A second chance to achieve my dreams
“Cooking was always a passion of mine. Unfortunately, my incarceration got in the way and I was unable to pursue it for some time. So, when my halfway house officer told me about HCSA Academy, I knew I had to…
Articles
I am keen to learn whatever they teach me
“Despite working in hawker centres for a long time, I still lacked certifications that many employers were looking for. So would I be working in the restaurant I’m in now without HCSA Academy? Probably not. It really helps when employers…
I would do it all over again for him
“I think divorce is still something that is quite discriminated against in Singapore, especially when it comes to the women. Whenever I say that I’m a single stay-at-home mother, job interviewers are always concerned – but all I want at…
I didn’t want my family to worry anymore
“I spent half my age in and out of prison for drug-related offences. It was after NS that I had my first taste of drugs out of curiosity, but things started to collapse when I got introduced to heroin. I…
I’m not as alone as I once thought I was
“I felt so alone and afraid because I didn’t know what to do, where to go to, or who to look to for support. I knew being a single mom would not be easy and I was fearful because society…
I caused a lot of hurt to those I love
“It all started when I had my first taste of drugs at the age of 16 – just out of curiosity. This was the start of many years going in and out of DRC and prison. Twice, I even landed…
If only I did not do drugs…
“After being kicked out, I was homeless – no money, no place to sleep, and I even had to ask others to help me get food. You can’t imagine how lousy and down I felt. Soon after, I went back…
We share only smiles and laughter now
“All my divorces had a recurring pattern – they were always about criminal and drug related issues. Despite having four children from three different fathers, I received no family support and desperately needed a job to provide for them. When…
I’m stronger than what I believed in
“When I was taken away from my family to live at Dayspring, I thought I would resent this place a lot and I told myself not to trust the professionals anymore. I was someone who wasn’t aware of my emotions…