Emaan Catalyst Community Ltd (ECC), a Singapore-based foundation dedicated to fostering community development and youth leadership through service learning, represents a transformative impact by expanding its overseas service-learning (SL) programme to empower Singaporean youth and support underserved communities. The expansion is supported by a strategic funding model made possible through Youth Corps Singapore (YCS), a subsidiary of the National Youth Council (NYC), under the Youth Expedition Project (YEP) Programme Funding grant.
This support opens the door for more Singaporean youth, community groups, and corporate teams aged 15 to 35 to embark on transformative service-learning expeditions across ASEAN, China, and India. These youth expeditions will receive partial grant support and are designed to nurture leadership, build resilience, and promote sustainable development, significantly expanding ECC’s reach and deepening its impact on underserved communities in the region. This strategic model strengthens its commitment to developing socially conscious youth leaders, providing them with the resources to bring about sustainable change in the communities they serve.
ECC has led impactful SL overseas trips for nearly a decade, engaging over 2,000 volunteers from schools, Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), and corporations. These initiatives have improved the lives of over 100,000 people in Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Commenting on the funding, Hafiz Othman, Director of Emaan Catalyst Community Ltd, said:
This funding is more than just a financial boost but a lifeline for communities and a launchpad for our youth to act as changemakers. We want every participant to return home with priceless memories and the mindset and skills to become global leaders in service and sustainability. Having already left a positive mark in Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, ECC is excited to extend its opportunities to other parts of Asia under the YEP. These expeditions are at the heart of ECC’s mission to empower youth through meaningful service and cross-cultural exchange. We aim to nurture more culturally aware changemakers who return to their communities equipped with the insights, skills, and confidence to lead and inspire.
With support from YCS from April 2024 to March 2025, ECC will expand its service-learning experiences to more countries, including China, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia. These immersive expeditions, which last minimally 10 days, focus on making tangible social contributions, such as providing access to education and introducing new skills, such as STEM education, to schoolchildren, building infrastructure to support sustainable goals, such as clean water systems, providing food aid, and working alongside the community on biodiversity projects for self-sufficiency.
This alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of poverty reduction (SDG 1), zero hunger (SGD 2), quality education (SDG 4), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) and climate action (SDG 13), underscores the effectiveness of ECC’s service-learning experience. Participants apply their skills in real-world settings and develop resilience and leadership qualities focused on sustainability and related areas. The longer duration is structured to provide an immersive experience that allows for more profound reflections and valuable insights to make a lasting difference.
Ong Kah Kuang, Executive Director of Youth Corps Singapore, echoed this sentiment:
We are happy to support Emaan Catalyst’s mission to empower communities through service-learning. This partnership will help develop Asia-ready youths who are socially and culturally aware and equip them with critical skills and confidence to execute impactful service projects in the region.
ECC invites schools, IHLs, MMOs, youth organisations, and corporate entities to participate in these life-changing expeditions. The closing date for all applications is 31 January 2025.
