S'porean's Birth Cert States His Birthplace As "Open Space Surrounded By Bushes" — No, It's Not A Typo

For most Singaporeans, the place of birth stated on their birth certificates would be a hospital. But not for 29-year-old Dino Isaac. 

His birthplace stated on his birth cert? Gambas Avenue, open space surrounded by bushes.

No, it is not an error. 

Dino only discovered in recent years that his abusive dad had chased his mother out of their home while she had been pregnant with him. While walking from Yishun to Sembawang, she went into labour and gave birth to him on a weedy vacant lot.

Speaking to 8world in a recent interview, Dino looks back on what his life has been like thus far, which has been nothing short of a rollercoaster.

Dino was a victim of domestic violence from a young age. His father frequently beat him, his mother and siblings. It wasn’t until his school noticed the scars on his body that his father’s abusive behaviour was exposed. 

From the age of two, Dino was sent to live with different relatives, some of whom mistreated him. Those early years left tangible marks, including a long scar on his left arm.

At age five, he was placed in a children’s home under the Salvation Army in Singapore, where he would stay for over a decade.

"At first, I was unhappy because it was not my home and my parents weren't there. But in the children's home, I was surrounded by kids in similar situations," he told 8world. 

He recalled how his time in the children's home gave him rest, food, and a sense of protection. Those were things he never experienced in his previous home.

However, Dino's life while living in the children’s home was far from peaceful as well. 

While attending Jin Tai Primary School (now merged with Qifa Primary School), Dino had to deal with the sudden loss of his best friend, Huang Na. Yes, the same Huang Na who was tragically killed in October 2004 in a case that made national headlines. Dino, who fondly remembers the bus rides they took together when they went to school together, also recalls how reporters would often visit the school to interview students.

When Dino was 13, his father, newly released from prison, was murdered by his mother’s boyfriend at the time. His mother, working as a cleaner, couldn’t keep up with the mortgage, and their home was repossessed. 

Dino, who had hoped to reunite with his family, was forced to remain in the children’s home.

Dino was eventually able to reunite with his mother at 15, after she secured a two-room rental flat. However, her partners over the years were often violent and would use him as a punching bag. His older brother later became abusive as well, prompting Dino to move in with a friend after completing his national service.

Upon learning about his living situation, the children’s home offered then-20-year-old Dino support, allowing him to return and live in an adult unit.

Even after completing National Service, Dino felt uncertain about his future. Although he had finished a course at the Institute of Technical Education, he wasn’t sure what his next step would be. 

That changed when his application to become a flight attendant with Singapore Airlines was accepted, marking the start of a new chapter in his life.

“Joining SIA was a huge win for me because I had spent much of my life secluded from the world,” said Dino. “For someone like me, at 22 years old, to earn S$5,000 to $6,000 a month, it was a lot. It completely changed my quality of life.”

Two months into his new job, he was encouraged by the children’s home to find his own accommodation. He recalled starting with nothing, but finally seeing a glimmer of hope.

“I was shocked the first time I received my salary. I had never seen that much money in my bank account. I could dine out and treat friends. From sharing a room with five kids, I was now able to rent an apartment and sleep in a double bed,” he recalled.

Dino worked as a flight attendant for several years but eventually left the airline, realising that travelling the world could not ease his loneliness or answer his questions about life’s meaning. 

He later joined the F&B industry as a client relations manager and began rebuilding his relationship with his mother, moving into her rental unit and caring for her as she developed Parkinson’s disease.

Years of unresolved trauma ultimately left Dino feeling hopeless. Last October, he attempted to take his own life.

He later sought help at a family service centre and, accompanied by a social worker, visited the Institute of Mental Health, where he was diagnosed with depression. 

The painful episode marked the start of a new journey towards healing.

Through his interactions with social workers, Dino came to understand the significance of their work. As he approaches 30, he now hopes to pursue a diploma in social work at Nanyang Polytechnic, before continuing his studies towards his goal of becoming a professional social worker.

"I was lucky that my [survival instincts] as a child taught me to go to different places to seek help. Many kids, however, may be frightened and they may not know what to do," he said.

Currently awaiting his enrolment results, Dino hopes his future career in social work will empower young people facing difficulties, just as others once helped him, while giving him a purposeful path to work towards.

During his interview, Dino returned to his birthplace — the open lot at Gambas Avenue. The empty space is now replaced by industrial buildings, the Sembawang Airbase, with the North-South Corridor under construction. 

Dino said: “Travelling back to the place of my birth, I’m going back in time, feeling all these feelings and understanding why I had to go through the things I went through in life, and why I had to stay in a children’s home.”

Looking back, he says he would tell his younger self to hold on to belief in himself, regardless of how others treated him.

Though he’s never had a home to call his own, Dino remains positive about the future. 

“I may not yet know what a ‘home’ truly is, because I never really had that growing up. I don’t feel like I have that now also, but one day I will. I am determined to achieve that,” he declared. 

His message to those struggling in similar situations? "The pain we go through is a learning opportunity. Don't give up, don't be afraid, and seek help."

If you or someone you know is having difficulties coping, here are some numbers to call:
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
CHAT @ *SCAPE: (+65) 6493 6500, (+65) 6493 6501
SAF Counselling Hotline: 1800-278-0022

Photos: Dino Isaac/ 8world News