Rev Dr Yap added, “We need [students] to continue to learn, research and develop new theories, insights and business models that drive towards a brighter future; to continue to engage in and build relationships in both private and public sector organisations to this end; to take action and “walk the talk”; and to commit to making a difference. [These may be] lofty pleas but so urgent to face the challenges of our times. Only [they] and the generations to follow can determine this brighter future.”

According to Norvin Ng, Director of Career Services at the Centre for International & Professional Experience, “The internships that were funded by the SDG Grant enabled our students to take up roles working towards and making an impact for SDG Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) as well as Goal 10 (Reduced Inequality).”

For the recipients of the grant, the opportunity to experience first-hand the intricacies of the social development sector allowed them to internalise their unique learnings and galvanise their commitment to social work in the future.

Second from left, Hun Kang (Class of 2022) worked for the international non-governmental organisation Save the Children International during the summer break. Image provided by Hun Kang.

“Through my internship, I witnessed how health inequity is formed in multiple layers. Oftentimes, marginalised groups are heavily (directly and indirectly) impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but their voices are usually not included for many related issues. For my internship, children was our focus. As a public health student, [learning how to see the world through health inequity] has become the new lens that I now cherish the most,” said Hun Kang (Class of 2022) who worked for the international non-governmental organisation, Save the Children International, to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake in South and Southeast Asia.

Echoing Hun, Thet Yin Zaw (Class of 2023) a project management intern at ZigWay, a Myanmar-based social enterprise, stated, “This internship has provided me with insights into the social entrepreneurship sector and how a social enterprise may be kept profitable with social impact built into the business model. I am also clearer that in terms of job scope, I enjoy project and logistics management, especially where I can utilise my research skills to better grasp the context of the project.”

Thet Yin Zaw (Class of 2023) worked as a project management intern at ZigWay, a Myanmar-based social enterprise this past summer. Image provided by Thet Yin Zaw.

Additionally, many students were able to witness the unique challenges of working in social development and learn how to effectively combat them. Jarel Ang (Class of 2024) interned with Bettr Barista, a local social enterprise working with marginalised women and youth at risk.

Top left, Jarel Ang (Class of 2024) attending a virtual weekly team meeting with his team at Bettr Barista during his internship. Image provided by Jarel Ang.

“The most challenging aspect [for social work] would be how draining work in this domain can be. I feel that social workers and anyone involved in social work are superheroes – and you can only ever truly empathise with them if you do what they do. During the internship, in the face of adversities, I would often remind myself to be patient, while remembering to check in on those around me.”

However, even with these challenges, students found that their time at Yale-NUS equipped them with skills to better adapt to their work.

Afiya Dikshit (Class of 2023), a research intern at the German-Southeast Asia Centre of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), a Thailand-based think tank shared, “Firstly, through the Common Curriculum, we practised different writing styles that helped me develop a structured argument and enabled me to express myself as a researcher. Secondly, theories learned in Comparative Social Inquiry gave me a perspective on political and social theory, which is essential in forming critical thoughts and opinions on governance and public policy.”

Afiya Dikshit (Class of 2023) was a research intern at the German-Southeast Asia Centre of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance, a Thailand-based think tank. Image provided by Afiya Dikshit.

Despite working in such disparate fields, the recipients of the SDG Grant agreed that their biggest motivation for pursuing social development is to help give back to their communities. Though their current impact may be limited, the passion catalysed by such projects have had significant implications on their futures.