In her younger days, Chia Yong Yong had no interest in helping others, she admits with a sheepish laugh. The lawyer was solely focused on climbing the career ladder, and was indifferent to the social service landscape.
Her admission comes as somewhat of a surprise: Today, the 60-year-old is a respected advocate who has lent her expertise to a number of agencies and boards in the social service sector, to champion the equal treatment of people with disabilities in Singapore. Her interest stems from her own disability: She has peroneal muscular atrophy, a condition that damages the peripheral nerves and causes the muscle tissues in her limbs to be progressively weakened.
"It took me such a long time to find a job that I wanted to make the best of it. I wanted to focus on just being a good lawyer," she explains, pointing out that her disability made it difficult for her to find a position even as a law office clerk, let alone a lawyer. It was only after months of shadowing her pupil master, the late litigation lawyer Harry Lee Wee, that she found employment in 1986 as a litigator at law firm WT Woon & Co.
THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK
After a period of serving at different social service organisations without understanding her purpose, the lawyer slowly but surely started realising the impact that she could make. For one, she started listening in at meetings, and understanding how these organisations were empowering people with disabilities.
In spite of the physical challenges she faces, she also recognised that she had advantages in other aspects. Acknowledging that she had "received so much along the way", she wanted to start giving back.
Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Dressing For Success
Today's workplace dress codes are more varied than ever, but as the lines blur, we're left wondering: Is dressing down impacting how we show up - and how confident we feel at work?
Power Puff
This '80s skirt trend is popping up on our social media feeds and on the streets.
Is Social Media Really Necessary For Career Success?
Social media platforms are powerful job-hunting and networking tools, but if you don't use them for professional reasons or aren't comfortable posting online, don't worry - there are other ways to improve your career prospects.
PAYING IT FORWARD
When she noticed that women in developing countries were not getting the funding they deserved, Laina Raveendran Greene started Angels of Impact.
FIRING UP SINGAPORE'S INDIE CINEMA SCENE
Nothing makes Karen Tan, co-founder of The Projector, more happy and fulfilled than making a difference to a film-goer's experience. For her, that spells \"f-u-n\" and brings people together. In the third instalment of the \"HER WORLD, HER SPARK\" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Karen about her journey.
WILLA BELLE
ONG is intentional about building the next blocks of her career
Back For Good
Get ready we are now in the halterneck era.
Stick Sunscreen
Using sunscreen is extremely important to protect our skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.
Beyond The 9-To-6
According to Her World's annual What Women Want survey, a staggering seven in 10 women in Singapore are willing to take a pay cut for a job that offers better perks and benefits, with a flexible work schedule being a top priority. Are employers here ready to accept flexible arrangements as part of our lexicon?
Leading Singapore's Sustainable Innovations
In this second instalment of the "HER WORLD, HER SPARK" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Oh Chu Xian, founder of deep tech start-up Magorium. Determined to make the construction sector a more sustainable one, she's revolutionising it with a new technology that turns plastic waste into sustainable building materials.
