For her exemplary learning journey, Angeline Koh, our fellow writer here in the Writers Coffee Lounge was awarded last night as one of the 16 winners for the Lifelong Learner Awards 2008 at Meritus Mandarin Hotel jointly organised by MediaCorp Pte Ltd, Singapore Workforce Development Agency, NTUC, and SPRING Singapore.

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(Angeline Koh, currently on overseas trip, was represented by her nominator Shirley Leong (third from right).)

The Lifelong Learner Awards, now on its seventh year, recognises individuals and companies who “persevere in upgrading their skills and taking on new challenges to stay relevant at work…who proactively put in place a culture of lifelong learning at the workplace…”

Angeline Koh, one of the writer contributors of Chicken Soup for the Singapore Soul, and author of the book How the Moken Sea Gypsies got their Book published in 2007 was nominated by a friend Shirley Leong, who took notice of Angeline’s pursuit to learn and motivate others as well.

Congratulations, Angel! We are proud of you!

Here’s a short article about Angel on Today newspaper (19 Nov 2008):

1Growing up, Angeline was so playful that she neglected her studies. She coasted through secondary school before enrolling in a vocational institute to study advertising art after her O levels. Six months later, she was asked to leave. Discouraged by the expulsion, Angeline felt that she was a failure.

To add to her misery, her thyroid condition worsened. But that period served as a wakeup call to Angeline, and she not only discovered her creative talents, but also her calling at a Christian organisation that specialises in people development, The Navigators Singapore.

During that time, she took up various courses to upgrade her skills, including a diploma in mass communication which she completed in 2002. Her hard work has paid off and today, she is the organisation’s communications director.

Of her journey to success, Angeline said: “I believe that one should never stop learning and that is how I got to where I am today.”