Journey of Inclusivity: Gangster to Social Entrepreneur

Daniel Teh is the Founder and Executive Director of PopeJai Pte Ltd., a social enterprise in the food and beverage industry. Once a gang member now turned social entrepreneur, he is making headway to redefine the conventional norms of employment by ensuring all are given equal opportunities for employment and skills training. PopeJai Pte. Ltd. employs eight groups of beneficiaries such as person with intellectual and physical disabilities, mental health issues, hard of hearing/deaf, visually impaired, youths-at-risk, disadvantaged and the vulnerable. Employees from across these eight beneficiaries make up 90 % of PopeJai’s workforce, making it the first company in Singapore to ever do so. PopeJai was awarded the President’s Challenge Youth Social Enterprise in 2017. Daniel has also recently been awarded the People’s Association Youth Movement Meritorious Youth Award in 2018.