Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of addiction, including that of drugs and alcohol.

Going to new countries can often be an unforgettable learning experience.

Last year, when I was accepted into UCLA’s Global Internship Program, I could hardly contain my excitement. I was set to intern in Singapore, a country that I’d never visited before, for two months over the summer. I knew this experience would be nothing short of remarkable.

I interned at a nonprofit outpatient addiction recovery center, WE CARE Community Services. Unlike other recovery centers in Singapore, WE CARE is a secular institution and uses holistic measures, such as counseling and other programs, to treat people who have addictions.

Singapore has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. There are severe penalties for possessing drugs like cannabis, including lifelong prison sentences and caning. Singapore imposes the death penalty for trafficking large quantities of certain drugs.

With this context, I was curious how an addiction treatment center – which specializes in all types of addiction, not just drugs and alcohol – would operate in Singapore under this legal framework.

WE CARE provided me with an unparalleled experience – exposing me to a multitude of perspectives. This journey not only fostered a deeper level of understanding regarding addiction and recovery but also exposed me to some of the most talented individuals I have ever met.

Interviewing those who were struggling with addiction provided context to certain individuals’ choices that I had not previously considered. I learned how individuals cope and transform their mindset and how much they appreciate the facilities available to them during the rehabilitation process.

Those who had struggled for years shared how they were able to set personal goals that allowed them to reclaim their lives. Recovery is a journey with its own set of challenges and triumphs.

No matter how minor it seems to someone else, each small victory – whether it be achieving multiple years of sobriety, coming to terms with a prison sentence or becoming a recovery guide – was a testament to the strength of the individuals I had the privilege of working with.

Through each individual’s story, I came to see how moments of progress, no matter how incremental, symbolized powerful turning points in the lives of people who had once felt lost.

The people who I interviewed weren’t the only ones who had an impact on me.

Many of the beneficiaries came from backgrounds marked by trauma, loss, incarceration and addiction that had been entrenched for years. I was honestly struck by the level of resilience they displayed and the individual courage they exemplified.

Small acts of kindness will always go a long way – a sentiment that was echoed time and time again at WE CARE.

Simple actions, such as offering a glass of water or striking up a conversation with someone, can bring joy in unexpected ways. These small acts of kindness have the potential to make the people around you feel not only accepted in society but also valued and appreciated.

The importance of community forms trust and vulnerability.

Through my internship, it became evident that kindness fosters the unbreakable bonds that lay the foundation of recovery. This sense of belonging is integral to healing.

When my time concluded at WE CARE, I realized just how critical centers like WE CARE are to the communities that they serve. They act as lifelines for people who are often marginalized, misunderstood or neglected by society.

Here in Los Angeles, people who suffer from addiction also require support. Addiction is not a personal failure, but rather a societal challenge – one that demands empathy, understanding and, most importantly, support systems.

UCLA provided me with an opportunity that shifted my worldview on mental health. I now recognize the importance of addressing life struggles, including addiction, from a holistic perspective.

However, perhaps the most important lesson I learned through my internship at WE CARE is that paying it forward with small acts of kindness is just about the greatest gift of all.