September has been particularly special for Danutcha Catriona Singh. Earlier this month, she began classes under the Obama Foundation Scholars program – and made history as the first Malaysian to become an Obama scholar.
Established in 2018, the 10-month programme provides participants with an opportunity to engage in academic, skills-based and experiential learning curated by Columbia University and the University of Chicago, in collaboration with the Obama Foundation.
For the 2024/2025 cohort, over 3,000 individuals sent in their applications, and only 30 made the final cut. Danutcha and 11 participants are attending Columbia University in New York, while the other 18 are at the University of Chicago.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, the 40-year-old revealed that she initially hesitated to apply.
I knew this was a programme that received applications from all over the world. I had this little seed of doubt: ‘Who am I? I’m just a person from Malaysia. How would I get in?’
said the managing director of the Sols Foundation.
Part of the Sols 24/7 Group, the non-profit organisation aims to serve and uplift the B40 population through free education, personal development, employment support, and energy access for rural Orang Asli and Orang Asal communities.
Still, Danutcha knew the programme would be invaluable to her and the impact she hopes to make through her organisation. So she pushed her hesitation aside and sent in an application in December. She was shortlisted for an online interview and, in May, was informed that she had been successful.
I was in disbelief but there was excitement bubbling within me. I was also thinking about what I needed to prepare to ensure my team is looked after in my absence,
she shared.
Last month, Danutcha arrived in the US after a 30-hour journey, exhausted but eager to begin this new chapter.
Personally, I hope to grow as a leader. I want to gain new skills, especially in strategic planning, communication, collaboration and networking.
In the future, she added, she aims to develop a comprehensive strategy to streamline Sols’ operations, with the ultimate goal of increasing its impact.
From journalism to social work
Danutcha’s journey with the foundation began in 2009 when she left a career in journalism to become a volunteer teacher with Sols in Timor-Leste.
I wanted to see what life was like as a grassroots social worker. When I got there, it was game over: I loved it,
said Danutcha, who is of Sri Lankan and Irish heritage.
“I am 0% Punjabi”,” she noted with a smile, explaining that she is married to Raj Ridvan Singh, who founded Sols in Cambodia with his father and brother in 2000 before setting up Sols Timor-Leste five years later.
In Timor-Leste, she taught at a school where students staged a demonstration upon learning that their classes were cancelled for the day.
I saw how hungry they were – they grabbed every opportunity to learn and develop,
she recalled.
They saw so clearly that education was the key to get them out of where they were.
This experience made her realise how blessed she was and, more importantly, how she wanted to continue helping others in need. Upon her return to Malaysia, she remained with Sols and has continued to play a part in helping to empower underserved communities.
As the first Malaysian to be selected for the Obama programme, Danutcha offers these words encouragement: “Believe in the foundation our country gives us. Coming from a country as diverse as Malaysia, I was able to grasp and contribute to discussions here about intercultural development.
Our country is richly diverse and has so much potential. Every challenge is an opportunity for us to create change. We are very blessed to be Malaysians.
Learn more about the Sols Foundation here.