Dreams do come true. Aspiring engineer Indra Putra Kamsan (’23) felt like he made a “breakthrough” when he was accepted into his dream school - NUS. Coming from a humble family background, the opportunity to further his studies was more than just a personal achievement. He was steadily climbing the social mobility ladder and moving towards the better future that his single father envisioned for his three children.
However, Mr Indra’s excitement was dampened when confronted with the daunting costs of his university studies. He said: “I was thinking about how I was going to survive university. I know it was going to be expensive. There were the tuition fees and transportation costs. I had to buy books and a laptop. That’s when I went online to search for a solution.”
To his relief, he was thrown a lifeline - the Chen Su Lan Student Bursary. Grateful for the grant for students in financial hardship, he said: “This Bursary has tremendously eased the burden for my family as two siblings entering university at the same time was extremely financially taxing. With the help of the Bursary, it allowed me to fully focus on my education.”
In his third year of studies, he received more good news. As a commitment to provide quality education for all, NUS launched the Enhanced Financial Aid Scheme. Under the Scheme, Bursary recipients’ tuition fees would be fully covered, and additional financial support would be provided for living expenses, on-campus stay and overseas programmes.
Through years of unwavering determination and perseverance, Mr Indra successfully graduated from NUS.
Looking back on his formative years, the idea of studying at NUS once seemed like an unattainable dream.
He said: “I could remember the days in primary school when I was struggling. I didn't have a proper place for learning because I was staying at a relative’s house, and it was quite crowded. Both my sister and I had the same feeling - everyone else did their part to help us, now it’s our turn to study hard and get good jobs.”
Mr Indra credits his father for navigating the family through challenging times. Following his parents’ divorce in 2002, his father singlehandedly raised three children. They faced a period of homelessness, moving from one relative’s house to another every few months. Eventually, they secured a two-room flat for their family of five — his father, grandmother and three siblings.
The family was struck by another blow when his father’s vision was impaired due to Stevens-Johnson syndrome. In 2008, his father was medically diagnosed to be unfit for work permanently. The siblings rallied together to contribute to the household expenses by teaching tuition. They also relied on financial support from the Family Service Centre and Community Chest.
Indra and his father.
Through the upheavals in life, his father prioritised his children’s happiness, health and education. The tight-knit family still found time to enjoy simple joys, such as fishing trips. He said: “As a single parent, my father has been an inspiration. Even though he is unfit for work, he still managed to put food on the table for us and enabled us to achieve our high academic goals. Most importantly, he maintained a healthy, and loving environment for us to grow in. Thus, we appreciate the smaller things in life.”
Having realised his university aspirations, he is ready to pursue other dreams for himself and his family, embarking on a new career as a Process Safety Engineer. He shared: “My dream isn’t complex. Get a stable job, support my family, and get our own house. I want to make sure that my Dad doesn’t need to go through hardship, he can enjoy what he likes to do.”
Watch Indra and other Financial Aid Recipients share their story as their loved ones secretly watched on here.
