You have people who do their bit for society on the weekends, helping out at charity functions and awareness drives, and then you have this year’s Blue Chilli Award winner, Social Entrepreneur Raj Ridvan Singh. Despite being an early-blooming overachiever (at 17 he was officially ASEAN’s youngest Systems Engineer) and having an affinity for the finer things in life, Raj places far more importance on living a life with balance, humility and serving the greater good.

As the Co-founder of Science of Life Systems 24/7 (SOLS 24/7) & its International Director responsible for Malaysia, Raj has been devoting much of his adult life to the betterment of others, as a way to better himself. Belief in the importance of maintaining a good relationship with God, self and community drives this young activist to provide a practical, world-based guidance system for the 40-odd underprivileged wards under his wing at the SOLS 24/7 centre in Melaka.

Teaching the kids himself, using a syllabus he helped formulate, Raj is determined to instill not only sound academic fundamentals like a working command of English, but also a solid sense of self-discipline and the confidence and bearing he feels youths need to get ahead in life. The SOLS 24/7 education program is also openly modular, to allow for visiting volunteers to share their unique skills and experiences with the teens they interact with.

At 25, Raj is hell-bent on sexing up the stereotypically staid image of the social worker. Attacking the cause of social betterment with the steely determination of a stock broker laying his hands on an investment, Raj and his no-holds barred business approach might just be exactly what being a good Samaritan needs right now.

For more information on Raj Ridvan Singh and Science of Life Systems 24/7, log onto www.sols247.org