Three Gems

About the Book

In November 2004, when the National Council of Social Services had embarked on its first-ever nationwide disability awareness campaign called A Celebration of Abilities, among its many objectives included portraying the abilities of people with disability, promoting interaction with the public, and fostering acceptance and workplace integration. Inspired by true characters and events, Three Gems tells a tale of three adolescents: a deaf girl, an intellectually disabled boy, and a delinquent youth—special and unique but rejected by society and mostly forgotten. It portrays the struggles, the dilemmas, the hopes carried by each of them and their families, and the roles each VWO played in reintegrating them into society. It describes the selfless efforts and experience of volunteering and the emotions of the volunteers.

About the Author

Derek Liang has served as a volunteer with several voluntary welfare organisations for more than ten years. He was involved in regular service projects, public awareness campaigns, sign language interpretation and trust planning services for the disadvantaged. Derek is married to Lynne Tan, a certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist and Speech Therapist. They have three children.