Carlline Angelica

Carlline Angelica is a Biological Sciences student from the School of Biological Sciences. She has always been an active volunteer in both local and overseas community service initiatives aimed at environmental sustainability and social development.

She serves as the Vice-President (External Community Development) of Balik Kampoeng (BK), the humanitarian arm of the Indonesian Students' Association at NTU. In this role she supports community outreach by managing communication channels, creating content, and developing the organisation’s website.

Through her participation with BK, Carlline and her fellow volunteers have worked with Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen in Singapore, helping to prepare meals for over 10,000 underprivileged individuals and families. They have also participated in beach cleanup efforts at East Coast Park, removing marine litter to promote ocean conservation and environmental sustainability.

Carlline’s DUSA project, Balik Kampoeng 2026: Boyolali, Ojo Lali, is driven by its tagline “Ojo Lali,” which is Javanese for “Don’t Forget,” a reminder to stay connected to the people and communities that she and her volunteers care about. The project aims to address ecological vulnerabilities in Cluntang Village, which is situated on the slopes of Mount Merapi in Boyolali, Central Java. The village struggles with poor soil absorption, surface runoff, water accumulation during heavy rainfall, and a heightened risk of landslides.

Balik Kampoeng 2026 tackles these environmental challenges through targeted, community-driven action. Firstly, the project aims to improve water conservation infrastructure by building absorption wells that will enhance the land’s rainwater absorption capacity. Secondly, the project will carry out strategic agroforestry by planting banyan, avocado, and coffee trees near water sources. These trees will not only help to stabilise the soil, but also provide long-term economic value for the village. 

By combining practical environmental infrastructure with youth-led community action, Carlline’s project aims to leave a lasting, sustainable footprint in Cluntang Village while inspiring future student-community partnerships.

Vanessa Yap Ding Xuan

Vanessa Yap Ding Xuan, a Biological Sciences student with a Second Major in Future Foods from the School of Biological Sciences, has consistently dedicated her time to uplifting elderly residents across Singapore through her volunteer work.

As an active volunteer with Youth Corps Singapore, Vanessa regularly contributes to nursing home initiatives such as the Corps’ Chinese New Year celebrations and “Happy Hour with Seniors” sessions, by assisting with food preparation and engaging residents through games and singing. She also served as an Event Executive for NTU Home Visit 2025, co-organising a two-day programme across three nursing homes that featured arts and crafts activities and karaoke for elderly participants.

Through her DUSA project, Bridging Generations: A Science-Based Approach to Active Ageing, Vanessa targets two key groups: elderly participants and student volunteers. For the elderly, her goal is to promote active ageing through cognitive and physical engagement while enhancing social inclusion and reducing feelings of isolation. For her student volunteers, the project provides an opportunity to apply scientific knowledge in a real-world setting while fostering their communication skills and building empathy with the seniors.

Partnering with NTUC Health Nursing Home (Jurong West), Vanessa is designing a holistic 3-day programme for elderly residents that blends cognitive stimulation and nature-based engagement. Set to take place at the nearby Yunnan Park, the outdoor activities will include memory recall and sensory identification stations that will utilize local flora, followed by light physical tasks and creative arts and crafts.

By bringing these two generations together, Vanessa aims to foster meaningful intergenerational connections while promoting holistic active ageing and stronger community bonds. 

Padilla Andrei Vincent Munar

Padilla Andrei Vincent Munar, a student from the Bioengineering programme at the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, has consistently stepped up to bring warmth to diverse communities.

Driven by a deep sense of empathy and service, Andrei has led scouts as a Patrol Leader with the Singapore Scouts Association and helped to revitalise rental flats for elderly individuals through the Young NTUC initiative, Project Refresh. He has also co-organised an overseas intergenerational family camp for over 70 participants with St. Anthony’s Church.

Inspired by his experiences, Andrei launched Project Caridonum as his DUSA project. A name derived from the Latin for love (caritas) and gift (donum), Project Caridonum addresses the need for greater public awareness of paediatric cancers, which are biologically distinct from adult cancers yet often overshadowed by adult cancer research and outreach.

Project Caridonum has a dual mission. The first is to bring joy to beneficiaries from ARC Children’s Centre, a facility for children fighting cancer and other critical illnesses, by organising a tailored Christmas party and gift exchange session to give young patients and their families a moment of happiness and festive cheer.

The project’s second mission is to support both the Christmas party as well as paediatric cancer research through a fundraising campaign. The goal is to sell handcrafted art pieces made by the young patients, with a portion of the proceeds supporting the Christmas party and the remaining amount going to the VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme.

Through Project Caridonum, Andrei strives to build a sustainable, student-led framework that ensures vulnerable children receive joy in the present and a cure in the future.