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Quit Her Job for 6 Months to Help Youth
Founder of Membina Community Recognised by MUIS
Taking the bold step to quit her job for six months to build a non-profit organisation supporting at-risk youth was not a decision made hastily, revealed Sri Nur Asmaul Husna Mohamed Hussain, founder of Membina Community (Membina).
At the end of 2022, then 28 years old, Ms Husna was working as a Programme Manager at Yayasan Mendaki when she began exploring the idea of creating an organisation that could improve the quality of life for young people.
A Leap of Faith
Before officially registering MEMBINA, Ms Husna and her husband, Mohamed Nor Jihad Mohamed Suhaimi, who was also working at Yayasan Mendaki as an Engagement Officer, decided to perform umrah to seek spiritual clarity.
“While performing umrah, I told my husband, ‘Okay, let’s go ahead and register MEMBINA.’
Whatever comes next, let it come.
Alhamdulillah, everything for MEMBINA fell into place after that from getting funding to finding the right space to rent,” said Ms Husna when interviewed by Berita Minggu on 1 October.
By 2024, just a year after its establishment, MEMBINA Community had already engaged over 500 youth through mentorship programmes, sports and wellness activities, and collaborations with other organisations while providing a safe space for youth to gather and connect.
“The principle my husband and I hold on to firmly is to never give up or stop supporting any young person,” said Ms Husna.
“Sometimes, all it takes is one caring adult to save a youth from negative influences.”
These efforts were made possible through government grants and community donations raised via campaigns.
For her dedication to helping school dropouts, neglected youth, and those facing personal challenges, Ms Husna was honoured with the Anugerah Belia Harapan (Promising Youth Award) by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) on 4 October.
She viewed the award as both a reminder and encouragement for herself and the youth she supports to continue striving for personal growth together.
“This award is a reflection of all the sacrifices, prayers, and support from my family,” she added.
“Never Give Up on Any Youth”
Empowering Families Through Community Work
Ms Husna, who previously ran community programmes for rental flat residents under Project Dian by M3@Bedok, shared that her initiatives, such as neighbourhood “block parties,” had a profound impact.
“One of the families I met was a mother of four who was a full-time homemaker.
But when her husband, the family’s sole breadwinner, got into an accident, she suddenly had to find work for the first time.Through the community gatherings we organised, she eventually found a job thanks to her interactions with other residents,” Ms Husna recounted.
Although she has since stepped away from Project Dian in February 2025, Ms Husna still keeps in touch with the family and feels proud to see how they have managed to turn their lives around.
Stories like these are among MEMBINA’s many success stories. Yet, Ms Husna acknowledges that there are still gaps to be filled and many more who needs help.
Her long-term hope for MEMBINA is, in fact, that one day it will no longer need to exist which is a sign that youth social issues have been resolved.
“I always tell young people that my goal is for MEMBINA to one day become irrelevant.
When that day comes, it means the social issues faced by our youth have been successfully addressed.
And when we identify a young person with leadership potential, we will do everything we can to nurture that individual into a community leader,” said Ms Husna.