How Halogen Charity Golf 2026 is helping young people become future-ready

One area in which CIMB has been involved is the NFTE (pronounced “nifty”)  which helps youths from underserved backgrounds develop an entrepreneurial mindset and practical business skills. Using project-based learning, participants develop competencies including opportunity recognition, critical thinking, adaptability and comfort with risk. Their development is measured at the beginning and end of the programme using the Entrepreneurial Mindset Index (EMI), which assesses eight core areas of entrepreneurial thinking.

Corporate volunteers form part of the experience, mentoring students in areas such as market research, financials and presentation skills. Participants also learn from business owners and entrepreneurs, gain exposure to how enterprises operate and develop business concepts of their own, culminating in a pitch.

Over its first decade in Singapore, NFTE graduated about 5,418 youths, engaging around 30 schools, more than 200 educators and over 5,000 volunteers across 9,000 hours of programme instruction. Nine Youth Entrepreneurship Challenges have also taken place, with eight young winners going on to represent Singapore at the Global Showcase in New York.

For Prisca Roshini, the challenge was not simply developing a viable business idea, but believing she could take it far enough. At 15, she was not accustomed to speaking up in rooms where others appeared more certain of themselves. That self-doubt followed her into NFTE, even as she spent months developing AI Tutor Buddy, a study app designed to make learning more affordable.

An early turning point came during a work session, when a corporate volunteer asked what guarantee she had that her idea would succeed. Roshini did not have an answer. Another volunteer later encouraged her to see the question as something she could use to strengthen her idea. It began to change how she responded to uncertainty and feedback.

Even as Roshini progressed through the 2025 NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, self-doubt persisted. At one point, she told Halogen academy executive Genevieve that she did not think she could continue. Genevieve asked her to write everything weighing on her on a whiteboard, and together they worked through each concern. By the grand finale, standing on stage before hundreds, Roshini recalls thinking: “I am capable of this. I just need to step outside my comfort zone with the right people supporting me.”

She went on to win the competition and will represent Singapore at the NFTE Global Showcase in New York this November.

Ahmad Faiz’s experience with NFTE took a different route. A finalist at the 2025 NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, Faiz received the Ann Tan Inspire Excellence Award and Most Investible Idea Award for his barber shop concept.

For Faiz, one of the most important lessons was learning to step beyond his comfort zone and take his own idea seriously. “NFTE taught me to get out of my comfort zone. My message to others? Just do it. You’ll never get another opportunity quite like this.”

His interest in barbering continued after the competition. Faiz has continued honing his craft and sharing his work through @faizcantblendz on Instagram. A Halogen+ Ambassador, one of the volunteers who remains closely involved with Halogen’s work, later became one of his customers, extending that support beyond the programme itself.

Roshini and Faiz’s experiences demonstrate a principle at the heart of Halogen’s approach: young people need opportunities to test themselves, as well as people willing to support them while they do so.

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CIMB Singapore’s involvement with Halogen has expanded beyond its role as presenting sponsor of the Charity Golf. Its employees participate in NFTE and initiatives such as the CIMB x Halogen Career Roundtable, which this year brought junior college, polytechnic and university students together with CIMB professionals to hear about their career journeys and workplace experiences. The session also included three rounds of small-group speed mentoring, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and seek practical guidance as they considered their own paths.

The bank also works with Halogen through the CIMB x Halogen Mentoring Programme, pairing young people with CIMB professionals for more sustained guidance as they consider their careers and future direction.

For mentee Inshiraah, that support came through conversations with her CIMB mentor, Fitria Sunaryo, which ranged from internship advice and practical guidance to broader discussions about personal growth. The experience prompted her to reflect more deeply on her values, future direction and the contribution she hoped to make to her community. “This experience has given me greater confidence and perspective as I prepare for future opportunities,” she says. “Thank you, CIMB Singapore and Halogen (Singapore), for this meaningful experience that encouraged me to grow, reflect, and think more intentionally about the future.”

Inshiraah’s experience is one example of the broader commitment CIMB intends to continue under Mak’s leadership.

“Moving from school to work can feel intimidating, particularly for young people who may not have access to professional networks or guidance. Our continued partnership with Halogen combines financial support with the time and experience of our colleagues, through mentoring and volunteering. Together, we help young people from underserved backgrounds gain practical exposure to working life, and build connections that can open different doors for them. This brings CIMB’s ‘Moving You Forward’ promise to life by helping young people take their next steps with greater confidence and widening their opportunities to progress, regardless of their starting point,” said Mak.

Through its partnership with Halogen, that ambition takes a practical form: giving young people greater access to guidance, professional exposure and opportunities that can help them move forward with confidence.

At Halogen Charity Golf 2026, a gallery wall beside the registration area will document CIMB’s involvement with Halogen across NFTE, the Career Roundtable and the CIMB x Halogen Mentoring Programme. Two NFTE youths and one participant from the mentoring programme will also be present to share their experiences with the Guest of Honour.

These encounters help make tangible what a fundraising event ultimately supports. Funds raised through the Charity Golf help Halogen continue providing development opportunities for young people, while volunteers, mentors and corporate partners offer access to knowledge and experiences that funding alone cannot provide.

Central to Halogen’s work is the recognition that young people do not all begin from the same starting point. For underserved youths in particular, aspiration can exist without equal access to networks and opportunities. Addressing that gap therefore requires more than asking young people to prepare themselves for the future. It also requires people and organisations willing to give them access to the experiences and support that can help them do so.

Help more underserved youths move forward, no matter where they start. Donate to Halogen here.

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