1) You are successfully running a boxing gym but decided on going beyond to reach out to troubled youths through your TCW cares programme, what influenced you to step up? I have always wanted to do my part and give back to youths. Being in my position now, I feel that the best way for me to create a positive influence and make a change is through boxing. Also, a lot of youths have gotten in touch with me through Instagram and they’ve shared with me their struggles and stories. That really opened my mind to a lot of things. Boxing has given me so much and I know that it can do the same for youths who want to live their lives with better meaning. 2) The TCW cares programme focuses on troubled youths, what was the decision behind reaching out to these youths? Not all youths are privileged and there are many in Singapore who are actually born in difficult situations or a toxic cycle that is hard for them to escape from. I feel that boxing can give them a direction and make them into a stronger individual to fight the negatives in their lives. Also, youths are our future. We all always want a better future so a great step to create a better future is to mould it. I am not focused on being the first champion or the first to achieve something. My concern is to create something that lasts and if I do it right, the youths can help me continue my goals in making the world a better place for the future generations. 3) How different is your life now compared to before running TCW cares programme? I was very busy before but now I am so much busier. Obviously it is not easy, because these youths become like an extended family. I have to know about them, their situation, sort of know their whereabouts, their life outside the gym, it’s like I already have teenage children. It is challenging, heart breaking at times but many times rewarding. A feeling I cannot exactly describe. 4) What was something you were proud of overcoming? I am proud to overcome my thinking that these troubled youths are not strong enough and cannot change. When I first started the TCW Cares Programme, I had doubts, especially after so many youths left me hanging and then I found out that they went back into that life which is not good for them. It was painful when they broke the promise they made to themselves. Now I think that this can be a very difficult task, but not impossible. 5) Why do you think it’s important for people to go beyond and help others? I feel it’s important because helping people is more for ourselves than the person receiving the help. Helping others will remind ourselves to be humble, stay grounded, be grateful, have compassion and gain inner peace. 6) What is something you can tell someone who is struggling right now? Keep fighting and never lose faith. Struggles are one of life’s greatest blessings and it’s just to prepare you for your own destiny. 7) What does thriving mean to you? To me, thriving is to have my community, especially the people around me experience positive growth and achieve success. And together, we all make a continued effort to help those who need help and give them the opportunities to put them in a better situation