SINDA Connections - May 2015

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In STEP with DPM Tharman 12 MCI (P) 102/01/2015

DJs in the Making

May 2015

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Around the Community

BUILDING ON A DREAM RAVI SUPPIAH

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I.T.’s all Fun

11 Refuse to Sink

17 Order-O-Mania

Contents

01 02

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• CEO’s Note

• In STEP with DPM Tharman

• Amazing Race through Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow • STEPping Up to the Challenge

11 • Refuse to Sink • We Power!

03-05

• Peer Leaders Show Promise • Discovering their Passion for Community Service

17 • Order-O-Mania • About Us

Publisher Singapore Indian Development Association EDITORIAL TEAM

12 • Be My Buddy • DJs in the Making!

06-08 • RAVI SUPPIAH • Building on a Dream

13 • SINDA Lions Hungry for Success • Where did Your Money Go?

14 • Affordable Aid for the ‘A’s • Reaching Out to Our STTU Partners

15 09 • Crossing the First Bridge • I.T.’s All Fun!

• Getting to Know SINDA at the Central District Meeting

16 • Around the Community

Corporate & Marketing Communications Division, SINDA Editor Ravindran Nagalingam, COO, SINDA production Editor Dhanasegaran Narayanasamy design & layout Green House Design + Communications Pte Ltd printer Stamford Press Pte Ltd Licence No: L022/04/2012

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01

CEO’s Note

Dear friends of SINDA, Dear Friends, As we come to the middle of 2015, SINDA’s programmes for pre-schoolers, students, youth and parents are running at full steam. We organise over 70 key programmes each year and each of these require sufficient time, energy and resources to run optimally.

I am happy to note that SINDA is not alone in this endeavour—various partners, each with their own unique strengths and area of expertise, join with us as we work towards community benefit. Whether initiating projects, raising funds or volunteering, each brings a valuable component to the mix. Let me touch on some of our key partnerships.

SINDA’s staunch ties with the Ministry of Education (MOE) have been integral in our efforts to elevate Indian students’ academic performance, and MOE’s strategic support and guidance has been invaluable to us in implementing various educational initiatives for students. Our students reap the fruits of this meaningful partnership, as they get to enjoy a holistic education environment that is sure to propel them to success.

From access to day schools to run our STEP and Project Teach programmes, to secondment of key staff to help us develop the complementary custom curricula and run these programmes, MOE has over 80 schools involved in our various SINDA programmes.

Our efforts are further boosted by meaningful community partnerships with Indian, religious and grassroots organisations. We meet with such partners regularly to explore initiatives for the community’s good and for mutual benefit. These organisations readily offer their resources and expertise to SINDA, allowing us to connect with their constituents and members to maximise our outreach.

For example, with our partners’ help, SINDA now runs pre-school enrichment classes at over 33 decentralised venues islandwide, making it convenient for family members to bring their children to a centre near them.

I am also happy that various commercial entities have joined hands with SINDA to do their part for society.

Our recent Back-To-School-Festival benefited over 5,000 people at the Singapore Zoo, more than double from previous years. Sponsorships from corporate donors like Rajah & Tann were put to good use through school kits for students and by providing them a fun-filled day with their families.

Others like Essilor Vision Foundation partnered SINDA to offer free vision screening and spectacles to 300 underprivileged students. The Indian BusinessLeaders’ Roundtable raised funds to underwrite the e-learning initiatives of SINDA tuition programmes.

K Barathan CEO, SINDA

Organisations like the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI), Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI), Optimum Solutions, and Lighthouse Foundation have also inked Memoranda of Understanding with us to offer educational grants. This is on top of organisations like Kaplan, Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), PSB Academy, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), and Singapore Institute of Materials Management (SIMM) offering places in selected tertiary courses to deserving students.

Such efforts are sure to make an immense difference in people’s lives.

SINDA also benefits from the strong ties we have with media partners. They consistently offer us discounted rates to broadcast our social messages and publicise our programmes to the community. We are grateful that this allows us to effectively increase our reach to the community.

Before I end, I would also like to highlight an important partnership that SINDA has—its volunteers. They form the backbone of our services, from ensuring that our programmes run smoothly to spending weekends reading to young children to increase their level of competence. They often work quietly in the background, and I would like to commend them for sacrificing their personal time, effort and energy for communal good, with nary a complaint.

The partnerships I have shared are just a snapshot, for this space is not sufficient to list them all. I am not exaggerating when I say that the efficacy and reach of SINDA’s programmes are only further strengthened by the ardent support of our partners.

If any of you should wish to explore avenues for partnership or have suggestions for us to reach out to more beneficiaries, do get in touch with us. I am thankful for such support, and I am sure that these meaningful partnerships will continue to benefit the community.

02

In STEP with DPM Tharman

On the evening of 1 April, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Chairman of SINDA, visited a STEP (SINDA Tutorials for Enhanced Performance) Centre, together with other SINDA Trustees and community leaders.

Besides classroom visits, there was also a showcase of SINDA’s specialised approach to students’ learning needs, encompassing differentiated learning materials and options for double Maths and Science lessons, among other schemes.

Recently, a 10-minute motivational programme, Whizboosters, was introduced to kick off every lesson. Mr Basheer, a tutor with STEP, commented: ”Whiz Boosters is a good initiative; it equips students with stress and time management skills, which in turn aid their learning.”

Running since 1992, STEP is now held in 21 centres across the island, with a current enrolment of close to 3,000.

The call on Ping Yi Secondary School afforded parents the opportunity to engage with DPM Tharman, which was much appreciated. Among the questions that were raised was whether SINDA would extend its help to Tamil learners. DPM Tharman affirmed that SINDA is working with the Singapore Tamil Teachers Union (STTU) to provide Tamil teaching at centres, adding, though, that “this should not take away focus from English, Maths and Science, as this is where students need the most help.” He pointed out that “a balance should be sought”.

Another issue brought up was the possibility of scheduling more classes on weekends. SINDA CEO Mr K Barathan pointed out that while such lessons were already available at six schools, SINDA faced a challenge in the availability of facilities.

He assured parents: “We are exploring if we can use other venues for STEP.” The parent dialogue session ended with DPM Tharman emphasising the stronger partnership between MOE and the self-help groups, and similarly between the self-help groups and parents.

STEP characterises just such an alliance, with tutors keeping in regular contact with parents, to keep them engaged.

SINDA also organises specially-tailored workshops and activities to boost parent-child bonding and parenting skills.

As DPM Tharman noted: “The closer SINDA cooperates with the school and STEP tutors, the better it is for the students and their parents.”

03

Peer Leaders Show Promise

They may have once have needed a guiding hand, but this batch of youths is firmly on the leadership path now. For many, it has been a 180-degree turn from discipline issues and a lack of motivation and self-esteem, towards a confident future.

Polishing Potential By and large, these 14- to 20-year-olds would have had their first introduction to SINDA upon referral into the Positive Youth Development (PYD) Programmes. Today, these same youngsters are no longer reluctant, but raring to go.

Having been mentored and coached in the PYD, 35 young ground breakers have been identified to assume greater responsibilities in SINDA’s new initiative, the Peer Leadership Programme (PLP). This places them in a year-long, three-phase induction course for 2015.

First off, the SINDA Peer Leadership Course grooms the teens through a three-part workshop. To date, the first two sessions, held on 28 February and 7 March, have been concluded. Following this basic training, they will be deployed to serve in at least one sustained PYD scheme. Finally, outstanding Peer Leaders will be invited to attend an Advanced Peer Leadership Course which includes an overseas stint.

Dream Come True For student Vaishnavi, being part of the PLP has been a godsend. “I gained leadership skills and learned to give 100% commitment to what I do,” she said. Last year, she spent 21 Saturdays on the GAME Music Mentoring programme, in which the participants produced, wrote and sang their own tracks. Recording a song, she declared, “has been a dream come true”.

For GAME mentor Sangeetha Segar, the benefit was not only for these participants, but for the mentors, too. “We learnt a lot from the kids, as well as the instructors,” she shared. “It was truly amazing to see playful kids turn into serious and task-oriented ones.” She added that the experience was all the more valuable for the new friendships forged and the many opportunities given the PLP teens to explore their leadership potential.

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Discovering their Passion for Community Service

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The fifth batch of young leaders has had their world opened up with a study trip to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 15 to 20 March. Part of the five-month SINDA Young Leaders Programme (SYLP) 2015, this overseas stint to expose the youths to community causes in other countries has left a deep impact on our youths.

Learning from Others Among them, Victoria Junior College (VJC) graduate Fazrina Salauddin was quick to admit, “I realise I have been relatively sheltered.” She shares, “The first-hand experience in a third-world country, and talking to people who sacrifice so much to serve those in need, have made me realise my own true passion to serve.”

Fazrina was one of the twenty-one 18-to-21 year-olds who took the trip, with six mentors. During their stay, they visited four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social enterprises, engaging in discussions that stretched their ideas of community service.

One of these organisations was Assisting Cambodian Orphans and the Disabled Organisation (ACODO). Here, the Singaporeans learnt about the challenges of funding that an NGO faces. From social enterprise Friends International, which seeks to discourage child begging, they understood how the mind-sets of parents need to be changed in order for their kids to get an education. Also on the itinerary were meetings with Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE), a vocational centre for children, and Bloom Cambodia, which provides fair-paying jobs. These reinforced to the young leaders the importance of understanding the community in order to provide sustainable solutions which suit its needs.

From Insights to Foresight Fazrina said, “The trip inspired me as well as challenged my thought process. I learnt to push myself to think deeper about problems.”

Gurnihal Singh from Anderson JC appreciated the nightly facilitated discussions. “One of the most important qualities I picked up was being confident to stand up for what I believe in,” he said. “I learnt to view issues of real world situations from different perspectives. Getting an insight into the organisations also made me see that looking at the long term is as important as being focused on the short term.”

Former VJC student Darshana Priya Daniel, 19, noted, “Every organisation that we met practiced adaptability in at least one way or another. It’s a valuable skill for a social leader.”

Aside from the learning visits to the NGOs, the youths got to pop by the famed Angkor Wat and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. More than just sight-seeing, the trips helped them understand how culture and history shape and influence a country.

Bringing it Home Now that she’s back, Darshana has been mulling over the experience. “Seeing the Cambodians determined and spurred with passion to help their community, despite the many obstacles they face, makes me reflect on how easy we’ve had it as students back home. We even complained about standing long hours collecting donations on Flag Day!” The lessons that our young leaders have brought back will be invaluable as they undertake their ‘Act to Change’ projects in Singapore, which they have to design and deliver based on real community needs.

More than that, this has surely been an experience of a lifetime for our youths.

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Building on a Dream It was his parents’ dream for him to be a university graduate. He went beyond, obtaining a Masters Degree in Embedded Systems from Nanyang Technological University, where he is now flourishing as a lecturer in the School of Computer Engineering. Delving into his story, we learn that 37-year-old Ravi Suppiah is also one of SINDA’s own—a pioneer STEP student, who has returned to give back to new generations of Indian students.

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Please tell us more about your connection with SINDA. In secondary school I was playful and didn’t take my education seriously. I never bothered studying and was happy with whatever marks I got. Then when I was in Secondary 2, SINDA launched the STEP programme. I joined because it was affordable and just across the road from home. I made a lot of new friends there and that alone was a strong enough pull-factor for me to attend regularly.

But it were the very patient and dedicated teachers who helped greatly. Because what we were taught was always one step ahead of school, I would be first to answer in class. That gave me a huge confidence boost, and also enticed some of my school friends to join STEP. STEP made me realise my true potential. Later on I became a STEP tutor as I felt there would be kids like myself who just need a push in the right direction to get moving.

You were lauded by Ms Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State for Law and Education, on her Facebook page for initiating the Polytechnic Tutoring Programme in SINDA. What motivated you to hold these classes?

I was extremely honoured by her post, and the numerous compliments I received after that have inspired me even further.

I have seen, as both a student and an educator, that all our Indian students are extremely brilliant and talented. Once they set their mind on something, they are willing to put in the effort to make sure that everything goes well. The only issue is

that not all of them give that same level of focus and attention to their education.

Once they start to feel that it’s ok to put in minimal effort and get by with average grades, it will be difficult to change their mind-set.

The challenge is getting them to be motivated right from the beginning.

They need to start getting their ‘A’ grades from the very first semester.

Then they will have the confidence to achieve greater heights, and they will be self-driven.

That’s why I started this tutoring programme for the first-year Engineering students.

You’ve done well for yourself, both in your studies and your career. What was the road to success like?

Once I started attending STEP and began doing well, it became a continuous upward cycle that gained momentum.

I realised that I have the potential to achieve much more.

Although I did well enough at the ‘O’s to go to a JC, I chose to go to Ngee Ann Polytechnic for practical hands-on experience. Those days hold great memories, as I was very active in the Indian Cultural Society there. I graduated from NP with a Certificate of Merit, awarded only to the top few students of each cohort. That paved the way for my undergraduate studies at NUS and Masters at NTU. Now I’m pleased to be back there, fulfilling a life-long ambition to be an academic in the Engineering field.

Your success didn’t come on a silver platter, did it? Instead you had the drive to transcend your humble background.

Actually, I enjoyed my childhood in a Jalan Kayu kampung, catching spiders and chasing chickens. At home, though, finances were always tight. Dad held

down two jobs for many years just so there would be enough to go around.

My parents always stressed the importance of education as the way out of hardship and poverty. They themselves were forced to disrupt their education at a young age because of finances. I saw what they went through and decided I had to do well in life.

Who, or what, inspires you?

That would be my parents. They may have been poor, but culturally and morally they were extremely wealthy!

They imparted good values to my brother and me so we could lead righteous lives.

The highlights of my life have been the times when my parents were proud of my achievements. For my ‘O’ Levels, I received SINDA’s Academic Excellence Award, and my father went on stage to receive the award from then-DPM Lee Hsien Loong. At my NUS graduation ceremony, my mum’s eyes told me it was her dream come true.

When they passed away, my mum from breast cancer in 2006, and my father of a heart attack in 2009, it was very difficult for me to accept. These were the two most challenging moments in my life.

You have a lovely family of your own now. Could you share something about them with us?

I met my wife Shobana, a Bharatanatyam dancer, at her performances. I was then at university, and had been studying the flute under Singapore’s premier flautist Sri Ghanavenothan Retnam for many years. I used to accompany him on the keyboard at those shows.

I’ve been married since 2006 and we have two wonderful children Anushkaa, 4, and Arjun, 1. Most of my free time is now spent with them, on walks or at the playground.

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As a father, and as an educator, what would you like to say to our youth?

Every generation has its own set of challenges. I feel it’s very important to continuously engage our youth in a way that allows them to grow into their own self. At some point of time, when they realise their own passion and calling, they will take flight themselves.

All our students have great potential. A general piece of advice I’d like to offer is to maximise your time with your tutor.

Be an active learner and ask a lot of questions to clear your doubts. For every class that you attend, you should leave one step higher.

I’d also challenge our youth to cut their time on all social media platforms by half.

Social media is one big distraction that eats into your life. You’ll be amazed by how much more you can achieve in life when you focus your time on things that matter the most.

You are very pro-education; is that still relevant to this generation?

If you are presented with the opportunity to obtain a world-class education, you should make the best of it!

What else are you passionate about?

I have always been passionate about pursuing an academic career, and grooming the next generation of engineers and leaders. So far it has been an extremely enriching and rewarding experience.

I am still very enthusiastic about music and playing the flute. I go for classes and performances whenever time permits.

I am also very strict about my health and fitness. National Service changed me— I was never like that in the past!

What’s your dream?

My dream is to leave behind a legacy that continues to inspire our future generations.

Any final words of advice?

“If you are still alive, you haven’t seen your best yet!” That’s the mantra that motivates me. I’m always trying to improve myself, whether it’s picking up a new skill, or reading a book.

I would also say, follow your passion and live the life that you have always wanted to live. You can succeed in anything, as long as you refuse to give up!

Today, there are more options for study, like the arts, sports, culinary skills, social services, and so on. Follow your passion, and you will definitely succeed if you give your best.

“STEP made me realise my true potential. Later on I became a STEP tutor as I felt there would be kids like myself who just need a push in the right direction to get moving.”

09

Crossing the First Bridge

The step into primary school is a daunting one, not least for six-year-olds without a proper pre-school foundation. Yet, on 21 March, 13 confident students of SINDA’s iLeap programme celebrated their foray into Primary One with song and dance.

These little ones were graduating from a special bridging course that helped them keep up with their peers. The 20-week programme at Saradha Kindergarten had kicked off on 29 November 2014 with a workshop for their parents, too. iLeap’s teachers were also on hand right till the end of the first term of Primary One to give further support.

With the literacy and numeracy skills they picked up, the children were more than poised for success. One parent shares, “My daughter was apprehensive initially, but once she attended Primary One, she scored full marks for English and Tamil! She is motivated to study on her own and reads a lot nowadays.”

As noted by a programme coordinator, it is wonderful recognition of the strong partnership between parent, child and teacher!

I.T.’s All Fun! Take 27 pre-schoolers and introduce them to the world of computer programming. Now, take their parents, and do the same!

Over 16 – 18 March, SINDA partnered with 21C GIRLS, Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), Google Singapore, In3Labs and Code.org to hold this stimulating Robotics Camp.

While the young ones learnt the importance of Information Technology (IT) with the help of thrilling Lego robots, 24 of their parents had their share of fun with games about programming in their Hour of Code classes.

All of them went away with certificates of completion, and a good dose of inspiration.

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Amazing Race through Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow This year’s Amazing Race was not so much a sprint around places as a passage through time. Themed Journeying through Singapore, it was a day of exploration, adventure and discovery at the Gardens by the Bay. 60 students from Primary 4 to 6 got creative on 28 February, a welcome break during the school exam period. The tweens, who are mainly our STEP students, were encouraged to imagine Singapore’s past, build the present, and dream the future through games.

The 41 Raffles Institution students who organised the event explained, “It is key that our youth know the value of Singapore’s heritage, for today’s children are the leaders of tomorrow.”

STEPping Up to the Challenge 2015’s SINDA Junior Challenge on 14 March was no less exciting than its previous editions, with 220 excited primary schoolers competing in English, Maths and Science tasks.

Coming from SINDA’s 21 STEP centres, the kids showcased their academic abilities, while enjoying challenges such as building catapults. “I liked working with my friend!” was a common refrain heard.

In the meantime, 174 of their parents were busy taking notes at a talk on how to help their children, with topics such as “Motivating and disciplining using humour”. Participant Ms Soujanya Lakshmi called it “valuable information”. Also in tow were 55 of the participants’ siblings who had a fun-filled time at their own workshops and games!

The morning’s programme, held at Unity Secondary School, ended with a prize presentation ceremony, followed by lunch for all.

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Refuse to Sink

We Power!

Parents play a crucial role in guiding their children from the moment their child is born. Research shows a strong correlation between parents’ involvement and their children’s academic performance. However, no one is born a perfect parent. It is often through trials and tribulations that one gains the knowledge and experience to become a more effective parent.

However, to ease this process, SINDA runs a wide array of parenting programmes for the Indian community.

One such programme is We Power!—a comprehensive parenting workshop, comprising three sessions targeted at parents of pre-schoolers, primary school children or teens. We Power! anchors on having an inclusive relationship between the parent and child. It brings many insights into effective parenting, namely in three keys aspects: • Raising a child holistically, for both academic and non-academic success • Positive parent-child relationships • Methods to prepare the child to be an effective learner Interested schools, religious organisations, community centres or any other interested organisation can get in touch with us to organise We Power! workshops. The programmes are held free, to benefit as many parents as possible!

Contact the following officers to start We Power! for your parents today:

It’s all about having a positive attitude and robust self-esteem.

For 27 students in the STAR Leadership Programme, this meant learning about empowerment, resilience, self-control and discovering their passions.

SINDA’s Refuse to Sink programme, which has run together with National Junior College (NJC) for several years now, was held over six Saturdays from 14 February to 28 March. The upper primary schoolers involved were guided by 36 NJC student mentors, who ensured the activities were as much fun as possible! There was also a strong emphasis on teamwork, which helped the kids practise their social skills.

Given this opportunity to take a fresh look at the aims and direction of their young lives, many came away deeply impacted. “This programme is very motivating,” 12-year-old Deepika enthused.

Agreeing, Muhammad Shariff, also in Primary 6, added, “I learnt to overcome fear!”

Their new confidence will certainly carry them far.

Ms Kavitha: 6393 6302 / kavitha.s@sinda.org.sg Mr Dhinesh: 6393 6342 / dhinesh@sinda.org.sg

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Be My Buddy It was the first time they laid eyes on each other, but the 39 participants of 2015’s A’s the Race were ready to be paired up with their mentors at SINDA’s annual mentorship programme. For the next ten months, they will be more than just regular buddies.

A’s the Race links pre-university students with undergraduate mentors, so as to help them confidently get through their final year in school. SINDA introduced the programme in 2013, in partnership with the Indian societies based at our local universities. Since then, A’s the Race has been recognised with a “Top 3 Best New Initiatives” NUS Student Achievement Award in 2014.

Coming from post-secondary institutions around the island, the youths spent the weekend of 14 – 15 February overnight at Camp Challenge, getting to know each other. The induction programme included training on mentorship, communication, motivation and goal setting.

This was followed on 14 March by the first in a series of Buddy Outings—two-monthly sessions to forge stronger bonds not just between the pairs but as a group. These also provide an opportunity to network and gain insights on various university systems and cultures.

A bowling session was also organised as a casual catch-up for those who were unable to attend the camp or outing.

Moving on till December, the mentees can look forward to gaining all-round motivational and moral support, as well as character development skills.

DJs in the Making!

What do you get when SINDA joins hands with Oli 96.8FM and Vasantham to hold a DJ and acting workshop? 82 very eager DJ and TV star wanna-be’s!

This year’s Oli Junior Presenter Workshop was held during the first term holidays for the lucky 10- to 14-year-olds. The three-day event, organised by MediaCorp, was held at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre from 18 – 20 March.

The youngsters had a blast with favourite personalities like DJs Anand, Jaynesh, Rafi, Ranjaniy, Ravi, P N Bala and Shamini, as well as actors Shabir, Sanchala, Sree Hari and Grijisha joining in the fun. They generously shared insights and tips—from intonation and body language to the history of radio and the importance of current affairs; to life as a radio DJ, actor or host.

No doubt the big highlight was the “10 Minutes of Fame” segment, in which students were grouped with the Oli DJs. Coming up with their own creative presentations of the skills they had acquired, their performances contributed to a spectacular showcase at the end of the workshop.

MediaCorp Oli 96.8FM said, “We hope to have produced confident new talents who will embrace the Tamil language and endeavour to be the next Oli DJ or Vasantham artiste!”

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SINDA Lions Hungry for Success They may be only a year old, but the SINDA Lions Football Team are ready to pounce!

The Lions’ confidence is not misplaced. Last year, the newly-formed team participated in an amateur league, and despite the odds, avoided relegation.

Player S.R. Vinod proudly recalls, “We were kids playing against adults, but we ‘kids’ were able to match up to our older and more experienced opponents. We really exceeded all expectations last season.”

SINDA Lions is made up of former participants of our GAME Football programme, who were encouraged to return as peer leaders to support their younger peers. Through these external tournaments, these 17- to 20-year-olds continue to be engaged and inspired. “We started as a team of seven,” Vinod tells us. “We are now a good team of over 20 players.” The players have such strong camaraderie, that more boys will eagerly join in this year!

Thanking SINDA for having faith in the team, Vinod asserts, “This is a legacy that is yet to reach its pinnacle!”

Where did Your Money Go? It’s a question many of us find ourselves wondering at some point of time.

On 21 March, 21 adults aged above 40 from low income families, got some help with planning and managing their finances. The Basics of Money Management Workshop, held in collaboration with the Institute of Financial Literacy, hit all the key elements that affect our wallet, from budgeting to saving and cash flow problems.

Participants learnt what to do in various financial scenarios, and were given practical tips. There was also a useful exposition of the various CPF Insurance Schemes, which helped them understand which would be more suited to their individual needs.

Try this at home! Here’s a tip from the workshop: Prepare an envelope and label it with the word ‘SAVINGS’. Decide on an amount to save, and make sure you put that sum into the envelope every time. Make it a regular habit, and you’ll see your savings grow in no time!

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Affordable Aid for the ‘A’s 30 years ago, a group of NUS Tamil Language Society (NUSTLS) undergraduates decided to tutor ‘A’ Level students on a small scale. Since then, the project has grown into an annual non-profit programme supported by SINDA and the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET). You know it as Saadhana.

While Saadhana’s aim to help students excel in the ‘A’ Levels has never changed, its format has been revamped over time, with professional tutors now making up the pool. These include former Junior College teachers as well as Bachelors and Masters degree holders. The NUSTLS still champions the cause, with undergraduates present every week to mentor the students.

Successful participants include Kayalvizhe Radhakreshnen, now a Year 2 Statistics student in NUS. “Even without an A-Maths background, with my Saadhana tutor’s support and guidance I achieved an A for my ‘A’ Levels,” Kayalvizhe proclaims.

So, don’t wait—enrolment is now open for Saturday classes at Serangoon Junior College. We see the “A in U!” Choose from both JC1 and JC2 levels: • H1/H2 Mathematics • H1/H2 Economics • H2 Chemistry • H2 Physics • H2 Biology • General Paper Lessons are highly subsidised, at $50 per subject, $100 for two, or $120 for three subjects.

Call 9161 5588 or 9161 5599 today!

Reaching Out to our STTU Partners On 26 and 27 January, MOE’s Tamil Language Unit held its annual meeting with Tamil Language teachers at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre. It was attended by 150 Secondary School and Junior College teachers on the first day and some 280 Primary School teachers the next.

It was a good opportunity for SINDA to thank the teachers and SINDA Liaison Officers (SLOs) for referring students to our programmes. During their sessions, Mr K Barathan, SINDA CEO, was glad to note the teachers’ interest in SINDA’s new initiatives and current programmes, and addressed queries on Youth Victory and SCDA funding.

SINDA and the Singapore Tamil Teachers’ Union (STTU) can look forward to future collaborations, boosting our current ties. In his speech, STTU President, Mr Samikannu reiterated that Tamil teachers should leverage our programmes and services for all Indian students, not just those taking Tamil.

On our part, SINDA will provide regular updates on our programmes so as to engage new teachers.

The event also featured a well-attended booth showcasing our programmes.

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Getting to Know SINDA at the Central District Meeting

Given the diversity of programmes that SINDA runs, it is important that the community at large is aware of what is available. So it was in that spirit that SINDA kicked off its District Meeting, the first of five planned for this year.

50 Singaporeans and Permanent Residents responded to the open invitation, with representatives from Social Service Offices, religious organisations and tertiary institutions visiting together with members of the public.

“It was a good session,” Toa Payoh resident Mr Mohd Abidin said of the Central District meeting at OnePeople.sg near Braddell MRT. Ms Kamala of Ang Mo Kio agreed, saying, “I am more aware of SINDA’s programmes and services after attending this event.”

With the several booths set up providing facts and material on SINDA’s divisions and their work, it was easy for attendees to pick up information. “Very good,” Ms Shermaine Yeo, Assistant General Manager of the Social Service Office @Jalan Besar gave the thumbs up. “I found out about the kinds of programmes I can refer my clients to,” she said.

It was the Question-and-Answer session that engaged participants most, with Guest of Honour, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Mr Inderjit Singh and SINDA CEO Mr K Barathan, Chief Operating Officer Mr N Ravindran and Community Engagement and Volunteer Management Director Mr S Devendran on the panel.

The topics of Education, Youth and Family were popular, and suggestions and feedback from participants were animated.

Among them, it was proposed that an Adult Division be set up to take advantage of SkillsFuture funds. A further recommendation mooted a Lifelong Learning category at the SINDA Excellence Awards.

Salient points regarding Indian youth were predominantly on health awareness issues. There was also a comment that the view youths have of SINDA as an outmoded organisation has been somewhat improved since our collaboration with MediaCorp on the Vetri show.

Touching family issues, Mr Inderjit extended an invitation to SINDA to accompany him on his block visits, in order to reach out to the Indian residents.

In his closing remarks, Mr S Devendran rallied the Indian community to continue contributing to the development of Singapore. “We should stand together,” he exhorted, “and be a force to be depended on for the next 50 years and beyond.”

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Around the Community

All in the Family The Community Engagement team hosted a networking event on the evening of 25 February. 14 office bearers from the Singapore Bangladesh Society, Hindi Society, Nepalese Society, Bangla Universal Society, Kannada Sangha, Maharashtra Mandal, Singapore Gujarati Society and Singapore Telugu Samajam visited with us, at the same time learning more about our various programmes.

It was a constructive meeting, with a good exchange of ideas and effective promotion of SINDA’s services. Besides their interest in helping boost STEP enrolment, the groups affirmed their support with reciprocal invitations and generous donations towards Project Give.

Bringing More Partners on Board Seven different religious and Indian organisations sent representatives on 6 January to learn about our Literacy and Numeracy programmes and Education Programmes Unit (EPU) schemes.

Organised by SINDA’s Community Engagement and Volunteer Management division, the event welcomed 18 guests altogether. They came from Sri Ruthra Kaliamman Temple, STC/SgIndians, the Tamil Methodist Church, Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple, King of Glory Church, Dharma Muneeswaran Temple, and the Telok Blangah Indian Activity Executive Committee (IAEC).

SINDA is thankful for their offers of premises, volunteers and promotion of our programmes, which will certainly help us to help the community better.

STEP Centre Visits As part of our efforts to reach out so that more students can benefit from our STEP programme, we are looking to our community partners for help.

Serangoon Garden Secondary and Yishun Primary STEP Centres hosted the Serangoon IAEC, Hwi Yoh IAEC and Yishun Social Service Office staff on 31 January and 11 March this year to showcase the programme.

The happy upshot is that these organisations have agreed to promote STEP in their various engagements, and carry our brochures in their CCs and SSOs.

17

Order-O-Mania This contest will force you to think out of the box! If you need help, the whole family can join in the fun of guessing!

Simply submit your answers, together with your particulars, to SINDA Family Division, No 1 Beatty Road, Singapore 209943.

Your entries have to reach SINDA by 15 July 2015.

This contest is only open to primary school students, who are Singaporeans or Permanent Residents. 3 correct entries will each win a $50 voucher. The winning correct entries will be picked in a draw and the judges’ decision is final. Winners will be contacted by SINDA to collect their prizes.

Name:

BC No:

School:

School Level:

Contact No:

Address:

1. Which two numbers should replace the question marks?

3. Which is the missing section?

19, 20, 21, ?, ?, 26, 28, 32, 33, 40 Answer: 2. Which set of symbols should replace the question marks?

Answer: 4. Which two symbols are missing?

Answer:

Answer:

ABOUT US VISION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

To build a strong and vibrant Singaporean Indian community together

Patron Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

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

Chairman, Board of Trustees 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 Mr Inderjit Singh Ms Indranee Rajah Mr M Rajaram Mr V Shankar Mr Ravi Menon Mr R Jayachandran Mr Girija Pande Mr Gautam Banerjee Mr Ravinder Singh Justice Judith Prakash Mr K Kesavapany Advisors Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Mr S Iswaran Mr Hri Kumar Nair Mr Vikram Nair

President Ms Indranee Rajah Vice Presidents Mr Viswa Sadasivan Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai Secretary Mr Sarjit Singh Treasurer Mr Shekaran Krishnan Members Mr V P Jothi Mr R Rajaram Mr Puvan Ariaratnam Mr P Thirunal Karasu Mr R Subramaniam Iyer Dr Joshua V M Kuma Mr Raj Mohamed Mr K V Rao Mr R Logapreyan