Could you tell us about your work with ‘100 Sanitary Vending Machines Campus-wide Initiative’ and your motivations for initiating it?
In 2021, as NUSSU's Deputy Student Welfare Secretary (Retail and Dining), I co-led the '100 Sanitary Vending Machines Campus-Wide Initiative' alongside Jolene Gina Ablarde, then-NUS Law Club Vice-President. We were part of the NUSSU Women's Taskforce, which was set up by then-NUSSU President Wee Su-ann, NUSSU’s second female president, in response to a Government-initiated joint university report on student sentiments on women’s development in Singapore.

We hoped to provide female students and staff with easy access to sanitary products, especially in emergency situations. Our goal was thus to install 100 sanitary vending machines in strategically selected toilets across both the Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah campuses of NUS. Thankfully, with the eventual strong support of then-Provost Professor Ho Teck Hua and generous funding from University Management, we were able to turn this vision into reality. It was also particularly significant as the initiative coincided with the Year of Celebrating SG Women.

Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the installation of the machines was only completed in August 2022. It marked a significant milestone in improving the well-being of women in NUS, ensuring they have access to essential sanitary products when needed.

What was the impact of your project?
Firstly, I am pleased to hear from my juniors in NUS that the machines are still getting good use today, and continue to benefit both students and staff who need quick access to sanitary products on campus.

This was the first university-wide effort aimed at improving the well-being of women in NUS by providing easy access to sanitary products across various faculties, schools and facilities. Before it, I heard it was a bit of a struggle for female students and staff as sanitary products were not readily available in the toilets. Now, for instance, in FASS, one can find the machines in high-traffic areas like the walkway to The Deck, making it convenient for everyone.

Besides the convenience, the machines also offered a more cost-effective option, allowing users to purchase sanitary napkins individually instead of in bulk at convenience stores.

The timing of the project was also significant, aligning with the Government's focus on Women's Development. This provided NUS and NUSSU with an opportunity to show our support for equality and foster inclusion among students.

After we wrapped up the project in August 2022, I was humbled to be interviewed by Rice Media, and an article was published highlighting the project’s impact on the broader Singapore public, beyond NUS.

To me, this project therefore not only addressed students’ concerns about hygiene but also enhanced NUS' position as an inclusive and safe campus.

What challenges did you face while working on it and what motivated you to keep going?
Undertaking an initiative of this scale came with several challenges, with one of the most critical being the need to secure approval from University Management, as we could not possibly install 100 sanitary vending machines willy-nilly and out of the blue. Convincing them required thorough research, including surveys of students, extensive vendor research, and market price comparisons, to develop a compelling proposal.

Once the proposal was approved, we faced the challenge of selecting the right machines through a tendering process. We carefully evaluated the cost, capabilities, and durability of the machines to ensure they met our needs.

We also had to work closely with the University Campus Infrastructure’s Campus Life Team to ensure that the existing infrastructure in the toilets could support the machines. This involved checking for sufficient power points and ensuring the machines were waterproof, as well as making any necessary infrastructure changes.

Additionally, disruptions in the supply chain due to COVID-19 added complexity, leading to a delay of more than a year before everything came together.

Despite these challenges, my Taskforce colleagues and I were motivated by our shared goal of contributing to women’s development in NUS and Singapore. I believe no other undergraduate group has the same power, leverage and capability as NUSSU to pursue initiatives that serve the student population. As long as they benefit students, regardless of the size of the group, NUSSU should strive to make them a reality.

This 18-month process was surely demanding, but the opportunity to make a difference in student life and contribute to the betterment of campus infrastructure, making NUS a safer and more inclusive place, made it all worthwhile.

Are there any other projects you have worked/are working on?
There are several, but I will mention two more noteworthy ones - the NUSSU Advocates Programme, and Varsity Voices.

Upon completing my first term in NUSSU, my peers encouraged me to go on for another term, where I was subsequently appointed Director of Organisation Development. There, I led a team to establish the NUSSU Advocates Programme. This meaningful initiative aimed to nurture NUS student leaders with skill sets to provide peer-to-peer student support services. In its inaugural run, we managed to train 70 student leaders as mental health ambassadors, equipping them with essential knowledge and skills in suicide prevention and intervention to assist their peers.

Overlapping that period, I was also serving as the founding General Secretary of Varsity Voices, a youth engagement initiative by the NUS Students’ Political Association, NTU Current Affairs Society and SMU Apolitical Society, in collaboration with the Government’s feedback unit, REACH. Over two terms, I led an inter-university team in organising a series of youth engagement sessions with political office holders on a wide range of sociopolitical issues relevant to our youths. My star-studded line-up of guests included Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong, and Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang. I was particularly honoured to share the stage with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung during one of these sessions, where I served as the moderator.

What has the FSLA done for you/your project? OR What are your fondest memories of NUS?
My fondest memories of NUS are, perhaps ironically, from my final year. After attending “Zoom University” in Years 2 and 3, returning to campus in Year 4 was surreal. It was a time when I could not only spend time with friends I had already made but also interact with people I had only seen virtually in the previous two years. This transition from virtual to in-person interactions made my final year particularly memorable and meaningful. I treasure the new friendships made during this time and the deepening of existing ones. Even after graduation, we continue to meet occasionally to reminisce about our time in NUS.

What have you been up to since you graduated from NUS?
It has been busy, to say the least! Since graduating in 2023, I have been working as a public communications practitioner in the public service, leveraging my double major in Political Science and Communications and New Media. Outside of work, I stay connected to my passion for music as an alumnus of The NUSChoir. I also volunteer at the grassroots in my free time, contributing to various community initiatives.