SINGAPORE, 10 October 2023 – Four outstanding undergraduates who defied the odds to achieve sterling academic results were awarded the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Scholarship for Persons with Disabilities this afternoon.
Aaron Sim, Bjorn Ng, Marcus Lim and Magdalene Tong received the awards from Guest-of-Honour Ms Denise Phua, Mayor, Central Singapore District, Member of Parliament, Jalan Besar GRC as well as Mr Kenneth Choo, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation (APB Foundation) and Managing Director, HEINEKEN Asia Pacific.
Managed by SPD, a charity that supports persons with disabilities, the Scholarship is given out by APB Foundation to nurture budding talents to fulfil their aspirations. Since the launch of the Scholarship in 2004, the APB Foundation has committed over $2.3 million to fuel the dreams of 59 students with disabilities. They include recent nominated member of parliament Mr Ong Hua Han, and decorated Paralympians Ms Yip Pin Xiu and Mr Toh Wei Soong.
“It has been a fulfilling 20 years of partnership with SPD. We have been working together to empower the next generation of youths with disabilities. I am heartened to see how the beneficiaries of our programme have gone on to successfully fulfil both their professional and personal aspirations. Today, I’m delighted to announce that the APB Foundation has renewed our partnership with SPD for another 3 years, and we look forward to enabling many more deserving youths in their educational pursuits,” said Mr Kenneth Choo.
Joining this year’s honour roll is Marcus Lim, 25, who had a challenging childhood due to glaucoma. Blind in one eye, Marcus often found himself the target of name-calling from his former schoolmates. Refusing to back down from the odds, he put effort into improving himself by focusing on his studies. Beyond academics, the Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) accountancy undergraduate is also a member of the national dragon boat racing team. He looks forward to his participation in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China this month.
Another scholarship recipient, Magdalene Tong, 19, was diagnosed with Cleidocranial Dysostosis, a rare genetic disorder at birth that mostly affects bones and teeth. Much of her growing up years were spent between hospital visits. It was a trying time, but her interactions with the dedicated medical team sparked her desire to become a healthcare professional, bringing hope to others. Outside of school, the nursing undergraduate at the National University of Singapore (NUS) volunteers to tutor underprivileged children weekly and is actively involved in her role as a grassroots leader.
19-year-old Aaron Sim is another fellow recipient from NUS, whose life took a turn in 2014 when he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. This degenerative muscle condition affected his physical mobility, and he uses a wheelchair to move around independently. After a life-altering spinal fusion surgery three years ago, Aaron had to contend with extended limitations in mobility and expedited fatigue. The support of his loved ones was what kept Aaron going, and the computer science undergraduate is determined to pay it forward by helping those in need through his capabilities.
Fellow recipient 25-year-old Bjorn Ng has autism spectrum disorder, which affected his learning of social skills. As a child, Bjorn’s struggle to comprehend social cues led to several social faux pas, which ostracised him from his peers. Knowing that it would be difficult to pick up social norms intuitively, Bjorn sought to study human behaviour through academia – first through a diploma in psychology, and subsequently a degree in history and second major in public policy and global affairs. The final year NTU student hopes to use his research skills to advance pro-disability policies and corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda in Singapore.
“We deeply appreciate the support of our long-time partner, APB Foundation, in recognising the potential of our scholars and investing in the future of youths. Their generous contributions do not just benefit the youths and their families; we also hope that this enduring partnership serves as a powerful example that inspires other corporates to step up and do their part for the community,” said Mr Abhimanyau Pal, Chief Executive Officer, SPD.
