Social entrepreneur wants to raise awareness about a part of society people don't know

His foodcourt hires 200 with disabilities, has trained many others in need

- Shermaine Ang

Mr Koh Seng Choon, who founded a foodcourt that has been employing people with disabilities since 2010, was named The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2024 on Feb 24.

For Dignity Kitchen's first four years of operation, Mr Koh did not take a salary as the foodcourt was making daily losses of $1,000. To make up for the shortfall and to support his two teenage sons, he juggled five jobs, including teaching, consultancy work and auditing.

The former management consultant, now 65, was inspired to give back to society after seeing the plight of the poor and those with disabilities during his work stints in Britain, China and India in 1984.

Speaking to ST after receiving the award at a ceremony at the Istana, Mr Koh said his journey started when he realised that homeless people and those with disabilities were not visible in Singapore.

"And I realised there is another part of Singapore that people don't know, or don't want to know.

"I want to create awareness, educate, engage, and mostly, hopefully I can inspire people to give back to society."

Today, Dignity Kitchen employs nearly 200 people with disabilities and has trained more than 2,000 people - including disadvantaged single parents and former prison inmates - giving them the skills needed to secure jobs in the food and beverage, hospitality and retail sectors.

On what he will do with the $20,000 cash prize, Mr Koh said: "I want to give it all to my people, the people that work with me. You must understand 2024 has been very tough, and we don't have bonuses, we don't have adjustment. I hope with this award, I can reach out to them - a simple way of saying 'thank you'."