Meet our Volunteers
Chong Teng Sheng
Living and Loving to Live and Give
In this article, ex-Volunteer Co-ordinator Ho Siew Sam writes about a volunteer with a genuine heart to give.
Chong Teng Sheng, a recipient of the Public Service Commission scholarship to study civil engineering in Kyoto University, came back to Singapore for a long deserved semester break in March 2003. When he did, he realized that barrier-free facilities in Singapore that meet the needs of people with physical disabilities were not as common as in Japan. This sparked his interest to help the physically disabled in Singapore and he began to surf the Internet for agencies he could volunteer his services in. It was then that he got to know about SPD. He visited the Society, and after undergoing an induction session one afternoon, he decided to register with as a volunteer.
I’ve seldom met young volunteers who were as disciplined, independent and diligent in their work as Teng Sheng. He does not volunteer in SPD because of the need to accumulate CIP hours. Yet, he comes a couple of times a week, usually on his own. He would start volunteering as early as nine in the morning, sometimes even leaving as late as six in the evening.
His enthusiasm to volunteer rose when asked to share his interests in arts and music with the beneficiaries at the Day Activity Centre (DAC). He conducted pencil sketching classes and played the guitar to entertain them during their singing and music sessions. He enjoyed interacting and caring for the beneficiaries, and once told me: "Volunteering has allowed me to learn more about the less privileged group of people in our society, understand and empathize with them. The staff in SPD is very helpful, encouraging and amiable so I find my efforts fruitful and appreciated."s No work being too menial for Teng Sheng, he would not mind lending his hand in mundane administrative work occasionally.
Before he left Singapore to continue his studies a month later, he promised that he would come back again as a volunteer upon completion of his studies. He kept his promise when he came back again in April 2004 to help out in DAC’s hydrotherapy and sharing programmes while waiting to complete the balance of another year of mandatory national service.
I asked Teng Sheng what he learnt while volunteering with us. He replied cheerfully: "I learned how to treat and take care of people with physical disabilities. Some of them cannot express themselves well because they are segregated from the public eye. It takes time to understand them, what they need and how you can help them to help themselves. Volunteering has shown me that life for the disadvantaged can still be as fulfilling and fun despite having to deal with their disabilities. This experience at SPD reinforces my optimism towards living and loving to live."
Volunteers come in many shapes and forms, and some to fulfill a personal need. Teng Sheng has shown me that although they are rare, there are people who volunteer spontaneously with passion and love. I hope his example would inspire others to be like him.