Christmas came early for about 150 under-privileged children from the Tanglin-Cairnhill constituency on Sunday (Dec 21) who attended a special themed Christmas party organised by the area’s Citizens’ Consultative Committee.
Part of the celebrations was an interactive story-telling session with Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Indranee Rajah, who is also the Member of Parliament for the area. The children were also entertained with games, food and other activities.
The Christmas party is an annual affair for the constituency but this is the first time it is combining its celebrations with a bursary awards ceremony. Seventy-nine children from low-income families received their bursaries – of S$100 each – along with presents from Santa.
“It means a lot to me,” said bursary award recipient Nur Diyanah Hayyu Maselan. “I am very happy I got this because not really everyone can get this bursary. I am just so grateful I get this thing this year,” added the 11-year-old, who plans to use the money to buy school items and stationery. “I like the magic show and the candy floss and the popcorn and all the games that I like to play,” added fellow bursary award recipient Rowshaun Subash, aged 8.
“It’s partly a celebration which is important for kids, but you can see we try very hard to incorporate values into it to make them understand about the spirit of giving and paying it forward and that other people have looked out for them,” said Ms Indranee.
“This is also the first year that we’ve combined the bursaries together with the Christmas party and the reason I did that was because I wanted those getting bursaries to think of it as a celebration – as a happy event and a positive thing – as opposed to making them feel that ‘I can’t afford my school fees’, or ‘I can’t afford my school books, that’s why I need this bursary.’
“It’s important to have this message so that they know and understand that the community cares for them and at the same time, it’s a community celebration.”
Source: CNA