By giving low-income children the fundamentals for a quality education, the COO of Yayasan Generasi Gemilang is a remarkable example of how 1 cool and feisty young leader helped transform the destiny of thousands.
It was 8 years ago when Melissa Ngiam, then a bright-eyed, 25-year-old auditor, entered the doors of Yayasan Generasi Gemilang (GG), in search of something new. A far cry from the path towards a glamorous career in the corporate and banking industry, but somehow, the NGO founded by Daniel Tan spoke to her, with its cause to provide quality education to the under-served.
A few months in, Melissa was offered a role in finance and partnerships, which took her further from her ambitions. After some thought, Melissa realised that she was given the chance to pursue purpose over personal ambition, and she dived in. “I could still pursue something that excited me, but in a way, help fulfill the real needs of the community with the help of corporate partners through CSR projects,” she said.
First Impressions
Today, Melissa still retains that bubbly, positive energy, chatting over coffee in GG’s brand-new pantry. As we spoke, a gentle hubbub was happening as volunteers walked in and out, waving hello to Melissa. GG’s office is a mix-bag of staff from diverse backgrounds, from corporate professionals to part-time assistants who contribute with small things like data entry.
Melissa recounts her first brush with non-profit work: her first experience as a volunteer history teacher for an orphanage was an eye-opener. “The children were excited at potentially passing for the first time in their lives,” she recalled. “It showed me how the little I did could make a difference in someone’s life.”
That was the stepping stone for Melissa, who now heads bigger roles and forms the nucleus of GG, in her capacity of COO.