Singapore Red Cross Academy Dean and Group Director Sahari Ani began his journey as an ambulance services entrepreneur before entering the nonprofit space. His path eventually led him back to the Singapore Red Cross—where he once served as a volunteer—after discovering his true calling in humanitarian service both at home and internationally.

A naturally reserved and quiet boy, Sahari struggled with decision making and confidence — traits that Sahari’s mother often expressed concern about. Yet, he proved himself to be a steadfast humanitarian and standard bearer of the Red Cross Movement.

The core values of the Seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross resonated with Sahari’s own motivations to serve others, to be kind and to make the world a better place. 

“Whatever it is that one does, be it charity or otherwise, there must be passion, professionalism and compassion,” he highlighted. 

Serving The Community At Home And Abroad

Sahari’s first deployment abroad was to Afghanistan in 2003. There, he witnessed firsthand the importance of community resilience in the face of calamity and disaster. This impression led him to establish the CLARE programme in 2013 to support Singapore’s ageing population. Under CLARE, community volunteers are rallied to support programmes such as Home+, ChoW, and ElderAid. These programmes are in place to offer healthcare and social services to seniors islandwide.

As the Director of Services in 2013 and Red Cross Youth (RCY) in 2014, he ensured youth activities focused on giving back to society. He believed these exercises were essential for character building. “The RCY has a long tradition of focusing on service to our community and service to humanity — as the Director of Youth, this is one of the highlights of my career.” 

Serving as the Dean of the SRCA, Sahari also focuses on strengthening community grit, resilience and preparedness in Singapore. He takes pride in expanding the number of SRCA Academies and BloodBanks available for community use. Due to his diligent efforts, there are now SRCA Academies and Blood Banks in all parts of Singapore: North, South, East and West.

Compassion In Action

Many 61-year-olds might prefer the comforts of home, but Sahari braved the bitter cold and scorching heat of Ukraine and Gaza to send supplies to both war-torn regions. 

On these missions, Sahari found inspiration in both the resilient locals of Ukraine and Gaza who helped others despite their own suffering, and compassionate people from neighboring countries who set aside personal ambitions to assist those in need.

He shared an example, “A young Polish couple I met were about to travel to Asia when the Ukraine crisis occurred. Instead of proceeding with their plans, the couple decided to establish a nongovernmental organization (NGO) to advocate for their Ukrainian friends. 

"They would bring in medical items, clothing, and food for those who served on the frontlines. During the day, they packed supplies and gathered like-minded friends to transport items to Ukraine, and ran the NGO as an evening activity. 

"Seeing ordinary people doing their part is simply incredible. I've witnessed not only unaffected people helping, but also affected people supporting their peers. This is one of the remarkable experiences you gain. It's just one of many stories I've encountered, but it's my most recent one."

When asked about his international efforts in disaster relief, Sahari cited his experiences with both tsunamis in Aceh and Japan. “Disaster response is incredibly challenging due to unpredictable conditions on the ground. Yet despite these difficulties, I've always believed that what we contribute pales in comparison to what we receive in return. When you're in these situations, if you can step back and observe, you will witness extraordinary humanity, resilience, and goodness in people."

Lifelong Learning

An avid advocate of lifelong learning, Sahari completed his Bachelor's degree in Nursing in 2023. He also embraced digital learning and rode the AI wave to build on existing skills. 

Due to his openness to new learning, the RCY learning materials have now been digitised. He offered a glimpse of his five-year vision.

"We will continue providing life skills like First Aid, psychological support, and humanitarian education while building community resilience. We aim to expand our capacity and inspire others to contribute. We're increasing our Singapore footprint by opening in more locations to make our programs more accessible. We're exploring different ways people can attend our courses and using technology to make learning more inspiring and creative. We're also raising our service standards to help equip Singaporeans in navigating the changing national context."

Advancing the Singapore Brand

Sahari hopes to continue his humanitarian work for as long as he is physically capable. 

“We will continue to build our services in Singapore and contribute to the Red Cross societies in the region, such as Bhutan. I will be going to Brunei to conduct humanitarian training, and will be more than happy to support them in any other areas. Our aspiration as the SRCA is to contribute as a humanitarian academy not only in Singapore but regionally.”

Sahari believes that SRC and SRCA are uniquely positioned because serving humanity is at its core, combining the humanitarian values of the Red Cross movement with Singapore's high standards of professionalism and integrity. With this, he hopes that they can keep making meaningful contributions both regionally and globally.

Written by Lee Kher Shing, Volunteer
Copyedited by Eunice Sng, Marketing & Communications