The Southeast Asia Friendship Initiative (SFI) at NUS takes students from various hostels on learning journeys to the neighbouring region to explore the real-life applications of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through a combination of classroom learning, first-hand experiences and international engagement, students are exposed to varying contexts of sustainability practices, fostering practical understanding and innovative solutions to global challenges.

Helix House: Vietnam’s progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Led by Dr Hoang Truong Giang, Helix House Resident Fellow and Senior Lecturer at NUS Department of Chemistry, 19 Helix House students embarked on a 10-day trip to Hanoi and Sapa in December 2024, where they explored Vietnam’s cultural and industrial contributions towards meeting the United Nations SDGs.

In addition to popular locations such as Bat Trang Ceramic Village (Hanoi), Fansipan (Sapa), and Cat Cat Village (Sapa), the participants also had the opportunity to visit less conventional facilities such as the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant, one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia. During the trip, they also attended lectures at Vietnam National University where subject experts provided insights into Vietnam's SDG progress.

A visit to Ta Giang Phin Primary School, located in the highland areas of Sapa, also left indelible memories for the participants, as they witnessed and reflected on the applications of one of the SDGs in this rural part of Vietnam – quality education. The team also made contributions to the school, such as essential stationery items, and chocolates which brought many smiles to the children’s faces. Additionally, Helix House made a monetary donation to the Mountainous Underprivileged Children Fund (Com Co Thit), which will go towards supporting the school meal programme in mountainous areas.

Ryan Choong, a second-year undergraduate from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, found his experience at Ta Giang Phin Primary School deeply inspiring, prompting him to introspective reflection. He discovered that some of the primary school students walk several kilometres on foot through muddy, uneven terrain just to attend classes. Despite these hardships, the students displayed remarkable energy and active participation in their lessons. Inspired by their resilience and positivity, Ryan reflected on his approach to learning, resolving to adopt a more positive mindset and not let minor inconveniences hinder his educational journey.

Through cultural experiences, industrial visits, and engagement with local communities, the students shared that the trip left a lasting impact on their perspectives and deepened their understanding of sustainability, education, and resilience.

Kent Ridge Hall: Entrepreneurship in diverse markets

Another group of 30 students from Kent Ridge Hall participated in a 10-day SFI trip to Bangkok and Khao Yai, Thailand, in December 2024. Conducted in collaboration with Chulalongkorn University, the blend of educational start-up and pitching workshops, cultural explorations, and experiential learning focused on merging diverse perspectives on entrepreneurship in the region, while visits to established startups provided valuable real-world context to entrepreneurial theories.

A cornerstone of the SFI trip was an emphasis on collaborative learning, where students from NUS and Chulalongkorn University worked together in two key workshops designed to deepen students' entrepreneurial skills, namely, a "Startup 101 Workshop" led by Ms Nattinee Dora Sae-Ho, CEO and Founder of Thrive Venture Builder, and a "Pitching Workshop" on the art of presentation that was conducted by Paul Meyers, Founder of Asia Founder Coaching. Through these workshops, participants tackled real-world challenges by crafting business solutions that were not only innovative but also responsive to the nuanced needs of diverse markets. The trip culminated in a Demo Day, where the participants combined their newly gleaned knowledge and experiences to pitch business ideas with a focus on SDGs to a panel.

Another component of the SFI trip involved deep cultural immersion, where students had the hands-on opportunity to engage with the rich traditions of Thailand, such as a Thai dessert-making session, learning traditional Thai dance, and a visit to the iconic Wat Arun in Bangkok.

The programme also included extensive field trips in the Khao Yai district, where students learned about sustainable practices and how eco-tourism has manifested in the region. They interacted and interviewed the locals where they learnt about their problems and struggles. After which, they came up with ideas and solutions to help tackle these real-world problems.

A visit to the Sai Sook Wildlife Learning Center and an eye-opening perusal of its popsicle offerings, inspired by local wildlife, offered the students valuable insights into the synergies between wildlife conservation and entrepreneurship.

For Jorja Poon, a second-year undergraduate from NUS Business, the visit to Sai Sook Wildlife Learning Center at Khao Yai was particularly impactful.

“We got to learn about the journey of the founder, Mr Somchai Rattanakorn, how he and his girlfriend started this venture because of their passion for wildlife and ice-creams. He shared with us on the struggles he faced and how he is planning to overcome them, and how he plans to expand his business,” Jorja shared.

“It was a very eye-opening experience to interact directly with an entrepreneur and get a first-hand experience on how they run their business,” she added.