Running the Little Legends programme for the last two years with a total of 145 kids, David and de Reyes ended up working closely with the children’s mothers. From coordinating transportation to managing school schedules, the mothers are the backbone of their kids’ well-being and education; often, they put their children’s health and wellness above their own.

“When we started, it was all about helping the children,” says de Reyes, who serves as the CEO of NDO. “As we saw them grow, we noticed another population that was not well looked after, and that was their mothers. We also saw data about the growing global agenda to improve women’s health, because neglecting women’s health will cost the global economy around US$1 trillion. At NDO, we saw our students’ mums struggling with health issues, mental wellness support and access to medical care. We knew we wanted to help them.”

David adds that, a year ago, they came up with the idea of a dedicated programme to make mental wellbeing and healthcare more accessible to these women.

“Mothers are so vital in the family, but somehow they don’t see that,” David says. “They are the ones making the family move forward. If not for them, a lot of things stop working in the household. If the mums get sick, they don’t bring their kids to school, or to Little Legends. In the last World Economic Forum report, we learnt that the global economy loses over US$3 billion a year when women’s health is not looked at.”

In 2024, NDO launched Ibu Legends, providing a cohort of 30 mothers of the Little Legends participants with a four-month support programme encompassing full free medical check-ups, mental and physical well-being workshops, and parenting support for each mother. The launch event, attended by Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh, took place in June, a month before David flew to Paris with the Malaysian contingent in her role as Deputy Chef de Mission at the 2024 Olympics. 

“From blood tests and bone density tests to ultrasounds, ECG, and pap smears, our healthcare partners ran these tests with the mums in our facility,” says David. “They’ve followed up with the mums on medication or treatments needed. Around half of the women had never undergone a full medical checkup in their lives.”

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David recalls how one woman received much-needed dialysis treatment as a follow-up to those medical check-ups. Another mum said the Ibu Legends wellness workshop was the first time she had spent a day focusing on herself, without her kids around, since becoming a mother. For another, it was her first time setting foot in a nice hotel.

“It’s all waterworks when we have these workshops,” David says. “The mothers are so hard on themselves and they don’t give themselves enough credit,” she continues. “Our Little Legends kids themselves are doing well. They’re gaining confidence from playing sports and learning better English and in that alone, you can see a difference.

“But when they go back home, there are still so many hidden challenges, whether it’s getting the right nutrition or managing family dynamics. The mums can only do so much.” And the mothers are just the starting point of the project, David tells us.

“Our goal is to start with the mothers first and then build up that ecosystem surrounding these young people. We’re starting with the mums and will then focus on the fathers, then the schools, so that, slowly but surely, we help everyone around the child to grow and thrive in the right environment. As much as we want to, we can’t change the whole world but we can change it in small parts by helping our own communities each day.” she says. 

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De Reyes believes much of the success of the initiative is down to her co-founder, whom she fondly calls her ‘co-CEO’.

“Nicol is a kind leader. That’s why the women can let their defences down with her. She’s able to inspire these mums just by being kind, humble and thoughtful, and I think that’s a side of her that they didn’t see before. People always think that because she’s a former squash world champion, that she must be strong and powerful all the time,” she says.

“But she has said it herself that she struggled a lot with self-confidence and to believe she could do something other than squash. It is beautiful to see her grow in the confidence and understanding that she’s now a leader and an advocate who lives by what she believes.”

Front & Female Changemakers celebrates the extraordinary journeys of inspiring women who have emerged as powerful changemakers in a range of fields, offering a glimpse into their lives and showcasing their courage, vision and relentless pursuit of change and progress. From social entrepreneurs and business leaders to educators, artists, activists and scientists, Front & Female changemakers exemplify the ability to challenge the status quo and demonstrate the power of women to effect change.

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