Singtel Touching Lives Fund receives strong support from business partners, public and staff from various fund raising activities
Singapore, 17 February 2012 – Thanks to the compassionate and generous support from the public, Singtel customers, business partners and employees, the Singtel Touching Lives Fund (STLF) will be donating S$2.6 million to six beneficiaries that run programmes for children and young persons with special needs.
The funds raised will go to:
- APSN Chaoyang School
- APSN Tanglin School
- AWWA Early Years Centre – Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Young Children
- MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School
- Singapore Cancer Society’s ‘Help the Children and Youths’
- Students Care Service
The STLF marked its 10th anniversary in 2011 with a series of fund raising activities. The highlights included a Flag Day with Singtel management, staff members, family and friends canvassing support from the public and raising S$80,000. With continued strong support from its business partners, STLF also raised S$820,000 from its annual charity golf event.
At a ceremony today at the APSN Chao Yang School, Ms Chua Sock Koong, Singtel Group CEO, and Ms Jeann Low, Chairman of STLF presented the cheque to Ms Jennie Chua, Community Chest Chairman, who accepted it on behalf of the six beneficiary organisations.
One of the many children who have benefitted from these programmes is 12 year old Muhammad Herfan Bin Mohd Isa. After enrolling at APSN Chao Yang School, Herfan, who was diagnosed with mild mental deficiency at age six, made tremendous progress on his social and cognitive skills. Herfan is interacting well with his peers and now actively participates in various co-curricular activities. He is able to recognise words and his handwriting has improved tremendously.
Ms Low, who is also Singtel Group CFO said: “We want to play an active part in our community by being a responsible corporate citizen and helping those in need. We started the STLF back in 2002 with a clear focus to help disadvantaged children and youths, especially those with special needs. We share the same belief as our beneficiaries: that these children and youths can achieve their full potential and lead meaningful lives, given the proper care and support.”
“We thank everyone for their generosity over these past 10 years and hope they continue to support the STLF.”
Ms Tan Bee Heong, Director of Community Chest, said: “For the past 10 years, the Singtel Touching Lives Fund has contributed significantly to the well-being of the disadvantaged and the social service sector. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering support. Many of the social service programmes supported by Community Chest consist of a continuum of services to be delivered to our beneficiaries on a long term basis, for their holistic development, allowing them to maximise their potential and lead independent lives. Sustained funding from our valued partners, such as Singtel, will enable these critical programmes to continue running effectively to help people in need.”
Since 2002, every dollar donated to the STLF has gone to its beneficiary organisations, with Singtel fully underwriting all fund-raising costs. The STLF has raised over S$22 million over the last decade including contributions from Singtel.
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About Singtel Touching Lives Fund
The Singtel Touching Lives Fund is Singtel’s corporate philanthropy programme that is focused on helping children and youths in Singapore with special needs. Launched in 2002 to consolidate the Group’s community support activities, the Fund has since raised more than S$22 million for 22 charities under the auspices of the National Council of Social Service.
Beneficiaries of Singtel Touching Lives Fund 2011
APSN Chao Yang School
The School provides special education for children with mild intellectual disability and autism, aged 7-12 years. The aim of the school programme is to provide education and training to enable the children to have the necessary skills, attitude and personality to lead normal, independent lives in adulthood.
The school offers after-school activities where pupils are not only taught skills, but are also given the opportunity to practise their interaction skills.
Website: http://www.apsn.org.sg/chaoyang-school/about-us/
APSN Tanglin School
The School provides special education for children with mild intellectual disability, aged 14-16 years.
The special education programme aims to enable children to have the necessary skills, attitude and personality to lead normal and independent lives in adulthood.
Website: http://www.apsn.org.sg/tanglin-school/about-us/
AWWA Early Years Centre – EIPIC
The Centre offers early intervention programmes and individual therapy consultations for infants and children under 5 with special needs.
It aims to maximise the developmental growth of these children by providing them with a holistic and individual developmental programme, while minimising the risks of secondary disabilities through support and training for the children and their families.
Website: www.awwa.org.sg
MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School
The School provides a basic foundation in independence and employment skills to serve children aged 5 to 18 years with intellectual disabilities.
It aims to develop each child to his or her fullest potential with the long-term objective of enhancing the child’s prospects of integrating into mainstream society.
Website: http://www.minds.org.sg/LGS/index.html
Singapore Cancer Society (SCS)
The SCS is a community-based voluntary health organisation dedicated to minimising the impact of cancer through public education, screening, patient services, financial assistance, research and advocacy.
Money raised from STLF for the Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society 2010 Race Against Cancer is used to support its “SCS Help the Children and Youth” programme. The programme aims to help children and youths who are cancer patients or whose parents or siblings have cancer.
Website: www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg
Students Care Service
School Social Work, operated by Students Care Service (SCS) helps youths who are susceptible to negative influences or who come from dysfunctional families. This programme reaches out to youths aged 5 to 18 years and provides support and mentoring against negative peer influence, with the aim to maintain them in the education system.
An integral part of the Students Care Service is the SCS Educational Psychology Service, which is an educational and intellectual assessment and remedial teaching to help students with educational difficulties to function optimally.
Website: www.students.org.sg
