Published on 02 July, 2026
The Focus on the Family Singapore Family Champion Award recognises organisations and individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to strengthening families in Singapore.
Nominees are assessed based on three key criteria:
Recipients are selected by a panel comprising leaders from both the marketplace sector (including business and corporate representatives) and the community sector (including social service practitioners and family advocates), ensuring a well-rounded and holistic evaluation of each nominee’s contributions.
In a society where families face growing pressures and relationships are increasingly stretched, one community has spent decades investing in stronger marriages and healthier families.
This year, Bridging Hearts is recognised as the Focus on the Family Singapore Community Family Champion Award (Community) winner, in honour of its longstanding commitment to strengthening marriages, building safer homes for children, and supporting families across Singapore.
What began as a desire to support children has grown into a mission that has trained more than 500 marriage mentors and supported over 2,500 relationships and marriages. Through mentoring, training, and community partnerships, Bridging Hearts has helped countless couples build stronger foundations for their families.
Long before Bridging Hearts was formally established in 2020, founders Tan Nam Seng and Sok Mian were already working closely with children and families.
In the 1990s, they began noticing a troubling pattern: Many of the children they encountered were struggling because of broken family relationships. Wanting to support these children, they started engaging their parents and soon discovered that many marriages were facing significant challenges.
“Little by little we learnt how a troubled marriage can affect the next generation,” they shared.
This realisation marked a turning point. If families were to flourish, attention had to be given not only to children, but firstly to the health of marriages. Determined to make a difference, Nam Seng and Sok Mian began equipping themselves to support couples, first through marriage preparation programmes and later through marriage mentoring.
What started with one couple’s desire to support children soon became a lifelong mission to strengthen marriages and families.
Marriage Mentor training in 2022
As the founders journeyed alongside more couples, they realised the need was far greater than any one couple could meet alone.
In 2015, they began training other couples to mentor relationships and marriages, creating a multiplying effect that would eventually shape the foundation of Bridging Hearts.
Over time, more couples were drawn to the vision of strengthening marriages and families. By word of mouth, the community grew, bringing volunteers who shared the same heart for seeing relationships thrive.
Today, Bridging Hearts has trained more than 500 marriage mentors, many of whom continue serving within their own communities, churches and networks. Together, these mentors have journeyed with over 2,500 relationships and marriages, helping couples navigate challenges, deepen connection, and build healthier family relationships.
The organisation has also conducted Marriage Preparation Courses for more than 100 pre-marital couples, helping couples lay strong foundations before entering marriage.
Marriage Mentor training in 2022
Central to Bridging Hearts’ approach is a simple but powerful belief: Lasting change happens through relationships.
Rather than focusing solely on solving problems, marriage mentors seek to build trust and genuine connection with the couples they journey alongside.
“We value people more than just addressing the problems,” they explained. “We learn to love the couples we mentor through relationships. No relationship, no mentorship. Problems will go away, but the relationship remains.”
This philosophy shapes the way mentors are trained and supported. Every marriage mentor is first mentored before being equipped to mentor others, ensuring that they serve not out of obligation, but from personal conviction and experience.
The organisation also places strong emphasis on the wellbeing of its mentors, encouraging them to care for their own emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being before taking on the responsibility of supporting others.
Marriage Mentor Gathering in 2024
Restoring Hope, One Marriage at a Time
Over the years, Bridging Hearts has witnessed countless stories of restored communication, renewed trust, and rekindled affection.
One married couple shared how mentoring helped them address longstanding challenges surrounding communication, trust and parenting.
“These sessions helped us to open up all the bitter issues so that we could discuss them as a couple and work towards resolving them. We are now very happy, and we really see the improvement in our communication.”
Another couple who participated in their marriage preparation course reflected on the value of learning from experienced mentors who welcomed them into their home, shared honestly about their own journey, and prepared them for the realities of married life.
Such stories reflect the heart of Bridging Hearts’ work: Creating safe spaces where couples can have meaningful conversations, grow in understanding, and rediscover the love that first brought them together.
Bridging Hearts’ impact extends beyond individual couples. At its core is a vision for stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger Singapore, where healthy marriages create healthy families, and healthy families form the foundation of a resilient society.
“We believe that as marriages get stronger, families become stronger. As families become stronger, society becomes stronger.”
Looking ahead, Bridging Hearts hopes to continue partnering with like-minded organisations and community groups to support couples and families more holistically. This conviction continues to drive the community’s work today.
Through its volunteer-led mentoring network, commitment to relationship-centred support, and unwavering belief in the importance of marriage, Bridging Hearts exemplifies what it means to champion families.
Its journey reminds us that strengthening families often begins with strengthening the relationships at their core.
As this year’s Family Champion Award (Community) winner, Bridging Hearts stands as a powerful example of how ordinary individuals united by a shared vision can create lasting impact across generations and help build a more family-friendly Singapore.
Nelson and Gina
Workshop: May 2026
Nelson and Gina Lee have been accredited facilitators with Focus on the Family Singapore for over a decade, beginning their involvement conducting relationship talks for tertiary students since 2011.
Driven by a passion for nurturing strong relationships, they have extensive experience in facilitating dating workshops for courting couples and pre-marital programmes for those considering marriage. They have also have led marriage retreats designed to deepen connection and commitment among married couples.
