I kickstarted my 6-week immersive internship at Love 21 Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Down syndrome and autistic community.

The Programme Manager leading me, Kenneth, toured me around two floors of activity centres where an array of sports lessons is held, including dance, ball sports, muscle training, yoga and meditation. Despite relying on external funding by community chest and connected organisations to maintain operation, Love 21 Foundation offers a myriad of sports lessons for free to over three hundred families.

To my astonishment, the earliest premise was wrecked in a devastating fire, yet is reborn from ashes and ruins upon rebuild project with expanded capacity. What is also reborn from ashes and ruins is the respectable effort of staff. To my further astonishment, Love 21 Foundation is run by merely 8 full-time staff, with me as the only intern in programme team.

Non-profit organisations, like Love 21 Foundation, are confronted with barricades of financial and manpower shortages, underscoring lack of attention and support to minor communities in need, especially in a profit-oriented metropolis. As a student with limited financial power, beyond monetary donations, what could I do more in my power to help the Down Syndrome and autistic community be seen and heard?