Once a rebellious teen, he wants to help others like him
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Mr Daniel Lim received the Board of Governors Award for being Republic Polytechnic's Most Outstanding Graduate of the Year.
ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID
Yeo Shu Hui
SINGAPORE - When Mr Daniel Lim, 20, was a Secondary 4 student, he had a rebellious streak.
He would sit around with friends in their homes or below their blocks until the wee hours and go home just before the break of dawn. After about an hour of sleep, he would go to school.
It was no surprise his grades tanked.
Mr Lim said: "I hit rock bottom. I didn't want to go to school, I treated others really badly."
Help came from friends at church, who stood by him and encouraged him to get back on the straight and narrow.
His mother, too, never gave up on him. She stayed up every night and waited for him to come home, worried about his safety.
The kind of unconditional love and support Mr Lim experienced inspired him to become a social worker.
When his O-Level results could not get him into the social work course he wanted, his mother encouraged him to pursue a Diploma in Social Enterprise Management at Republic Polytechnic (RP).
His mum, a human resource manager, told him the course was similar to a social work course, but included some business modules and aspects.
At a ceremony last Tuesday (May 11), Mr Lim graduated with a Diploma in Social Enterprise Management with merit, and later received the Board of Governors Award for being RP's Most Outstanding Graduate of the Year.
Mr Lim was also actively volunteering during his poly years, for instance delivering food and spending time speaking to elderly folks who lived in one-room rental flats in Marsiling.
He said: "Through my conversations with them and befriending them, I noticed that there was a change in how I treated others - a change in my character as a person. I sought to go beyond finding fulfilment in academics alone - by seeking out opportunities to impact those in need. It also helped me treasure the time I have with my family members more."
The next step for Mr Lim is national service, after which he will pursue a social work degree at the National University of Singapore.
His aim is to help teens who used to be like him.
He said: "I look forward to implementing projects at my alma mater, RP. I also hope to help delinquents because I used to come from that background, so maybe they can relate to me in some ways."
