Published on 06 Apr 2026

Breaking cycles for a better future

Financial aid from NTU enabled Seah Cheng Han to gain life-changing industry experience in West Africa which shaped his future aspirations.

Text: Vivien Yap | Photos: Seah Cheng Han

Seah Cheng Han, final-year student at NTU Nanyang Business School, never took education for granted and relied on self-study, determination and discipline to do well.

“I wasn’t naturally gifted in academics,” he shares. Raised in a modest household, Cheng Han relied largely on independent study because paying for extra tuition was not feasible for his family. On top of studying hard, as the eldest child in his family, he is also expected to eventually support his parents financially.

Not wanting his future children to face the same pressure, Cheng Han’s goal from a young age was to work hard and pursue a meaningful career for himself.

Cheng Han taking on his new internship at Jarsin Shipbrokers with enthusiasm.

Financial support that changed his life

Cheng Han took his first steps toward financial independence after completing his O Levels exams. He chose to stop relying on allowance from his family and started working in warehouses and supermarkets, often taking on physically demanding shifts.

During his time at university, he continued working weekends while relying on savings from internships to manage his expenses. Balancing work and studies were physically and mentally demanding, but the experience strengthened his resilience and discipline.

Cheng Han received crucial financial support that allowed him to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom. Among these was the NBS Equal Opportunity Fund, which provided additional flexibility during his overseas internship. The NBS Equal Opportunity Fund supports financially disadvantaged NBS students by offering them the chance to embark on enriching overseas learning experiences, as Cheng Han himself experienced in his time at NTU.

“The Equal Opportunity Fund gave me additional flexibility for expenses,” he shares. “More importantly, it showed NBS’s commitment to supporting students in pursuing industry experience, which I saw as recognition and encouragement.”

Cheng Han (first from left) with senior industry leaders and members from NTU’s University Advancement Office (UAO) and Centre of Excellence International Trading (CEIT) during a campus visit for industry engagement activities.

This support complemented funding from Cheng Han’s internship company, an agribusiness group, Wilmar International, along with funding from Enterprise Singapore. Together, they made possible an eight-month overseas internship to Ghana in West Africa that would become one of the most defining experiences of his time in NTU.

A life-changing internship in Ghana

Cheng Han initially planned his internship to Ghana as a short-term placement. However, the experience proved so eye-opening that he extended it to a year, taking a semester leave of absence to immerse himself fully in work and culture.

“Living and working in Ghana was nothing like being in a classroom,” he reflects. On the ground, he observed how trading operations functioned, how plantations were managed, and how sustainability goals played out in real-world settings.

He also adapted to cultural norms that differed significantly from those in Singapore. "Compared to Singapore, verbal greetings in Ghana are very important. People commonly interrupt congoing conversations to greet one another,” says Cheng Han, recalling how a manager taught him the West African handshake, a customary part of greeting that ends with a shared finger snap.

Cheng Han (fourth from right) and his team during his internship with Wilmar at Ghana.

Beyond cultural learning, interactions with his general manager in Ghana taught him to understand international trading beyond numbers, but as an industry deeply connected to people and communities. Through interactions with his colleagues, he learnt about the importance of social sustainability in ensuring supply chains remain fair and resilient to workers and employers alike.

To Cheng Han, interning in Ghana was an opportunity that shaped his confidence and sense of purpose. “The financial support helped ease practical considerations which allowed me to focus fully on learning and making the most of my experience," he shares.

Paying it forward

In the first half of 2026, Cheng Han is interning at a shipbroker firm to deepen his understanding of maritime logistics. His long-term aspirations now focus on sustainable development in emerging regions, shaped directly by his experience in Ghana.

As he prepares to graduate with his Class of 2026 schoolmates, Cheng Han remains deeply grateful for the support he received. Beyond financial relief, it gave him encouragement, validation and a strong desire to give back.

Despite his busy schedule, Cheng Han (first row, second from left) still found time to help out for his hall’s orientation camp as a group leader.

He believes that opportunities arise when support reaches students in need.

True to his word, Cheng Han has in turn given back by contributing to the Class Gift of 2026, an annual tradition which encourages the graduating batch of students to give back to NTU.

“Ultimately, I want to bring up many others the way I was brought up - with the right resources, guidance, and encouragement. If I can pass on even a fraction of what I have received, I believe it can create a ripple effect that will uplift many more lives,” he says.

We hope Cheng Han’s story and resilience will inspire you to support future generations of NTU undergraduates. You, too, can show your support by giving back to 2026’s Class Gift. Donors will receive limited edition NTU memorabilia as tokens of appreciation for their gift.

Breaking cycles for a better future