Fuelled by her passion to create positive change to the community, Iris, Youth Corps Singapore volunteer for Sustainability and Beyond Singapore Clusters, soon learnt that real change often takes time and it is important to balance between idealism and pragmatism.
She explained, “One of the challenges I faced while volunteering was the need to shift my mindset when it comes to making a difference. Change does not happen overnight, and it can be disheartening when it feels like my involvement has not made an immediate impact. But I’ve learnt that every act of kindness counts. Never underestimate the power of your actions.”
Iris now embraces the belief of ‘the little things matter’ in her daily life. As a champion of sustainability, she adopts small yet significant habits like using reusable bags and containers, reducing plastic consumption, and conserving water. Through her volunteer work with the Beyond Singapore cluster, she strives to raise awareness about social issues in other parts of the world, hoping to inspire fellow youth to consider volunteerism beyond the borders.
Despite the challenges of juggling between a full-time job, part-time studies and her volunteering commitments, Iris remains steadfast in her goals. There is much more she hopes to do, such as, creating greater awareness on the issue of limited access to basic education in some parts of the world, and perhaps even becoming a UNICEF volunteer one day.
