SMC Presents: From Mentee to Changemaker
- A Documentary on Mentorship, Community and Intergenerational Responsibility
The Singapore Mentorship Committee (SMC) is honoured to present From Mentee to Changemaker at the Inspiring Asia 2026 Awards.
This year’s theme, Community Empowerment, celebrates individuals and organisations that strengthen communities through compassion, leadership and collective action.
Our documentary reflects this vision by exploring how mentorship transforms lives and how those lives, in turn, transform communities.
The Story Behind the Film
When we first began this project, we didn’t ask,“How do we make a film about SMC?”
Instead, we asked a much bigger question: What is community?
After weeks of interviews, conversations and reflection, we realised that community is not defined by a place or an organisation.
Community is people choosing to believe in one another.
That simple belief became the inspiration behind From Mentee to Changemaker.
The film is built on one simple idea:
Every young person has potential, but not everyone has access to opportunity.
Through the real-life journeys of three SMC youths - Kenneth Cheok, Chloe Xu and Huh Dam Adam, the documentary explores how mentorship can transform lives. Coming from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, they share one common experience—someone believed in them and opened a door.
Those opportunities gave them confidence. Confidence inspired action. Action developed leadership. Today each of them is creating opportunities for others.
Behind the Documentary
From the outset, we chose not to produce a corporate video. Instead, we created a human-centred documentary featuring authentic interviews, real experiences and archival footage from SMC programmes, including the SMC Youth Hiking Library, Leadership Symposium, Global Ready Mentorship Programme and community volunteering initiatives.
There are no actors and no scripted success stories only genuine voices sharing their lived experiences. Every interview, photograph and scene was carefully selected to preserve authenticity over perfection.
As Tracy Chen, Chair of SMC’s Branding Committee, shared:
“Our goal was never simply to introduce SMC, but to tell a story about the universal power of mentorship and intergenerational responsibility.
Stories connect people, build trust and inspire action. If this documentary encourages even one mentor to step forward, or one young person to believe more deeply in their own potential, then it has achieved its purpose.”
The Inspiration Behind SMC
As SMC Founder and Chairman Dr David Ong reflects in the documentary:
“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.”
These words reflect his own life.
Growing up in a humble family, Dr Ong experienced hardship from an early age. At one point, 18 family members lived together in a modest 70-square-metre rented HDB flat, and he began working at the age of six to help support his family.
Everything changed because one teacher believed in him. That encouragement enabled him to become the first student from his school to enter Hwa Chong Junior College. When the results were announced, his principal embraced him with tears of joy.
That moment shaped his lifelong conviction that one mentor, one teacher, or one person who believes in you can change the course of a life.
It also inspired the founding of the Singapore Mentorship Committee.
Building an Ecosystem for the Future
Dr Ong’s vision was never simply to establish another mentorship programme. As a global business leader, he approached SMC not as a traditional charity, but as an ecosystem builder. Drawing on decades of experience in business, he founded SMC with an enterprise mindset — creating not just an organisation, but an international and intergenerational talent ecosystem.
His belief is that meaningful social impact is achieved not only through funding, but by mobilising the collective strengths of society. By bringing together leaders from business, government, education and the community, SMC harnesses expertise, networks, leadership and opportunities to nurture the next generation of future-ready leaders.
The vision is simple yet ambitious: today’s mentees become tomorrow’s volunteers, mentors, leaders and changemakers, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of talent development and a culture of paying it forward across generations.
As Singapore approaches SG100, our greatest competitive advantage will always be our people. SMC believes that technology will continue to evolve but human connection, mentorship, trust and shared responsibility will remain the foundation of resilient societies.
While proudly rooted in Singapore, SMC embraces both local and international talent, creating opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to learn, contribute and grow together. The future belongs to societies that can attract, nurture and connect talent across borders, positioning Singapore as a global hub for mentorship, leadership and talent development.
Watch the film:
Acknowledgements
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to every mentor, mentee, volunteer, partner and member of the production team who made this documentary possible.
Our special thanks go to Vicinity https://vicinity.studio/ , whose creativity, professionalism and passion transformed this project into more than a documentary — it became a tribute to the power of mentorship and community.
Because community is not a place.
It is people choosing to believe in one another.
Media Contact:
Singapore Mentorship Committee (SMC)
Email: singaporementorshipcommittee@gmail.com
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/smcmentorship
Wechat: SMC SG