MCI (P) 089/09/2021
SINDA CONNECTIONS
CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF WILDLIFE AS PESTS SEPTEMBER 2021
04
Continued Covid-19 Assistance in 2021
08
Back to School Festival
10
Vaccination Outreach Booths
CONTENTS 01 | o L oking Back
CEO’S MESSAGE
02 | A rT ansformative d E ucation at SINDA 04 | Continued Covid-19 Assistance in 201 05-07 | Feature Interview Changing the Perception of Wildlife as Pests
08-14 | Programmes & v E ents Back to School e F stival IND S A Appreciation Ceremony 201 Dove Project ac V cination Outreach Booths 5 eY ars & 30 Big Hearts Career Showcase + Google CV o w rkshop Mentor Me Platforms for Engaging with the Community C S IF + Shakthi’s Care and Share Corner
16 | Quiz-OM - ania 17 | One of s U
Dear Friends of SINDA, I hope that this year has been a positive one for you and your loved ones, after the uncertainties of 2020. In these one and a half years, many have risen above their circumstances to overcome their challenges. I do applaud everyone for their spirit of resilience and tenacity. In this challenging period, SINDA’s work in supporting our people’s needs and empowering individuals has remained crucial—about $11 million in financial aid continues to support our community through the pandemic, since 2020. Last year, we were also able to benefit over 23,000 people through direct aid and other complementary support, while shifting our programmes to virtual or hybrid modes. These efforts have allowed our students to continue learning while our students and families attain life skills and growth. Complementing these efforts is a vast pool of partners, volunteers and donors who have all given their time, resources and energies selflessly. From ground-up movements by passionate and young leaders to corporate social responsibility initiatives by organisations, such efforts at all levels of community have made a positive impact on our beneficiaries. This collective spirit was heartening to witness, and it is one that promises that we remain a community poised for success. Reflecting this community success was the recently-released Census of Population 2020 which provided us with insights into how we fare as a nation. I am delighted that these findings signal that we as a community have achieved progress across a number of indicators, especially in education. There has been significant improvement in our students’ performances in PSLE subjects when compared to 2010, while the number
of Indians attaining at least five O-Level passes has also increased over this decade. More Indians, too, now possess post-secondary qualifications, with 67.4% holding a post-secondary or professional qualification, diploma or university degree; more of us are also doing well in our chosen academic path. These statistics are important indicators of our community’s performance. Importantly, these positive trends also signal the overall importance that we have placed on education as a community, underscoring the good work of many stakeholders who have worked hard to improve our community’s educational performance. While such progress bodes well, there remains work to be done in supporting the needs of our less-advantaged Indians. While we focus on helping the community recover from the pandemic, we’re also looking at other equally important areas of social concern in the community, so that everyone receives adequate support. As individuals, each of us can play an important role in this—if you or someone you know needs a helping hand, please reach out and connect with us so that we can extend our support—be it financial aid, employment support, access to resources, social assistance or other help. In supporting our community’s success, we need to ensure that each student, youth and family can succeed in their individual aspirations. Only then can we truly say that our community has succeeded. I look to the concerted efforts of every single one in our community in achieving this goal, so that we can prevail together.
Anbarasu Rajendran CEO, SINDA PUBLISHER Singapore Indian Development Association EDITORIAL TEAM Corporate & Marketing Communications Division Chief Editor Ravindran Nagalingam, COO, SINDA Deputy Editor Dhanasegaran Narayanasamy Production Editors Manesh Rangarajan, Nathiyaah Sakthimogan DESIGN & LAYOUT Green House Design + Communications PRINTER HoBee Print Pte Ltd , Licence No: L001/09/2021 TO SUBSCRIBE to SINDA Connections or inform us of a change of mailing address, send your updated home or office address to connections@sinda.org.sg. TO CONTRIBUTE towards the SINDA Fund (to start contributing or increase contributions), please contact us at 1800 295 3333, or visit www.sinda.org.sg.
| Highlights
Looking Back
Children’s Robotics Arduino Programme
A Conversation with Duric
SINDA’s programme and robotics classes help children understand the basic principles of computer science and digital literacy. Arduino is an open-source electronics platform that is able to read inputs and turn it into an actionable output. In this workshop, our participants used mBlock for Arduino to code and programme their boards to perform various functions. They were able to understand the concepts of computational thinking and block-based coding techniques and learned how to create a traffic light system!
As part of the Online Conversation Series that SINDA Football Club (SFC) initiated last year, 23 youths from SFC attended a virtual talk on 29 May where they got the rare opportunity to meet former professional footballer Aleksandar Duric. Participants had the opportunity to engage in conversations with Mr Duric through a sharing session and questionand-answer segment which saw him share his experiences with our youth on being an Olympian and an esteemed S-League player!
SYLP 2021 identified three community issues— Racism, Mental health and women empowerment— and developed creative solutions to address these. Kudos to our youth change-makers!
12 passionate youth ambassadors graduated from this year’s SINDA Young Leaders’ Programme (SYLP), after an intensive 15-week journey that nurtured their leadership and personal change. As part of their journey, the youths also
1
A Transformative Education At SINDA At SINDA, Indian students’ education and academic performance have always been our raison d’etre. In an evolving educational landscape, we have worked to keep ahead of students’ academic needs.
Fund. We strive to ensure the learning journey is unhindered. Challenging circumstances like this COVID-19 pandemic only prove SINDA’s ability to adapt; our move online has seen close to 4,500 students benefit from our e-learning platforms. Equipment and internet access were provided for families without.
These days, the community is familiar with SINDA’s popular tutorial programmes—STEP, Teach and Project Guide— which close learning gaps. Did you know the tutors, too, get learning support from us? Enhanced training equips them to enrich the students’ lessons.
Indeed, SINDA, in collaboration with schools, continues to build a path for our students towards a bright future. Whether it is boosting scholastic ability, taking care of mental well-being or looking out for family life, our focus remains firmly on the child. Our children deserve the best, and that is what we aim to offer.
Our support is holistic. Even parents and families are encouraged to be involved in the child’s studies, through initiatives such as Education Plus and the Equal Opportunity
numbers as of July 2021
28 STEP Centres
38 Teach Schools
4101 enrolled
501 enrolled
29 Project Guide Centres 350 enrolled
A Story of Success Aakash Dubey, 20 Throughout his academic journey, Aakash has been a familiar face at STEP, having been in the programme from Primary One through Junior College. Now 20 years old, he was named top student in the A-Level Category of the SINDA Excellence Awards 2020 and readily credits his STEP tutors for his success.
“All these years, I chose to continue with STEP because of the teachers. They encouraged me when I felt hopeless. Their support, both academic and emotional, never failed to motivate me. I would have never moved on from the headwinds that I had encountered or achieved the results I had without their enduring help and guidance. From well-planned lessons that ensured there were several main takeaways to having my tutors check up on my mental well-being, STEP has been instrumental in moulding me into the person I am today.” 2
Ensuring A Holistic Academic Experience for Students Key Education Programmes
1. STEP
2. Teach
The SINDA Tutorials for Enhanced Performance (STEP) is a holistic after-school programme that provides affordable tuition for primary, secondary and A-Level students.
EducationRelated Assistance Schemes
1. Bursaries – from pre-school to postsecondary levels
3. Loaning of digital devices
3. Project Guide
Teach is a schoolbased tutorial programme (at primary and secondary level) aimed at improving the academic performance of students in their core subjects.
Project Guide provides homework support to primary and secondary students who benefit from customised assistance in strengthening their understanding of core subjects.
Various assistance schemes are available to individuals and families who require additional support:
Holistic Support for Students
2. Scholarships
Parenting programmes are available to parents to equip them with the essential skills to support their children’s aspirations.
3
A weekly intensive revision programme for students embarking on their national examinations. These coaching sessions offer students tips and strategies to ace their exams.
Complementing our tutorial programmes, SINDA offers rounded support to students, placing heavy emphasis on students’ wellbeing and their mental health.
1. Parenting Workshops
4. PC and Internet ownership schemes
4. Landmark Exam Preparatory Programme
2. Youth Programmes Specially-tailored motivational and mentorship programmes are available to our youth to build positive values, develop good character and boost their self-esteem.
vvvv | SINDA's Assistance
Continued Covid-19 Assistance in Last year, as the Covid-19 pandemic made itself felt in Singapore, families’ and students’ struggles were assuaged by SINDA’s enhanced schemes and new initiatives. Here are some of the resources that will see you through this year as well:
1. Find family, marital, parenting, as well as other help from the SINDA Family Service Centre
Social Support
2. Get help coping with personal, social and emotional issues through SINDA’s counselling services
1. The Pre-School Bursary levels the playing-field for little ones in low-income families
Educational Aid
3. Approach SINDA Family Service Centre for help with your financial challenges and receive holistic support to overcome your challenges
4. Apply for a wide range of scholarships towards higher studies or deeper skills
2. Primary and secondary school students can apply for the SINDA Bursary 3. SINDA, with the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET), provides Post-Secondary Bursaries for full-time tertiary students
5. A monthly ITE Student Allowance of $150 can help ease financial burdens
1. A Senior Day Care Subsidy of up to $500 per month is available
Senior Care
2. Eligible beneficiaries can receive $120 worth of milk and diapers for seniors
Get in touch or find out more, at www.sinda.org.sg/c19support 4
3. Transport vouchers allow seniors to keep their medical appointments conveniently
| Feature Interview
Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan and Anbarasi Boopal are the two Co-Chief Executive Officers of Singapore’s wildlife rescue charity, ACRES. Both in their 30s, they started as volunteers over a decade ago, found their calling and overcame family and financial concerns to follow their hearts on this journey.
5
| Feature Interview
About ACRES Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) is a local animal protection charity organisation, founded 20 years ago by a group of Singaporeans passionate about giving a voice to the voiceless. It was the country’s first facility dedicated to homing victims of illegal wildlife trade and has evolved to also rehabilitate and treat native wildlife in distress. Besides providing 24-hour wildlife rescues, ACRES also seeks to develop a compassionate society as an end to animal cruelty, and is doing its part by educating everyone about such issues. If you encounter wildlife in trouble, call the 24-hour ACRES Wildlife Rescue Hotline at 9783 7782, but note that your help may be needed as well.
What roles do you play at ACRES?
Did you both have the support of your families?
Anbarasi: I manage the advocacy department, including education, fundraising, the crime unit and wildlife management. In my first ten years, I did rescue and rehabilitation work.
A: My family was very concerned when I joined at a monthly salary of $500, after graduating with two Masters degrees—they kept asking me to find a “proper” job. Over the years they have realised I find meaning in the work and, having met many of our dedicated staff and volunteers, they understand that the ACRES community makes a difference. Now they are regular donors to the cause, which I am very grateful for.
Kalai: I oversee ACRES’ Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation operations, which run 24 hours a day. How did you get involved with ACRES? Did earlier experiences pave the way?
K: At the time, I had increasing financial commitments, especially towards my family, so joining ACRES was a leap of faith. My parents were initially also fearful about me getting injured by the animals. However, when they saw the progress I was making in my career, they began to understand that this was more than a hobby. These days, they are very supportive of my work and are always excited to see me on TV or mentioned in articles.
A: I was a student at NUS in 2005 when I came across an endangered Indian star tortoise being kept illegally as a pet. Louis Ng from ACRES came to the rescue, and as he shared more about ACRES, I felt their values aligned with mine, so I started volunteering. I grew up in a village in India and saw how easy it is to lead an environmentallyfriendly and animal-friendly lifestyle. Things my mum taught me, like how to keep monkeys at bay (our fruit trees were raided by 40 bonnet macaques every day) help me teach about coexistence in Singapore today.
Anbarasi, please share a memorable moment you’ve had with ACRES.
K: I was brought up in an animal-loving family—I learnt at a young age that animals feel pain and that I should never hurt them. ACRES’ values resonated with me, so I volunteered, using creative skills I learnt in design school to improve the housing conditions of the animals at ACRES.
A: My rescue partner and I once attempted to reunite three lost baby squirrels with their family. It was early in the morning, but the whole estate had turned out to watch from a distance. When the mother squirrel came down the tree and grabbed her babies one by one to bring them to their new nest, everyone in the crowd was so touched. The wife of the security guard who had called us even shed tears. That reunion, the rescue of young wildlife, was a million-dollar moment for me.
Kalai, your initial volunteer stint lasted only a day, and when you eventually returned you planned on staying just three months. It has now been ten years and you’re still going strong… K: I decided to continue my studies first, but events eventually led me back. Then, I started to fall in love with ACRES more and more.
6
What challenges does ACRES face today in its effort to protect animal welfare?
As a charity, we also seek support through donations—every dollar makes a huge difference. Lastly, volunteers also play a very important role, though currently with Covid-19 restrictions only the sanctuary team is open.
A&K: With finite space and resources, it is always a challenge to ensure that the animals’ welfare is not compromised. We need more funds to expand our rehabilitation efforts to the diverse species who come to us. Whether it is a specific formula diet, housing need or rehabilitation enclosure, we are trying our best to meet all their needs. This is not an easy job with our small team.
Any advice to share about volunteering with ACRES? A&K: Working with animals is not easy, it involves a lot of sacrifice. Setbacks are often—not every animal can be saved. It takes a lot of determination and grit to do this job, and ACRES’ team of staff and volunteers embody this spirit daily.
How has the Covid-19 situation affected operations?
What message would you like to leave our readers?
A&K: We have worked right through, as an essential community service. In fact, there was a steep increase in the number of calls received, from 1,000 on average to 1,800 a month. This is taking a toll on our team, as we are unable to engage new volunteers due to the restrictions. We also could not hold our biggest fundraiser, a gala dinner marking ACRES’ 20th anniversary. Our open houses and education programmes are now all done virtually. On a brighter note, we have started engaging our supporters with heartening video stories, at https://bit.ly/40SecondsAtACRES.
A&K: Animals across the globe are suffering in many ways due to human causes. We have the responsibility to ensure their welfare, and this starts with developing compassion. As Singapore grows into a “City in Nature”, we need more tolerance towards animals. We welcome anyone—property managers, schools, companies—to sign up for our Wildlife Etiquette series of talks. We should learn what to do when we encounter wildlife, instead of complaining and reporting them as a nuisance.
What can our community do to aid ACRES’ mission? A&K: Everyone can be more aware of how our lifestyle choices impact nature and the environment. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear and the entertainment that we choose, we are responsible to our future generations for the consequences.
As Singapore greens more urban spaces, this will attract more wildlife, and biodiversity does not stop at just butterflies and flowers. The insects will attract lizards, who in turn will attract garden snakes who feed on lizards. If food waste in an estate is not managed properly, rats will also come, which will attract pythons. We need more tolerance towards animals, and to replace fear with compassion and knowledge. Anbarasi Boopal, Co-CEO, ACRES
7
| Programmes & Events
Back to school
festival Equally appreciative of SINDA’s support during a difficult year was single mum Nasheela Begum d/o Nizammudin, who says the family “always looks forward to BTSF”. She explained, “(It allows) me to purchase good books, stationery and shoes for my children.” Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and President of SINDA Ms Indranee Rajah noted that BTSF is “a huge part of SINDA’s DNA”, and testified that the spirit of the event remained despite its toned-down activities. Meeting several of the BTSF recipients and their families virtually during the launch of the Festival, Ms Indranee urged them to remain resilient and to stay positive in order to prevail over trying times.
With safe-distancing measures still in place, SINDA’s annual Back To School Festival (BTSF) last November had quite a different feel. Unlike previous years, there was no carnival to celebrate the end of the academic year, and the BTSF school kits—a cherished tradition—were collected over 11 days.
She also highlighted two key points: the first, that education continues to remain very important and the second, that getting the right support is also important. Ms Indranee assured parents that such assistance will continue until the Covid-19 situation eases. “Having the right support, and having it at the right time, will ensure that you continue to be cared for, while you overcome personal challenges,” she affirmed.
Even so, parents such as Senthamarai d/o V Subramaniam were glad to receive the kits—comprising $180 worth of book, stationery and shoe vouchers—again. Senthamarai runs a small home-based business while her husband cares for their four children.
“Take heart,” Ms Indranee encouraged everyone. “Lean on these support structures, so that these can be your pillars of strength in times of need.” Indeed, SINDA will be here for you.
“When Covid-19 struck, our financial situation worsened and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to cater to their needs. It’s a relief to know that even in the current situation, I can rely on SINDA’s help to ease my expenses and ensure my children are prepared for school next year.
Visit us at www.sinda.org.sg to explore how we can help today.
For BTSF 2020, a total of
Senthamarai d/o V Subramaniam, BTSF Recipient
$630,000 worth of school kits was distributed to
3,500 disadvantaged
students from every academic level, primary to tertiary.
Connect with us at www.sinda.org.sg/contact-us to benefit from our various help schemes today.
8
SINDA Appreciation Ceremony 2021
Thank you.. …to our many supportive community partners, to our scores of dedicated volunteers, to caring schools, to tireless sub-committee and resource panel members.
For 19-year-old Sivakami Arunachalam, a youth volunteer with SINDA since 2018, Ms Indranee’s remark about how volunteerism “enriches the spirit” resonates. From reading to children when she started, Sivakami has gone on to connect with other groups within the community. “My volunteering journey with SINDA has given me so much confidence,” she says, calling her work “very rewarding!”.
On 13 March, 208 of our heroes were recognised at the biennial SINDA Appreciation Ceremony, with Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Chairman of SINDA, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Guest-of-Honour at the virtual event. Even as SINDA President Ms Indranee Rajah highlighted the importance of collective action, award recipients shared what this looks like—like the Chong Pang Indian Activity Executive Committee, whose ground engagements together with SINDA enable it to identify needs and provide appropriate help, its Chairman Mr Subramaniam Ramasamy says. Or Sengkang Secondary School, whose Principal, Mr Koh Yiak Kheng, appreciates how working closely with SINDA provides extra assistance where needed to encourage every student to succeed.
Appreciated at SAC 2021
66 Community Partners 42 Volunteers 68 Schools 32 Sub-Committees
SINDA’s programmes had to adapt to Covid-19 in 2020. However, with strong support from the close to 1,000 volunteers, partners and schools SINDA works with, students and families in need continued to be cared for.
and Resource Panels
Ready to get involved? See how you can be a part of the action, at www.sinda.org.sg/get-involved/. 9 7
| Programmes & Events
DoVE Project The Diet & Lifestyle Optimization and Value Enrichment (DoVE) pilot diabetic project started with an initial plan to engage participants through participating clinics. With Witz-U care team members, SINDA volunteers and HEB’s support, we are set to reach our target of assisting 200 middle-aged Indians diagnosed with diabetes to effectively and efficiently manage their condition through a guided wellness lifestyle. The project has benefitted
14 participants thus
SINDA volunteers have stepped up to be Care Coordinators for this project. Trained by professionals, volunteers will follow clients on an 8-week wellness journey by supporting them with food intake journaling and weekly reviews. Through this project, we hope to drive and develop better eating and wellness habits among our Indian community.
far in improving their diets and maintaining healthy glucose levels.
Vaccination Outreach Booths
Supporting the national drive to encourage more seniors to be vaccinated against Covid-19, SINDA has joined hands with the Ministry of Health and community organisations such as the Hindu Endowments Board to engage the Indian community. Through booths at various temples, mosques and churches, SINDA volunteers have been able to engage members of the public, helping them get up-to-date information on vaccination concerns and registering them for vaccinations.
Seniors have been a priority target group as they are at a high risk of serious medical issues if they remain unvaccinated and many seniors among us remain unaware or misinformed about the benefits of the vaccine.
25
such booth engagements were held in August.
3909
members of the public were engaged through these activities.
10
5 Years & 30 Big Hearts Big Heart SCC@Zhangde joins the others in offering conducive after-school care in an inclusive, home-like environment, where students of all backgrounds feel welcome and accepted. Here, they receive complementary educational and developmental support, and learn to contribute to society. Subsidies from the SHGs mean parents have peace of mind about the cost of providing a safe and nurturing place for their children outside the home.
It is a big heart that welcomes students of every stripe and cares for them as its own. When it is a Big Heart that draws strength from the four Self Help Groups (SHGs)— Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Eurasian Association (EA), Yayasan MENDAKI and SINDA—the beat is all the more compelling. In 2015, the four SHGs agreed to set up and operate 30 school-based student care centres (SCCs) together, tapping on each community’s resources. This venture was incorporated the next year as Self Help Groups Student Care Limited (SHGSCL) and branded as Big Heart Student Care. On 18 February this year, its 5th anniversary, their goal was met with the opening of the 30th care centre at Zhangde Primary School.
4,200
A total of students are now enrolled across the 30 Big Heart SCCs.
Career Showcase Google CV workshop A Community and Career Showcase with Workforce Singapore (WSG), highlighting the complementary roles of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and WSG in employment facilitation, was held at Bedok Town Square on 5 May 2021. About 300 jobseekers looking for immediate hiring opportunities were shortlisted for job interviews with employers. WSG received feedback from jobseekers that they benefitted from the services and information provided by the SHGs. SINDA collaborated with Google, Mendaki and Codette Project, to conduct a virtual CV writing & job interview skills workshop. Attended by 64 participants from our Mentor Me programme, the workshop provided our youths with the right skills to attain a job of choice and the knowledge to work towards their desired career pathway. Some Google staff have previously volunteered with SINDA as mentors in the Mentor Me programme.
11
| Programmes & Events
Mentor Me
In 2020, 104 Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) bursary students were matched to 102 mentors. In place of the originally planned for face-to-face interactions, students had to embark on a virtual mentoring journey for the five-month duration due to Covid-19.
Inaugurated in 2018, SINDA’s Mentor Me programme is designed to enable deserving Indian polytechnic and university students to achieve their personal, academic and career goals. Besides gaining access to specialised workshops, and these tertiary students are matched to relevant industry professionals based on their fields of study. With the aid of structured mentoring curricula, mentors interact with their mentees to share knowledge and experiences and provide quality guidance.
In 2021, in addition to 120 SIET students, SINDA is collaborating with the Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) and Nagore Dargah, Singapore to offer this programme to scholarship and bursary students. Moreover, some 40 captains of industry through SINDA’s Indian Businessmen Roundtable (IBR) are mentors in the programme.
A Partnership for Success “The sessions where my mentor and I discussed my strengths and weaknesses taught me that I can use my strengths to manage my weaknesses. Values have always been a big part of who I am. However, I never knew that my values could be interconnected. When my mentor Ameen asked which value was the most important, I was taken aback as they were equally significant to me. He mentioned the intention behind this question was to see how I connect the most important value to the rest of my values. “ — Pearlin Benita Love, Nursing at NYP (Mentee)
“With this being my first mentoring experience, I was truly happy to be able to guide my mentee and share with her my experiences and knowledge, and contribute to her growth. Also, it was heartening to hear during her sharing at the recent SINDA Youth Awards how I had guided her and contributed to her development. Thank you once again for the opportunity, SINDA.” — Muhamed Al Ameen, Mentor
12
Platforms for Engaging with the Community The Big Book Giveaway Everybody loves a good story, so what better way to show some care than to share a preloved book? Partnering with the National Library Board for its annual Literary Festival, SINDA distributed over 1,000 books at various locations islandwide. The Big Book Giveaway ran from April all the way to July, in a bid to spur the passion for reading throughout our community.
Hari Raya Meal Distributions We continued our Acts of Care during festive seasons, with a distribution of over 500 sponsored meals and goodies during Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji to the homes of 115 Indian-Muslim families. The meals, which were sponsored by Islamic Restaurant, were distributed across the island by SINDA volunteers, in compliance with safe-distancing measures.
13th IBR Dialogue The 13th Indian Business Leaders’ Roundtable (IBR) Dialogue was held on 6 April 2021, as a hybrid webinar, conducted physically and virtually with 120 guests in attendance. Featuring Guest Speaker Minister Ong Ye Kung, the dialogue addressed inclusivity, cooperation between Singapore and India, steering the Singapore economy in a post-Covid-19 world, creating opportunities for job-seekers in a changing landscape and Singapore-India economic opportunities.
13
| Programmes & Events
SINDA Community Impact Fund The SINDA Community Impact Fund (SCIF) was set up with the aim of supporting innovative and impactful solutions for the betterment of the Indian community. SCIF provides seed funding to individuals and organisations whose inventive ideas are driven by a social purpose to improve lives.
We faced funding challenges but with SINDA’s support we have been able to continue our work, especially in these challenging times. Importantly, this has opened new opportunities to work with other organisations, increased public awareness and improved our visibility. With greater awareness of Club2Care, we hope that more people will step forward to seek help and utilise our services.”
In 2020, through SCIF, SINDA offered funding to Club2Care, an organisation that works towards bridging the gaps and upholding the mental well-being of our Indian community. The volunteer-driven organisation raises awareness of mental health issues through free counselling services and outreach efforts such as panel discussions and talks. SINDA’s funding helped Club2Care to launch several initiatives, including an online panel discussion in conjunction with World Mental Health Day and mental health training for Indian organisations. Encouraged by the public’s response, Club2Care is galvanised to do more.
Get in touch or find out more at www.sinda-grants.org or www.club2care.com
Shakthi's Care and Share Corner Encouraged by her school’s Project Smile programme that helps less fortunate families, seven-year-old Shakthi Saravanan decided she wanted her June holiday Passion Project to help anyone in need. With the help of her parents, the Lianhua Primary School student set up a “Care and Share Corner” at BLK 170 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8. Using her own savings, Shakthi launched the initiative by purchasing essential items such as canned food, cooking oil, packet drinks, instant noodles and biscuits so that anyone in need would be able to take what they required. The sharing corner has since gone on to help many people all over Singapore and has also seen family, friends and volunteers step forward to donate items. Find her on Facebook and Instagram at Shakthi’s Care and Share Corner.
During this difficult period of time, it is important to help one another, so I set up this corner to make sure everyone has enough food. I am a very happy girl, I feel this is a good act because many uncles and aunties come to my house and say thank you and give me lots of love. Even our MP said I am the daughter of Bukit Batok! This makes me proud too! - Shakthi Saravanan 14
15
Quiz-O-Mania
Read this issue through? Then circle the answers to the questions below, fill up the form and send it in to SINDA Connections Contest, c/o SINDA Corporate & Marketing Communications Division, No 1 Beatty Road, Singapore 209943 by 14 November 2021. Three correct entries will win $50 worth of vouchers each. This contest is open only to primary and secondary school students, who are Singaporeans or Permanent Residents. Winning correct entries will be picked in a draw and the judges’ decision is final.
Name:
IC/BC No: SXXXX (Please fill in the last four alphanumeric details)
School:
School Level: Email:
Address: Select one answer for each question: Question 1 How many years has it been since ACRES was founded? a) 10 years b) 20 years c) 6 years
Contact No.:
(You can find the answers in the articles in this magazine.)
Question 2 Zhangde Primary School joins how many other schools that operate as Big Heart Student Care Centres?
Question 3 What scholarship did Vivian Vickneswaran receive through SINDA?
a) 30 b) 20 c) 29
a) SCCCF – SINDA Scholarship b) SAA – SINDA Scholarship c) SICCI – SINDA Scholarship
Congratulations to the winners of the previous contest! 1) Vijayakumar Nivedha Xingnan Primary School
VISION To build a strong and vibrant Singaporean Indian community together MISSION To build a well-educated, resilient and confident community of Indians that stands together with the other communities in contributing to the progress of multi-racial Singapore VALUES Respect, our culture Integrity, our foundation Service, our promise Excellence, our pursuit
2) Rajasekar Dhanyaa Marsiling Primary School
3) Skandhashree Saravanan Bowen Secondary School
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Patron Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Chairman Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Life Trustees Prof S Jayakumar Mr S Dhanabalan Mr S Chandra Das Mr J Y Pillay Mr Sat Pal Khattar Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Mr K Shanmugam Dr N Varaprasad
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Term Trustees Ms Indranee Rajah Mr Ravi Menon Mr Girija Pande Mr Gautam Banerjee Justice Judith Prakash Mr K Kesavapany Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai Mr Timothy Chia Mr Piyush Gupta Dr Sudha Nair Mr Harjit Singh Bhatia Mr K V Rao Advisors Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Mr S Iswaran Mr Vikram Nair
President Ms Indranee Rajah Vice Presidents Mr Shekaran Krishnan Mr Sarjit Singh Secretary Mr Siraj Omar Treasurer Mr G Arull Members Mr Murali Pillai Mr K Ramamoorthy Mrs Rathi Parimalan Mr Mohamed Nasim Ms Carmelia Nathen Prof Vineeta Sinha Mr R Raghunathan Ms Praveen Randhawa
| One of Us
Vivian Vickneswaran — Part-time Engineer, M3 Engineering and Integration Services
In His Words SC:
What advice can you offer others needing support on their education journey? Vivian:
“Take every opportunity to reach out for help (so that you can) stay focused and motivated. We only live once; why not do your best to give yourself and your loved ones a better future?”
Vivian Vickneswaran s/o Renganathan used to struggle to juggle part-time work as an engineer with his full-time undergraduate studies. Winning a SCCCF-SINDA Scholarship—which he almost did not apply for because his grades were “good but not great”—has given him space to breathe and to dream. Vivian Vickneswaran S/O Renganathan knows how challenging it is to find the right balance when both job and studies demand a high level of focus. His strategy, he says, is to plan his schedules early in the semester, then “mentally and physically, your body adapts as you push on”. A degree, he is certain, will open many doors in the future. The Civil Engineering student at the Nanyang Technological University feels that youth often underestimate the importance of a degree programme when they first embark on one. Vivian, however, likens it to a “snowball effect to success”, and getting good grades motivates him to work even harder. At a SIET bursary interview, Vivian was introduced to the (Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce Foundation) SCCCF-SINDA Scholarship. Initially sceptical, he explained his reluctance to apply for it came from accepting that his grades were not the best. Convinced as he was that it would be tough to compete in terms of grades when his energy and time were split between school and work, Vivian was nevertheless persuaded to try.
The scholarship was eventually granted, and for several nights, the incredulous student could not even sleep for joy. The award has turned out to be more than a financial help. Through it, Vivian has not only found that elusive workstudy-life balance, but also emotional and mental support. These days, the youth is able to spend more time with his family, especially his parents, who suffer from several medical conditions. When pandemic restrictions affected his work, he was able to concentrate on his studies instead of worrying about the shortfall in income. Not least, it allowed him time to pursue a minor in Entrepreneurship, a first step towards fulfilling a childhood dream. “I’m not sure how far away I am right now,” he says, “but I know I will get there. When I do, I will do my part to help others on their journey as well. “The journey is far more important than the grades. I am so glad that SINDA feels the same way.”
