30 Years of Inspiring Hope: Remembering a Legacy of Quiet Service

As YGOS turns 30, we look back at the people whose dedication shaped our beginnings and made our journey possible. One of them was our founding chairman, Hwang Peng Yuan, who served quietly without seeking recognition.

His wife, Polly, knew that YGOS meant a great deal to him. What she did not know until after his passing was the important role he had played in its beginnings.

“He was very humble,” Polly shared. “He never talked about what he was doing. He could tell all kinds of stories, but they were never about himself.”

Although her husband rarely spoke about his involvement, Polly later discovered the impact of the work he had helped begin. During a gathering with YGOS staff at her home, she met a former youth who shared how mentorship through YGOS had changed his outlook on life.

He went on to become an engineer, but ultimately chose to return to YGOS to serve other young people because he had experienced firsthand the difference that caring guidance could make.

“I was really touched by his story,” Polly said. “That was when I knew YGOS was doing wonderful work.”

Now 77, Polly believes young people today face a far more complex world than the one she grew up in, with greater pressure and challenges confronting them at every turn.

“Everyone is bound to make mistakes,” she reflected. “But when someone is there to support and encourage you, you can try a different path. Sometimes, you even discover gifts you never knew you had.”

To Polly, YGOS’s work is important because young people are at the beginning of their lives. With the right guidance, encouragement and someone to help them back up, they can discover their potential, flourish and contribute to society.

Her husband may have served quietly, but the legacy he helped build continues through every young person given the support to find a new way forward. Today, Polly carries that legacy forward as a donor.

As we approach our 30th anniversary, we honour the people like Hwang Peng Yuan and Polly, whose dedication and generosity have shaped YGOS’s journey and continue to make our work possible today.