SINGAPORE - When she was a 19-year-old freshman pursuing marketing at Singapore Institute of Management, Ms Gloria Lim was looking forward to four years of university. But in a twist of fate, she went into a coma after collapsing at her church in 2011.
Despite a slim chance of survival, Ms Lim defied the odds, waking up 10 days later in what felt like "Day Zero". Unable to recognise even her parents, she required extensive therapy for basic tasks. Now 28, she is determined to adapt to her new life and find full-time work.
Ms Lim was one of 11 trainees from social service agency Presbyterian Community Services' EduCarer Aide Training (ECAT) programme who met President Halimah Yacob at the Providence Care Centre in Jurong East on Friday (Oct 9).
Started in February, the ECAT programme is a full-time course for women with special needs such as mild intellectual disability, who are keen to work in the early childhood sector.
Trainees attend classroom lessons, as well as simulated trainings at childcare centres to equip them with the skills and knowledge to work in a childcare setting.
There are currently 13 trainees in the programme, which ends in December.
During her community visit, Madam Halimah said training programmes like ECAT could empower people with disabilities (PWDs).
"The ECAT programme is an excellent example of how our social service agencies can work with partners in a specific sector to empower PWDs by providing them with structured training and direct employment pathways," she said.
"This is a win-win arrangement, as the PWDs are given the opportunity to work for organisations in the early childhood sector that are in need of manpower."
For Ms Lim, the journey to becoming a trainee had been a challenging one. Over the years, she attended therapy classes to adapt to her surroundings, from learning how to take sips of water to eating and walking.
The coma left her with memory lapses, and she was unable to keep pace with her studies at SIM, forcing her to drop out and focus on her gradual recovery.
Encouraged by her parents' support, Ms Lim began volunteering in 2018 before taking up the ECAT programme in February this year.
"I started off not knowing how to address my father and mother. Compared to a few years ago, I am more confident now. I have learnt how to go about caretaking, which I believe every adult who interacts with a child can benefit from," she said.
Ms Lim is looking forward to a full-time job which involves interacting with young children, when she completes the programme.
She said: "I am able to understand how a child feels because of my experience, and I can treat children or the elderly, with that understanding. This industry suits me because I can help the children and also help myself improve at the same time."
