The Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) has donated $500,000 to two NTUC social enterprises to help underprivileged children and the less well-off elderly in the community.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng announced this at the SMOU and Wavelink Lunar Luncheon and Hong Bao presentation on 11 February 2019 at the Raffles City Convention Centre.
The event was attended by close to 1,200 tripartite partners, industry guests and union members.
“Your [SMOU’s] generosity is not only appreciated by me, but also by our society. It is important that our Labour Movement steps forward to not only advocate for a more inclusive society, but to also put in our money, time, resources and commitment to show care in action,” said Mr Ng in his address.
Of the total sum, $200,000 will go to the Bright Horizons Fund to provide children from low-income families with financial assistance, as well as organising educational outings to Kidzania and movie gatherings to enrich the learning experience of My First School (MFS) pre-schoolers. MFS is a pre-school arm of NTUC First Campus Co-operative Limited (NFC).
SMOU also announced that it was adopting a childcare centre – MFS at Jalan Sultan Centre.
Meanwhile, $300,000 will go to the NTUC Eldercare Trust to benefit seniors at NTUC Health Nursing Home (Jurong West). The funding will be spread out for three years from 2019 to 2021 and will go towards offsetting nursing home fees for seniors who require further financial support, after Government subsidies.
SMOU Secretary General Mary Liew said: “SMOU hopes to provide the children of low-income families at MFS with equal learning opportunities and a good start in life to nurture their potential from the early years and empower them to transform their current circumstances.
“Our financial sponsorship to NTUC Health also reflects the union's commitment to take care of the needy elderly and up their quality of life in their golden years.”
Both NFC and NTUC Health said they deeply appreciated the donations.
“The five-year donation will enable us to provide a holistic suite of programmes under the NFC’s Child Support Model to some 50 low-income children in MFS at Jalan Sultan Centre. The support will include financial assistance, learning and well-being programmes for the children, as well as social support for vulnerable families,” said NFC Group Child Support Officer Phoon Chew Ping.
NTUC Health CEO Chan Su Yee said: “We feel privileged to have SMOU as a partner in our work to serve the needs of seniors, and we hope that together with the community, we can continue to expand access to care for those who need it.
“We welcome more organisations in coming forward to contribute and support our seniors, making it possible for them to receive financial assistance, rehabilitation and other programmes and activities that would enhance their overall well-being.”
At the event, SMOU distributed some $27,000 worth of hong baos to over 400 members and some 180 senior citizens from the Henderson Home, Care Community Services Society, Hope Community Services Centre, Jamiyah Home for the Aged, Bright Hill Evergreen Home and NTUC Nursing Home (Jurong West).
To date, more than 8,000 senior citizens have benefitted from close to $500,000 contributed by SMOU at its annual Lunar New Year celebrations.
