SingTel is pleased to announce that its corporate philanthropy programme, the SingTel Touching Lives Fund (STLF), has raised S$2.7 million for its six beneficiaries supporting children and youth with special needs.
The donations came from SingTel’s business partners, customers, staff and members of the public, as well as contributions made by SingTel. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the STLF has raised more than S$24 million over the last 11 years.
Ms Jeann Low, Chairman of the STLF and SingTel Group CFO said: “The level of support we receive from our business partners, staff, members of the public and customers, has been amazing. On our part, SingTel has increased its contribution to the STLF and helped to raise awareness for our beneficiaries. We are very grateful our cause has touched the lives of our generous donors and together, we can play a part in helping these children and youth fulfill their dreams.”
The funds for 2012 will go to these six organisations:
APSN Chaoyang School
APSN Tanglin School
Eden School
MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School
Singapore Cancer Society’s ‘Help the Children and Youth’
Spastic Children’s Association School
Every dollar raised by the STLF goes directly towards its supported programmes as SingTel underwrites all fund raising costs.
Ten year old Nimisha Moorthy is one child who has benefitted from these learning programmes. Nimisha and her two elder sisters are looked after by their homemaker-mother and father, who is the family’s sole breadwinner. When Nimisha was three, she was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
At age seven, she enrolled at Eden School, where the teachers worked hand-in-hand with her family to support her learning. Nimisha learnt to interact with her peers and picked up important life skills, allowing her to lead a more independent life.
Today, SingTel hosted about 60 children from the six beneficiary organisations at its headquarters and treated them to the movie “Hotel Transylvania” (a newly released Video on Demand title on SingTel mio TV service). The children enjoyed the break from their normal routine and happily helped themselves to the popcorn and candy floss.
After the movie, Ms Chua Sock Koong, SingTel Group CEO and Ms Low presented a S$2.7 million cheque to Ms Jennie Chua, Community Chest Chairman, who accepted it on behalf of the six beneficiary organisations.
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$24 million for 24 charities under the auspices of the National Council of Social Service.
Beneficiaries of SingTel Touching Lives Fund 2012
APSN Chao Yang School
The APSN Chao Yang School provides special education for children, aged 7-12 years, with mild intellectual disability and autism. The aim of the programme is to provide education and training to enable these 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.
APSN Tanglin School
The APSN Tanglin School provides special education for children with mild intellectual disability, aged 13-16 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.
Eden School
Eden School provides education and training to help children with moderate to severe autism aged 6 to 18 years old to acquire the necessary skills, attitude and personality to lead normal independent lives in adulthood.
MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School
The MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens 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.
Singapore Cancer Society
The Singapore Cancer Society 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.
SingTel is the title sponsor of the Race Against Cancer and we pledge S$200,000 to the “SCS Help the Children and Youth” programme, which helps children and youths who are cancer patients or whose parents or siblings have cancer.
Spastic Children’s Association School
SCAS serves students aged 7-18 years, diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Due to their condition, students often require specialised and intensive rehabilitation through therapy intervention. SCAS provides individual or group therapy sessions with speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.