The Members

Introducing the members of The Hebat. The Hebat consists of 6 members; 3 girls and 3 boys of 5 different nationalities. To make our lives easier and to make our group more efficient, we have divided the jobs into 13 different departments. Each members take charge of at least 2 departments. This way we can carry out our jobs more efficiently.

Kenny Koesoemo – Management, Administration and Legal Department

Indonesian by nationality, Kenny is a very keen serviceman. Having won the school’s service award in 2009, Kenny joins two different service groups in 2011. The Riding for the Disabled Association Singapore and helping the Island Foundation Bintan Indonesia. Ever since he moved to Singapore from Surabaya in 2008, Kenny has developed interest in helping those in need and is currently considering taking a social work degree after graduating from the IB Diploma. Kenny is a perfectionist who will always expect things to be done in a orderly manner systematically and that things are done on time. Late is never in his dictionary. He will make sure that things are done properly, to the maximum effort and on time. A die hard Liverpool FC fan, Kenny is really enthusiastic about this trip.

Being in charge of Management and Administration department, Kenny is responsible for communicating with the supervisors, submitting proposals, overseeing the legal obligations of the Hebat and overseeing the progress of all other departments. He is also in charge of the travel from Singapore to Phnom Penh and back.

Shweta Nandy – Media and Service Department, Deputy head of Administration

This Malaysian is your all time enthusiastic go-getter. Shweta has been actively involved in activities ranging from event organizing, to performing arts, to international service expeditions. As a child, she was exposed to many travel experiences: she spent most of her childhood travelling to various parts of Thailand and has many great memories from her trips to the United Kingdom. She aspires to be able to help the children in need, all over the world, as much as she possibly can, whilst pursuing her life-long dream to study Law in Oxford University. Shweta is definitely a reliable member of this challenge week group as she has a very high potential in being able to fulfill her role as Media and Service Coordinator. She feels privileged to be able to embark on the upcoming journey to Phnom Penh, along with her tremendously cooperative group members. “How Hebat is that!”, quoting Shweta herself.

Shweta is in charge of the Media and Service department which means that she is in charge of communicating with the service homes that we are going to work with. She is second in the administration and management department.

Somya Thakker – Psychologist, First Aid and Entertainment Department

Somya was born in Singapore but she thinks and behaves more like a Japanese, and an Indian with Western influences. She is different from most teenagers her age. Her passion is in singing Hindi Bollywood, Japanese Pop and English songs of all genres. What is different about Somya is that she can easily assimilate into Eastern or Western culture easily and sees the world from the native’s perspective. Her love for children motivates her to do volunteer work in that field. She is eager to confront any challenge with the most positive attitude. She is motivated by honest and friendly people who are passionate about achieving their dreams.

Somya is our Psychologist, dealing with all sorts of emotional problems within our group, providing counsellings and moral help all the time. Although all of our members are qualified first aiders, she is in charge with the first aid and she calls herself as the “life saver”. She will always keep not only us but the kids in Phnom Penh entertained.

Christopher Richard Darsono – Quality Control and Communications Department

Richard is an Indonesian who are passionate about psychology, literature, medicine and social entrepreneurship. He finds himself quite geeky and sporty at the same time. He is highly motivated by these phrases; “stay hungry, stay foolish”, from Steve Job’s commencement speech at Stanford U in 2005 and “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul” — from Invictus, a victorian poem by William Henley. What can he contributes to the group is his true passion in working and learning together, thus experiencing all the bad and good times together, with no regrets. He loves kids more than he loves his Reeses peanut butter cup. And, as the service secretary in SJII, he is also highly committed to encourage all the group members to undertake the Challange Week with a valiant spirit of Josephians. 

Richard is in charge of the quality control and communications department. He will make sure that everything is done to the high standards of SJI International especially that of Mr Nurney, our supervisor.

Katerina Christiane Liu – Hospitality and Health Department

Katerina Liu is part Puerto Rican and Indonesian, American by citizen but she was born in Singapore. She’s proud of all four. She loves kids and does babysitting jobs every now and then, and always forgoes the stereotype and plays with the kids. She’s a heavyweight travel champion, making almost yearly trips to the Caribbean and the US to visit her family since young. No Challenge is never fun, especially if you’re in good company. She believes that this trip will be an awesome trip. Stressing that awesome may be an understatement. She can be serious when she needs to be, if not, why should she?

Kat is in charge of the Hospitality and Health department. The H and H departments. She arranges our accommodation, food and transport in Phnom Penh. And she will always make sure that we stay fit and healthy to do our community service work in Phnom Penh.

Vinay Joseph Palathinkal – Financial and Welfare Department

Vinay is Indian by nationality but has lived in Singapore for almost his whole entire life. Vinay is undoubtedly the most unique member of our group. He is a very kind passionate person in service. Vinay has led a number of fund raising in school for people in Haiti, Philippines, and other places around the world. He is a judoka and cricket player and a golf player who has the philosophy that quality is the number one most important thing. A very good catholic, Vinay brings with him love, compassion and joy to the people around him.

Vinay is in charge of the Financial and Welfare department. As a very good economist having entered a number of economics competitions, The Hebat’s is in the reliable hand of Vinay the Finance guy. As the head of welfare department, he will make sure that The Hebats are in a good shape.

Click here to know more about our supervisors