Amanda (Hwei Zen) Kong

I believe that life is a constant learning process, and one should learn from shared experiences and be adaptable and flexible. That said, I have many role models in life – either personally or professionally – and it is hard for me to narrow it down to one individual. I am grateful to the people who have supported me thus far throughout my personal and professional life, and I am glad that I am able to learn from them through their experience and channel their aspirations in life in achieving my life goals and make a difference to the community. Given the pick, I would say that my greatest personal role model is my Mum, Allison Won, who has shown me that life can be meaningful despite my disability. She perseveres as a parent with disability and ensures that I have the opportunity to integrate with society in general. For instance, she decided to enroll me at an integrated school instead of sending me to a school for the blind for my primary and secondary education, so that I have early exposure of interacting and socializing with people who are non-disabled. She dedicated her time to learn Braille and taught it to me at a young age, so that I was able to muster the basics before I enroll in primary school. She is also my biggest pillar of strength, my best friend who understood and supported me physically as my “eyes” and emotionally. I truly learnt a lot from this wonder woman!

From a professional context, my role model is the CEO of the Make It Right Movement (MIRM), Brian Lariche, who has extensive experience in community development and CSR consultancy. He has been my mentor and supported me in my professional development at MIRM. From a shy and introverted law graduate, I have learnt to develop my public speaking skills and build self-confidence, the 2 most essential skillsets of a Community Advocate. He also ignited my passion to champion causes that I believe in, and “walk the talk” by making a difference to communities in need through holistic and practical solutions that is sustainable in the short and long term. He empowers the MIRM team (myself included), who are 50% PWDs to tap into our potential, focus on our abilities and not disabilities and made reasonable accommodations by being adaptable and flexible to cater to our needs in ensuring that we are able to maximise our skillsets. I certainly learnt a lot from him – a well read and well-travelled individual with a turf of knowledge and community experience with dynamic ideas in enriching communities and transforming lives through community development and engagement!

PWDs lack the capacity to do anything themselves and need constant help/support from others. My personal experience: people usually start a conversation with my colleagues/friends when they want to enquire about my preferences for meals, how they can assist me when travelling, etc. They constantly worry about the “politically correct” term to address a PWD, for example, whether it would be appropriate to call a PWD “a disabled person” or “special needs individual” or “individual with special/different abilities’”. This made conversations with PWDs awkward, and lack of awareness on the needs of PWDs also made them “assume” that PWDs need constant support, whilst some PWDs are able to have a certain degree of independence and is fully capable of carrying out tasks or daily activities on their own.