Sport changed their lives, now these students want to give back through Deloitte’s fund-raising run

SINGAPORE – Up until 2024, Muhamad Shazali Juma’at was often absent from school.

With little interest in his studies, skipping classes became a regular habit and the thought of dropping out even crossed his mind several times.

But that began to change after the NorthLight School student took up football as a co-curricular activity in 2024.

The sport gave him a purpose, and along with the encouragement of his friends and teachers, the 15-year-old was determined to change for the better and began attending school regularly.

Over time, his grades improved and he made it to his preferred vocational track – hospitality.

He said: “I realised that this school has given me a lot of opportunities to help myself and others too. I joined football last year and I have continued until now.

“As a kid it was difficult for me to express myself and do what I like, but now I appreciate things more.”

A Barcelona supporter since young, Shazali had always enjoyed football, but he never had the opportunity to take the sport further beyond casual kickabouts.

Now the Year 3 student is grateful for the chance to pursue his passion. Sport has not only helped him turn his life around, but also inspired him to give back by taking part in professional services firm Deloitte’s 6000 for 60 fundraising run.

In commemoration of SG60, Deloitte aims to raise $700,000 that will go towards two of local charity SPD’s Early Intervention Centres, SPD@Jurong West and SPD@Kembangan, making essential therapy and educational support accessible to young children with developmental needs.

As part of the run, Deloitte’s partners and staff will run 6,000km for 60 consecutive hours from Aug 14 to 16, with the event culminating at the Gardens by the Bay.

Shazali is glad to play his part in this worthy cause, saying: “For me, it’s especially about helping people in need who may need attention from outside. Nowadays, most people just forget about them.

“Now we have the opportunity to give back, we just give back because you might not know what they’re dealing with, they might be dealing with the same situation as us.”

Like Shazali, his schoolmate Mohamed Ali Khan Borhan has also found in sport a way to cope with life’s challenges.

For the 15-year-old, running has been both a passion and an outlet for him since he was a primary school pupil.

At home, things were not always peaceful, with arguments between his parents a regular occurence.

He would try to step in and mediate, but to no avail.

To find some relief and clear his mind, Ali Khan would head to Bedok Reservoir to run for hours till he was exhausted.

Running soon became more than a sport – it gave him a sense of belonging and purpose.

The Year 3 student said: “I started running because of myself, to make me happy, to stop thinking about the bad days... I followed my passion, I love running so that I believe in myself, that I will be a runner one day.”

He now particularly looks forward to Thursdays, when he has track and field CCA with a group of schoolmates who share his passion.

While his situation at home is improving, Ali Khan wants to keep on running – for a good cause.

He said: “For me, when I give back through sport, it’s because sport brings everyone together, makes our bond (with those around us) better.”

Explaining the concept for the fund-raiser, Shariq Barmaky, Deloitte Singapore’s country managing partner, said: “Our journey has been driven by collaboration with our clients, people and communities to create meaningful outcomes.

“This is encapsulated in our global tagline that has just been launched this year: Together Makes Progress, and also echoes the SG60 theme of Building Our Singapore Together.

“This is our way of giving back to Singapore for SG60, as we believe in creating a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow for our future generations.”