Mothership has been around for 10 years already!?
Whoa, even we’re surprised.
But hey, we made it somehow. And it’s all thanks to you.
Saying thank you is not enough. For our anniversary, we’re giving back to young people in Singapore, through ways that we believe will be meaningful to the next generation.
As one of our special initiatives, we collaborated with Life Community Services Society — a charity empowering children, youths and families in Singapore — to develop a bursary for their youth beneficiaries.
As the sun set on the evening of Dec. 2, the Radin Mas Community Club in Telok Blangah stayed lit with the hustle and bustle of a Christmas carnival.
This was the setting for a programme hosted by Life Community, a local non-profit organisation that supports students from underprivileged and/or vulnerable backgrounds.
At the heart of the festivities stood a stage, clad in vibrant decor that set the crowd abuzz in anticipation for what was to come.
The stars of the night were students who later ascended to receive recognition for their academic progress.
This recognition came in the form of the Mothership Bursary, an award that financially supports students aged 13-19 who have displayed academic improvement within this year.
The recipients are under various programmes offered by Life Community, which includes community initiatives and projects to strengthen the social mobility of students.
A total of 26 awards were presented; 21 students each took home S$250, while the top five were each awarded S$500.
That night, we got to speak with two winners and pick their brains for the secret behind their academic improvement.
Big dreams
The first secondary school student shared that she'd improved in Mathematics and English.
"My parents will always convince me to study at least one to two hours a day, and if I don't study, maybe they'll take my phone away. So I have no choice but to study," she joked.
Photo by Mothership
But greater than any outside influence was the teen's own determination to learn.
"I also want to improve on my Mathematics and English, so I study more than two hours sometimes," she added.
These two subjects are instrumental to her future, the teenager explained, revealing that she's looking to enrol in Singapore's Institute of Technical Education (ITE) after graduating from secondary school.
"I feel very happy actually because I've put in a lot of my hard work and I finally get to achieve this award," she said with a smile.
"I want to thank my family because they've put in their hard work and time to [encourage] me [to] focus on my studies."
Photo by Mothership
What's down the pipeline for the young girl?
She hopes to do a cooking course or early childhood education in ITE.
In the meantime, she's treating herself to some new "school accessories" and "personal stuff" with her award winnings.
Those by your side
"I feel very happy," voiced the other awardee whom we spoke to.
Photo by Mothership
She'd seen progress in two subjects: Literature and Science.
When asked what or who was behind her success, she pointed to the importance of community.
She gave a shout out to her friends and Life Community for "supporting [her] throughout [her studies]", and thanked the latter for giving her a chance to reach her goals.
"[Life Community] has a lot of mentorship programmes. [The mentors] always encourage me [and] there are a lot of supportive mentors around," she said.
As for what she'd be doing with her award money, she wishes to save it for her post-secondary education, which she's likely to undertake in a polytechnic.
Throughout our conversation, the girl seemed slightly nervous.
But later that night, when the emcee read out her name to a hall filled with people, there wasn't a trace of the shy girl we'd seen before.
The winner strode forward with confidence to receive her award, and basked in the hall's applause.
"Don't give up, even when it's very hard," the girl had stated simply, when we'd asked if she had any words of wisdom to bestow upon her friends.
"It's best if you keep going, because the results will show when you keep persevering."
Photo by Mothership
Light in dark times
Tin Pei Ling, a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Social & Family Development, was also present at the event as a guest of honour.
Speaking to Mothership at a doorstop interview, Tin addressed the importance of moving towards a "caring society" — for the community to support kids, be it through mentorship or contributing other resources like "[finance], time, [and] effort to be there for them".
This would enable the youth to see "what's possible out there", and to have support while "they're going through their darkest period in life, or even if it's just business as usual".
"I think these are all very important in showing our young that they're not alone, that we all do care about what they do and how they want to progress into the future, and that we want to see them succeed. [It also means that] we will be here to cheer them and support them if they need us to."
Here's what she had to say if she were to give some advice to her 15-year-old self (or any other 15-year-old kid out there, for that matter):
"We all have our battles to fight, and sometimes it can feel very overwhelming, as if it's like the end of the world... But I would say that this too shall pass, and nothing is forever. Even the dark times."
The secret
So what's the big secret behind getting "good" grades?
It isn't all that complicated; it doesn't all boil down to some sophisticated and lengthy study plan.
The key lies — instead — in one's own fighting spirit.
Not to mention having people who believe in you, and want to watch you shine.
Top images by Mothership