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For Samantha Yeo, Manager, Marketing & Communications at NVPC, the concept of human dignity has always been a guiding belief. Identifying as an emotional and empathetic person, she finds it tough to ignore the suffering of those who are unseen—people who may have slipped through the cracks simply because they are out of sight or out of reach.
Her volunteering journey began almost by chance. A friend working in disaster response introduced her to Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives Singapore (CHARIS) in 2019. The nature of their work resonated deeply with her, and she initially joined the organisation full-time before continuing as a volunteer.
Samantha has been serving on both the Marketing and Fundraising Committees at CHARIS for close to three years now. In these roles, she draws on her professional experience and sector knowledge to help strengthen governance, steward resources and advance the mission effectively.
On the Marketing Committee, Samantha helps guide communications strategies so that their outreach aligns with CHARIS’s priorities and impact. On the Fundraising Committee, she advises on donor engagement and campaigns, ensuring the organisation remains well-resourced and ready to respond to crises and emerging needs. Although her work is mostly behind the scenes, it is deeply grounding for her to see how these efforts translate into food, shelter, medical supplies and hope for communities facing adversity.
Two programmes in particular have stayed with her. In late 2023, CHARIS supported the Camillian Social Centre in Chiang Rai, Thailand, which provides daily meals for hilltribe children, including those with disabilities. For these children, a simple plate of food meant better health, the energy to focus on school and the dignity of being cared for. In the same year, CHARIS also supported education programmes for refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand, run by Jesuit Refugee Services. Around 700 people attended language and vocational classes, helping them regain agency and hope for the future. Both experiences were powerful reminders to Samantha that dignity often begins with something as ordinary as a meal or a class.
Volunteering has been transformative for Samantha. Living in a safe, disaster-free country like Singapore can sometimes create a false sense of detachment, but she has learnt how interconnected we all are. Natural disasters disproportionately affect the most vulnerable communities, and these crises are increasingly intensified by human activity. Her volunteering has challenged her to practise empathy more actively and to see their burden as a shared one.
This experience also enriches her work at the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). It gives her a first-hand understanding of the realities non-profit organisations face, from mobilising volunteers to communicating impact. It is why she can bring a practitioner’s lens to her role at NVPC and a deeper appreciation for Singapore’s giving ecosystem.
Samantha is grateful to be surrounded by like-minded colleagues who believe in building a City of Good, where caring for people, the environment and animals is second nature. This culture makes it easier for her to “just be” and to live out the values she champions.
When encouraging others to volunteer, Samantha tries to plant seeds: sharing stories of inspiring or unexpected ways people are giving back. She believes doing good looks different for everyone; there’s no one-size-fits-all path. Her advice to anyone starting out is to keep an open heart and an open mind. Giving can take many forms, and the starting point does not have to look a certain way.
Ultimately, Samantha believes that living out what we advocate keeps us authentic and grounded. It shows that the change we seek is possible in everyday life—not just in theory.