Founders

Iskandar Mahadi is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Project Green Ribbon (PGR), a Singapore-based non-governmental organisation established in 2021. PGR works in the areas of youth mental wellbeing, early intervention, family crisis support and community-based support for young people and families.

Before establishing Project Green Ribbon, Iskandar worked in youth residential care in Singapore, including five years leading operations at a gazetted juvenile youth home. His work involved the operational management of a residential environment supporting young people with complex social, behavioural and family circumstances.

Earlier in his career, Iskandar served in the Singapore Armed Forces before moving into the private sector. He later worked as an Operations Manager responsible for more than 100 security officers before entering the youth and social service sector.

In 2021, Iskandar and his wife, Ling Anne Hsieh, established Project Green Ribbon. The organisation was created around the idea that mental wellbeing support should extend beyond awareness and conversation to include practical pathways for young people and families who need help.

His experience in residential youth care subsequently contributed to the development of Green Hearth, PGR’s short-stay, family-based crisis sanctuary model for young people. Green Hearth is intended to provide temporary stability while families, social service professionals and other relevant parties work towards appropriate longer-term arrangements.

Iskandar’s work at PGR includes organisational strategy, programme development, partnerships and the development of community-based approaches to youth and family support. He is also involved in PGR’s public education work, including its Knowledge Guides covering topics such as youth crisis support, family crisis support, community mental health and youth outreach in Singapore.

His work continues to centre on the practical question that led to much of PGR’s development: what support can be put in place for a young person and their family before a difficult situation becomes a crisis?

Ling Anne Hsieh is the Co-Founder and Director of Project Green Ribbon (PGR), a Singapore-based non-profit organisation supporting young people experiencing emotional distress, family conflict, housing instability and other complex life challenges.

Her work sits at the intersection of community engagement, early intervention and practical youth support. Working directly with young people, families, social service agencies and community partners, Ling focuses on creating pathways to support for individuals who may struggle to engage with traditional systems or seek help before their circumstances reach crisis point.

Since co-founding Project Green Ribbon in 2021, Ling has played a central role in developing the organisation’s community presence and frontline response. Her work includes engaging young people and families, coordinating complex cases with partner organisations, developing partnerships and helping translate needs identified on the ground into practical programmes and initiatives.

Her experience has shaped a strong interest in trauma-informed and relational approaches to youth support, particularly for young people experiencing instability, fractured family relationships or low trust in formal systems. She believes that support often begins not with a programme or intervention, but with creating enough safety and trust for a person to accept help.

This approach has informed the development of Green Hearth, Project Green Ribbon’s short-term youth crisis accommodation initiative. Ling leads much of Green Hearth’s community and agency engagement, working alongside PGR’s professional and community partners to develop an environment that prioritises safety, stabilisation, dignity and appropriate pathways towards longer-term support.

Beyond direct youth work, Ling represents Project Green Ribbon in conversations with schools, social service organisations, healthcare professionals, corporate partners and community stakeholders. She also contributes to public education and advocacy around mental health, early intervention, trauma-informed support and the role ordinary communities can play in recognising and responding to distress.

Her work is also informed by lived experience and a longstanding interest in how family, identity, relationships and adversity shape a person’s sense of self. Rather than separating lived experience from professional practice, Ling draws on it carefully to help ensure that Project Green Ribbon remains grounded in the realities of the people and families it serves.

As Director, Ling continues to lead Project Green Ribbon’s community engagement, partnerships and programme development while working closely with Iskandar and PGR’s professional partners to strengthen Green Hearth and build sustainable pathways of support for young people and families across Singapore.