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“Never shy away from changes because even the smallest of changes can make a big difference.”

– Samiha Hossain, Halogen Intern

Samiha joined the Halogen Internship Programme in January 2022. She was part of a core team that organised Halogen’s first National Young Leaders Fellowship (NYLF) Induction Programme, and her exemplary performance gained her a spot as a fellow in the NYLF 2022 cohort. Therefore, we interviewed Samiha to learn more about her inspiring story.

During Samiha’s school years, her teacher and mentor, Ms Su, told her that “No one should be left behind.” It was this phrase that inspired her to build a sense of belonging amongst her peers. This eventually became an impetus for her to make a difference in the lives of youths. After her A-levels, she saw an opportunity to give back to the youths by joining the Halogen Internship Programme and this kickstarted her series of good encounters and adventures working with the youths.

Samiha’s exemplary performance was showcased during the planning stages for NYLF 2022, which got her nominated as a fellow in the programme. She not only facilitated academy programmes effectively, but she also engaged her students by forming strong relationships with them through sharing sessions of her own experiences. She also succeeded in increasing their confidence and was able to influence students who were seemingly uninterested into very motivated ones. Beyond that, in the process of her giving, she found herself growing and learning as well.

“What I love most about Halogen is its warm and open culture. The work can sometimes be challenging but very fulfilling.” said Samiha. Her internship journey involved steep learning curves that became a transformative experience for her. There are times during a training session where she would have thoughts like, “Who am I to teach or lead?” However, she eventually took ownership of her own journey by putting the lessons and skills she teaches as a trainer into practice.

“Leadership is about small actions that can bring about big changes.” This was a key principle that Samiha has learnt and also one of her biggest takeaway from this experience. To her, great leaders often prioritise relationships before tasks to win the trust of people. They practice what they preach and influence small actions so that the big changes can follow after. Samiha concluded the interview by urging more youths to step out of their comfort zone to experience growth in ways they have never known.

If you’re interested in impacting youths and making a difference in the lives of others, come join our community at Halogen! There are plenty of opportunities available that you can check out at halogen.sg/halogenplus