SINDA Connections - Jul 2014 by SINDA

MCI (P) 114/12/2013

JULY 2014

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

SINDA wins Governance Award

KAUSHIK SURESH

Education Minister visits SINDA’s Tuition Programmes 13

Football Fever 11 CONFIDENT PRIMARY ONES

12 ACE THE RACE

16 RIDDLE-O-MANIA

Contents

CEO’s Note

• CEO’s Note

02 03

• IBR’s Vidya Daan - Gift of Learning • Introducing SINDA’s New CEO • SINDA Wins Governance Award • Top Human Resource Award for SINDA COO

• KAUSHIK SURESH • Hitting All The Right Notes

16 10

Mr Kumaran Barathan CEO, SINDA

• Riddle-O-Mania • About Us • Return Of Camp Jumanji.

Dear friends of SINDA, Publisher

04 05 06 07

Singapore Indian Development Association

• Youths, • the Herald of Change

EDITORIAL TEAM Corporate & Marketing Communications Division, SINDA

• Education Minister visits SINDA’s Tuition Programmes

Editor Ravindran Nagalingam, COO, SINDA

• Keeping an Eagle’s Eye • on Our Future • Malabar Gold & Diamonds - SINDA Family Health Fair • Celebrating Mothers • Celebrating Families

production Editor Dhanasegaran Narayanasamy

• Seeing Cleary Again!

10–15 • Juniors Bring It On! • Return of Camp Jumanji • Camp Arise 3.0 • Confident Primary Ones • • Today in Parliament... • Our SINDA Youth! • Ace the Race • Game On! • Football Fever

• Game On!

• A Peek at their Future Careers • Bolstering Maths Skills for the Major Exams • Seeing Clearly Again! • Respecting Relationships, • Protecting Families

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It is a great honour to lead SINDA as its new Chief Executive Officer. Over the years, I have witnessed SINDA’s work and the difference it has made in people’s lives. My predecessors have laid a strong foundation in service to the community, and I am proud to follow their steps to champion the furtherance of SINDA’s mission in serving the Indian community and national interest. I believe my past experiences at the Economic Development Board (EDB), the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) will serve me well, as I begin my work at this organisation. In recent months, I have had the opportunity to become closely acquainted with SINDA’s work, and I have seen the passion and commitment of the staff as they work for the betterment of the community. Such staff are an inspiration and they bolster my confidence in SINDA’s abilities to meet its mission head-on. The programmes and services offered at SINDA have evolved significantly over the years to become holistic and wide-ranging. We prep our preschoolers and their parents to face new challenges as they begin school; our tuition programmes and enrichment workshops complement the educational pursuits of our students. From primary school children to tertiary students, our two-pronged approach with youth focuses on motivating our students as well as grooming those who show potential, to become passionate leaders of the community.

The SINDA Family Service Centre provides a helping hand to those who need social assistance. SINDA’s Community Engagement and Volunteer Management team seeks new community partners as it strengthens existing warm ties with a myriad of community, business and religious organisations. Behind the scenes, SINDA’s work is ably supported by units like the Corporate and Marketing Communications and the Corporate Services divisions. I believe that SINDA’s work is sound. We have made great inroads into the community, and together with our partners and stakeholders, we have propelled the community to greater heights. But the work does not stop there; we have much work ahead to ensure our community’s continued success. At this point, I would like to commend my predecessor, T. Raja Segar, who helmed SINDA for five years. In this time, he has done a marvelous job in bringing this organisation forward, for SINDA would not be where it is today, without his vision, passion and dedication. I congratulate him for his achievements and I wish him the very best in his future endeavours. The coming months will be filled, as always, with communal events, programmes and initiatives, and I am excited to be part of them, to meet all of you and work with our partners and stakeholders. I trust that all of you will give SINDA your continued support as I embark on this new adventure and I invite you to join me on this journey towards the next stage of development for the Singapore Indian Community.

At a Glance

I’m Vadi PVSS and This is How I Work! Coming soon: Look out for exclusive interviews with inspiring Singaporean Indians on the SINDA website in July.

www.sinda.org.sg

SINDA Wins Governance Award SINDA is the first recipient of the Special Commendation Award 2013 for Corporate Governance Policies and Strong Management, conferred by the Charity Council. The Charity Governance Awards 2013, organised in partnership with the National University of Singapore’s Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (ACSEP), brought together 140 guests from 70 organisations. Then Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong, was Guest-of-Honour at the event held at Novotel Clarke Quay.

IBR’s Vidya Daan — Gift of Learning The Indian Business-leaders’ Roundtable (IBR) hosted its inaugural fundraiser with an evening of fusion music on 22 March at the M Hotel Singapore. Over 200 members, well-wishers and guests were treated to a performance by acclaimed husband-and-wife duo, violinist Dr L Subramaniam, hailed as ‘The Paganini of Indian Classical music’, and multiplatinum singer Ms Kavita Krishnamurthy. The funds raised, more than $300,000, will benefit SINDA’s STEP and Project Teach students through a three-year subscription to the HeyMath! e-learning portal. The evening was graced by Guests-ofHonour, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Chairman, SINDA Board of Trustees and SINDA’s President Ms Indranee Rajah.

Introducing SINDA’s New CEO On July 1, SINDA welcomed our new CEO, Mr Kumaran Barathan, who succeeds Mr T Raja Segar. Mr Raja, who has led SINDA for the past five years, has moved on to pursue other personal interests. Deputy Prime Minister and SINDA’s Chairman, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, paid tribute to Mr Raja on behalf of the Board, “Raja has provided steady and thoughtful leadership, and developed a talented and dynamic senior management team. Barathan will take over a strong organisation.” Looking forward, Mr Barathan says his focus will be on creating the right synergy between the social and business sectors. This includes providing Indian students with the right skill sets beyond the academic scene so that they are well equipped for the workforce. He said, “I have always considered social and economic upward mobility through education as a lever. “I also intend to carry on building on the success of the predecessors, to reach out to the larger social community in Singapore and remain relevant to the community.” Mr Barathan is the former Chief Executive of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI). His distinguished career includes senior positions at the Economic Development Board (EDB) over 25 years.

Top Human Resource Award for SINDA COO SINDA congratulates Mrs Sarojini Padmanathan, our Chief Operating Officer and head of Corporate Services, on being named HR Professional of the Year at the 2nd HR Excellence Awards on 21 May. Mrs Sarojini received the prestigious award for her excellence in implementing change and improving organisational effectiveness, and for demonstrating extraordinary leadership qualities. Under Mrs Sarojini’s capable stewardship, SINDA became the first Self Help Group to attain the Singapore Quality Class Award (2012), as well as the People Developer Award. She has also been instrumental in strengthening and enhancing many of our manpower initiatives. “This is a recognition I never dreamt of,” Mrs Sarojini declared. “This is an accolade to all my bosses and teams and I dedicate this award to each and every HR professional.” The mother of three daughters has been a Human Resource practitioner for the last 29 years, even going as far afield as South Africa to train senior officials. Honoured for her focus, goal-oriented mindset and meticulous delivery as much as for empowering, nurturing and uniting her teams, Mrs Sarojini also writes media articles and is a sought-after trainer in essential parenting skills. She has touched many lives through her high-profile work with families.

Youths, the Herald of Change Sometimes, we need a life-changing experience to help us change the lives of others. Sharing how their eyes were opened were the 20 youths of the SINDA Young Leaders’ Programme 2014 (SYLP), at their graduation ceremony on 24 May. To their families who were there, they showcased the results of their 10-month journey with the SYLP, through presentations of their ‘Act to Change’ community projects. These ranged from short films expostulating the health of married Indian women, and the importance of proper sleep habits, to workshops on cyberbullying, and non-academic avenues for primary school Indian students; to the igniting of meaningful relationships between the elderly and orphans. SINDA President, Ms Indranee Rajah also addressed the evolving role of Indian youth in community work at the event. The SYLP is a flagship programme of the SINDA Youth Club. It aims to develop the next generation of leaders who will be active contributors in community-building and service, and exemplars in social innovation and leadership. On 18-23 March, this batch undertook an international study trip to Kerala, India, where they were exposed to community causes there, while learning more about the people, culture and history. There, they had the opportunity to learn from social groups, such as their Kerala youth counterpart ALTIUS World Malayalee Council, the National Institute of Speech & Hearing for the education and rehabilitation of the speech and hearing-impaired, and the Kudumbashree community network, one of the largest women-empowerment projects in the country. Ghayathiri, 18, from National Junior College, was particularly struck by her visit with Kudumbashree. She shared, “Visiting Kudumbashree was a very educational experience because in Singapore, gender discrimination is not widespread. However, in India it was evident that everyday affairs for women were a daily struggle. Their passion to fight for their rights and rise up in society was definitely an eye opener for us.” Vijayakumar Arul Oswin, 21, who is now serving National Service, learnt something new from Altius. “Smiling, with good thoughts, was their spiritual uniform. As they taught: we should all be generators and distributors of positive energy!”

Education Minister visits SINDA’s Tuition Programmes Education is a family affair — that’s what SINDA believes in and that’s what guides our unique approach of providing all-round services to families. Our tuition programmes and wide range of enrichment and motivational activities cater to the young ones; and parents are offered workshops that equip them with the necessary skills to support their children. This allows parents to create optimal home environments, and play engaged roles in their child’s educational pursuits. All of these complement MOE’s efforts to nurture a student-centric, values-driven education. On the evening of 1 April, Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat dropped by the Woodlands Ring Secondary STEP Centre to see this in action. “I am very happy to see that the programmes are not just about academics, but also about holistic education,” Minister Heng said. He added, “As for students, it is important to reach out to them in their social, emotional learning so that they learn to be confident, they learn to interact with other students and they learn to be resilient. Those are the qualities that we think are very important to the success of the children, not just in their studies, but for life.” He also noted that parents play a very critical role. “Most important is to encourage your children to keep trying. That way, the students build resilience.” Many parents attended the visit — a wonderful show of engaged students and supportive parents in a shared journey towards success.

Keeping an Eagle’s Eye on Our Future Malabar Gold & Diamonds - SINDA Family Health Fair Sometimes, all it takes is a little guidance to make your path seem smoother. For the 25 students who have come through the Eagle’s Eye programme, where senior Raffles Institution (RI) students mentor academically-inclined Primary 5 students from low-income Indian families, the benefits are clear. Surekha Shanmugam, now in Primary 6 at North View Primary School, is one of those who feels enriched by the experience. She shares that “over the months, I have learnt many things, such as confidence, conscientiousness and resilience, and brushed up my leadership skills.” Besides getting problem solving tips, the students also embark on learning journeys organised by the RI student mentors. They also have discussions about their individual strengths and weaknesses. “I have always looked forward to Wednesdays, as it meant going for the Eagle’s Eye programme,” Surekha smiles.

Tying in with Fathers’ Day on 15 June, SINDA celebrated the International Year of the Family with our first-ever Malabar-SINDA Family Health Fair. For some 400 adults between the ages of 18 and 50 from SINDA’s programmes, this was an opportunity to not only learn about preventive health measures, but also to get a free physical health screening. Do you know what the top-killer diseases among Indians are? Or how to deal with common illnesses? Health-conscious parents are better prepared for medical issues, having the required knowledge and skills to attend to them, and this leads to healthy families. Raising this awareness and changing attitudes towards health screening was the order of the day at the event at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre. The place was buzzing with activity - health talks, cooking demonstrations, skits and quizzes, besides the on-the-spot check-ups. Just round the corner at SINDA, the mobile mammogram bus Mamma-on-Wheels was also in action. This health fair is a joint project between established jeweller Malabar Gold & Diamonds and SINDA, in partnership with the Health Promotion Board and SATA Community Health. In an effort to cultivate regular health screening and healthy lifestyle practices in the community, Malabar Gold & Diamonds will be generously sponsoring the annual event and the health screenings for low-income families for three years.

Surekha leads her school’s Indian Dance troupe, is a prefect, and has twice won Edusave Certificates of Academic Achievement. Her Primary 5 teacher, Mrs Sreelatha Prasad, has only praise for her. “Surekha has a positive attitude towards her work and life, and her determination and commitment will lead her to success in life.” Eagle’s Eye is hosted by SINDA in collaboration with RI. This year seven pupils are in the programme, which will also offer them an opportunity to be enrolled in RI when the time comes. It has been a valuable partnership for both the mentors and mentees so far. As Surekha says, “I hope this programme will continue to inspire other kids.”

Celebrating Mothers Celebrating Families It was a whole day of fun and games for 31 families on Sunday 18 May, as they took time out from exam season to fete their mums. Among the 114 who joined in the merriment at the Singapore Indian Association was housewife Malliga, 46, who cheered, “We enjoyed the food, games and celebration. Thank you SINDA!”

What have been some of the biggest highlights in your life?

HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

One of them was winning Yaar Antha Star and embarking on my musical journey with Vasantham. This was a result of sheer hard work and intense practice sessions, which reiterated the point that there is no shortcut to success in life. The second biggest milestone was attaining straight As in my ‘A’ Levels and being named top student of National Junior College. That was a big boost to my self-belief, and it also proved that one can achieve much academically whilst pursuing other interests.

What have been challenging moments in your life?

He’s only 21, but the 2008 Yaar Antha Star has overcome naysayers and founded a movement to foster an authentic identity for the Singapore Tamil community through song. This singer and avid cricketer is determined to go places — he’s concurrently pursuing a second degree in Computer Engineering at NUS while completing his final year in Banking & Finance with the University of Wales.

There were many critics who said a boy in the media industry can never excel academically. It took me three years to dispel such narrow-mindedness, and there have been others like me since. Another challenging moment was when I was runner-up in Superstar Asia Challenge 2013. When I displayed my disappointment on TV, it led many to believe that I was an arrogant young man who had only tasted success in life. Actually, it was just my frustration and angst at missing the first prize by a mere 0.5 points and not being able to do my country proud. However, the criticism and support after the show reminded me that this path is a doublesided coin. As an artiste, I respect the opinions of my viewers.

Meet Kaushik Suresh.

How do you find time to relax amidst your busy schedule?

“Regardless of success or failure, being a good person is of paramount importance.”

What were your growing-up years like? Due to the nature of my father’s job, I spent most of my younger days shuttling from one city to another. Finally, when I was five, we settled down in Singapore and I began my schooling in a neighbourhood primary school.

I do have a busy schedule, studying for two degrees. However, performing and singing relax me, so even if I have backto-back performances on weekends, I can successfully de-stress!

Do you think that you are at a peak in your life, or is there more you want to achieve?

SINDA’s support has been essential to us as we can pool our talents with SINDA’s Youth Club to create quality media productions.

Ah… this may be a peak in my life, but just as the Himalayas has several peaks with a pinnacle in Mount Everest, I wish to out-perform my individual achievements every year, so that by the time I hang up my boots, I would have been a successful role model for young Singaporeans. That is my Mount Everest!

The entertainment industry is not a traditional choice. What advice do you have for young people who are torn between taking up careers doing what they love versus one which is seen as more grounded?

Tell us about the journey of Singai Thamizhan. In my six years in the media industry, I saw several young talents who lost their way after a couple of shows and could not find a way back in. I also observed others waiting eternally on the sidelines for a chance to act, sing, or host. Instead of starting an academy or a coaching workshop, I founded Singai Thamizhan as a non-profit initiative to provide youths with an opportunity through every song of mine. This has been possible only because of my team of passionate youth, who work tirelessly behind the scenes, coming up with new concepts and talenthunting youngsters with a passion to perform.

I am a strong believer in multi-variant personalities. Only an all-rounded individual will be able to stand out in this competitive world. We recommend all Indian youths pursue their interests in conjunction with their academics, to ensure steady progress in an uncertain future. Not everyone can become an AR Rahman or Siva Karthikeyan, so choose wisely, my friends.

There was criticism that we were a group of youngsters who were ‘trying too many different things.’ Many also said we were exploiting new talents to gain recognition for ourselves. I think our past few projects speak for themselves. We released our first single, Singai Thamizhan, introducing new talents. Subsequently we introduced singers through the theme song for the NUS Singapore Tamil Youth Conference.

How have your parents helped you get where you are today? My mother, Mrs Bharathi Suresh, was my first guru and greatest inspiration. She enrolled me for singing lessons, and from age five to 18, I studied Indian Classical Vocals. She is a talented singer herself and I was intent on making her proud! My father motivates me and pushes me to succeed in my studies and hobbies. My parents accompanied me to every competition and performance, giving me much-needed moral support in those times of pressure. I have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for all the hard work, effort and time they have invested in me. Even now, they constantly remind me that regardless of success or failure, being a good person is of paramount importance.

KAUSHIK’S PERSONAL INVITATION TO OUR YOUNG READERS Dear SINDA Connections Readers, If you believe you are talented and deserve a chance in the media industry, contact us @ Singai Thamizhan on Facebook. We promise to assess your skills and bridge the gap between you and the industry. You will not need to pay a single cent for this; neither do we earn from your talent. This is purely out of goodwill, to provide a showcase for your potential. Yours sincerely, Singai Thamizhan

Juniors Bring It On!

Camp Arise 3.0

It was a Saturday and during the school holidays at that, but that didn’t stop 191 students and their parents from making their way to Seng Kang Secondary School on 22 March.

Excitement was the order of the day for 150 lower secondary students from 11-13 June as they eagerly anticipated the activities of Camp Arise. This third edition of Camp Arise, held at Camp Challenge in Admiralty, was themed ‘Resilience – Finding your Strength’. Over the three days and two nights, the teens tested their hardiness and confidence through challenging activities that whetted their spirit of exploration and discovery.

They were eager to attend the SINDA Junior Challenge 2014, back for a third year running after enthusiastic response at the previous editions. Primary-schoolers from 19 STEP Centres showcased their talents as they engaged in healthy competition with their peers. The activities were conducted with the ultimate aim of motivating them towards better academic performance.

A chance to relive the fun was too good to pass up for several former participants, who came back as co-facilitators for the programme. They helped the students learn from their own adventures, and shared skills to respond to challenges.

After a scrumptious breakfast, the kids competed by age group in a World of Words (P1&2s), Math Madness (P3&4s) and Simply Science (P5&6s) while their parents were engaged in a talk. Mr Pugalenthii— entrepreneur, author, editor, life coach and scriptwriter—kept the adults engrossed in lively discussions on preparing work plans for the children, establishing nurturing environments, and good sleep and study habits for success. Especially popular was the topic on motivating and disciplining using humour.

The June holiday camp may be over, but participants can look forward to several stimulating booster sessions, in a year-long programme of sustained guidance. These will emphasise developing a strong core of resilience, with topics on sense of purpose, perseverance, achieving balance and harmony, developing a positive outlook in life, and understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses and limitations. With such skills in hand, it certainly looks like the competition to be a leader at next year’s camp will be keen!

The prize presentation ceremony was opened by CEO Mr Raja Segar, with trophies and medals awarded to the delighted kids. Woodlands Ring STEP Centre students were crowned Overall Champions this year. Congratulations to all participants!

Return of Camp Jumanji

Confident Primary Ones

What’s a holiday without some adventure? On 4-6 June some 100 students from Primary 4 to 6 arrived at SAFRA Yishun Country Club for a residential camp that delivered just that.

It was a proud day for the parents of 13 little ones who graduated from SINDA’s iLeap on 15 March. These youngsters had just completed a 16-week bridging programme which aided their smooth transition from kindergarten to primary school.

The excitement started a whole week earlier with some parent-child bonding fun at the half-day briefing session on 31 May. With the twin themes of Motivation and Leadership, the jam-packed June programme used experiential interactive games to inculcate a spirit of teamwork and leadership in the kids.

iLeap provides K2 pupils who did not complete or had poor attendance during their two years at kindergarten the support they need to make the leap to a formal schooling environment.

The adventure training even included an 18m-high rope course that led through the tree-tops at Yishun Park — definitely an awesome feat for the students!

The benefit is clear to these children’s parents. Said one parent, “It’s a great programme. My daughter has begun to speak in good English to the rest of the family. Her confidence level has been boosted as well.” Another mum attested, “My daughter’s social skills have improved. I see that she is able to understand her surroundings and interact in a proper manner.” Besides a full line-up of English, Maths, music and movement, art, outdoor activities and computer literacy programmes , iLeap this year also conducted weekly preparatory sessions for the whole of the first school term in Primary 1, to ease the transition. iLeap was launched on 16 November 2013 in partnership with Sarada Kindergarten, and engaged potential pre-schoolers identified by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).

Today in Parliament… Our SINDA Youth!

They had come through 10 months of SINDA’s first-ever Thought Leadership Programme begun last year, so what could be better than for these trail-blazers to finish with a firm demonstration of their leadership prowess? Organised as a graduating project, a Youth Parliament was called into session on 11 and 18 January at SINDA and The Colonial@Scotts. Over the two days, 30 participants vigorously debated issues on Singapore and the region. The young people’s positions on topics such as the economy, foreign affairs, manpower and education got an airing during the riveting sittings. In the process, the youths attained fresh perspectives on the process of policy-making and parliamentary proceedings in Singapore. It also enabled them to understand the various external and internal factors that play a crucial role in Singapore’s future. The Thought Leadership Programme was established in 2013. Its objective is to create thought leaders, by providing a platform for informal discussions with eminent leaders, so as to broaden youths’ outlook on societal and global issues. Going by the success of the first batch, we surely look forward to seeing these youths in the Parliament House in the not-so-distant future.

Ace the Race

Game On! Play a computer game while learning? Yes, you can! The Skoolbo Core Skills pilot project by Skoolbo and SINDA showed the way, with 20 six-to-eight-year-olds ‘playing’ over four Saturdays spanning 31 May to 21 June. With 60,000 literacy and maths questions available, this free game-based platform adapts to each child’s learning method and current achievements. Ms Sivakami Chinniah, Deputy Director of the Family Division at SINDA, enthused, “The Skoolbo App ensures that our children continue to learn in a fun environment, whilst being encouraged to think creatively.” SINDA will work with Skoolbo to analyse the students’ results. This includes tracking their improvement and detecting their weaknesses and strengths. Mr Tay Kok Chin, Director of Partnership at Skoolbo, said: “We are very happy to support SINDA’s national effort to level-up the literacy and numeracy skills of the Indian community. With technology, every child should be given the opportunity to read, and gain confidence with numbers.” It wasn’t just the young ones who took part in the project—while they were happily engaged in the IT lab, 20 of their parents attended Parenting sessions on how to keep their children motivated. This two-pronged approach will see this batch of pupils very well-equipped for primary school!

It’s a race to ace the finals as Junior College and Polytechnic students around Singapore embark on their final year. For many students at this crucial period, the stress can be too much to bear alone. Instead, 42 students across 15 JCs and Polys are getting a guiding hand through a ten-month long mentorship journey to face up to the challenge of performing well in school. A’s the Race proved its worth to these final-year students in 2013. G. Thanya, then in Innova Junior College, testifies, “The advice and encouragement from my mentor helped me to overcome this exhausting and difficult period. I feel really grateful that I was able to confide in someone who had gone through the same experiences and who was able to guide and support me all the way.” Lending their confidence and morale for the journey this year are 37 undergraduates from National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU), who will be mentoring the teens. They will work together with seven Project Directors from the respective institutions’ Indian Cultural Groups, with guidance from SINDA staff. The mentors and mentees will keep in regular contact, meeting up in study and sports groups, as well as for social outings as a break from hectic school schedules. Recalling the camaraderie, previous participant Heershan, from Victoria Junior College, shares, “My mentor, Senthil made a concerted effort to keep in contact and ensure I was fine both emotionally and academically. He was sensitive to my feelings despite the fact that we had clashing opinions about certain issues.” The 2014 mentors and mentees were introduced to each other at an overnight Induction Camp on 22 February. Held at the MOE Labrador Adventure Centre, it laid down the essentials for a healthy, responsible and successful mentorship. A’s the Race ends in December, when the students complete this stage of their education. Heershan is thankful for the programme. “I was truly inspired to bring out the best in myself,” he says.

Football Fever As football fervour mounted around the globe with the World Cup 2014, 70 secondary school boys were in for an experience to remember. Over the first weekend in June, these football enthusiasts underwent a two-day residential training camp that got them right into the spirit of the sport. Held at Golazo Futsal in Jurong, the ‘Half-Time’ Soccer Camp on 3-4 June was organised for the mid-year break. With circuit training, a futsal tournament, an exhibition match by established futsal teams, and the screening of popular international soccer matches, there was no lack of excitement for the teens. The activities were designed to inculcate positive values, healthy lifestyles and good study habits in the boys. They even had to follow the strict diet of professional footballers, to better understand the discipline and commitment required to be successful at soccer!

Seeing Clearly Again!

A Peek at their Future Careers

Over three days in May, some 300 SINDA students received free eye-screening and spectacles, as part of the launch of the Essilor Vision Foundation in Singapore. The initiative kicked off on 19 May with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Environment and Water Resources, personally performing an eye examination for a student. Dr Vivian was formerly the Medical Director of the Singapore National Eye Centre.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

The Essilor Vision Foundation is being established worldwide to address eye care needs of the underprivileged. Essilor, which provided the lenses, organised the event together with SINDA, in partnership with Singapore Polytechnic, whose optometry students performed the eye screenings, and BridgeAble and NPS International, both of which sponsored the spectacle frames.

That’s a question children get asked frequently, but few young ones have a firm idea of what it takes to achieve their dreams. For 25 upper Primary students, their aspirations were raised when they attended the Star Leadership programme held at SINDA over 9-11 June. They were introduced to various occupations through hands-on activities, games and simulations, videos and discussions. Over the three full days the students discovered more about nursing, teaching, accounting, and even explored artistic careers such as animation, design, and art therapy. They not only found out what academic qualifications and character traits are needed for these jobs, but also regained motivation to work hard in school. Teamwork, communication and strategy were among the key skills they picked up, to help them improve their relationships with others and aid their journey through school and into the working world.

Bolstering Maths Skills for the Major Exams SINDA continues to focus our emphasis on mathematics with a range of customised intensive programmes for students sitting for landmark examinations. Here’s what’s on offer:

Maths and Me This 14-week Maths Intensive programme for PSLE students will give the Primary 6-ers’ creative thinking skills a boost, and introduce problem-solving strategies. Maths and Me runs from 7 June-20 September.

Maths in Focus Primary 6 students weak in Maths will benefit from this 15-week Maths Intensive programme, which reinforces concepts and builds their confidence in the subject. Maths in Focus runs from 31 May-20 September.

Maths Express ‘O’ The 14-week Maths Intensive programme for ‘O’ Level students aims to enhance their problem-solving ability, expose them to different Maths thinking skills, and improve their speed and accuracy in answering standard questions. Maths Express ‘O’ runs from 5 July-18 October. For more information, contact us at 1800 295 4554.

Respecting Relationships, Protecting Families

By bringing the topic of family violence out in the open, SINDA’s road show, ‘Respecting Relationships, Protecting Families’ on 5 April has paved the way for further progress. Held at The Verge to mark the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, the road show aimed to address the pervasiveness of the issue in the local Indian community. Reaching out to the 500 participants, Social Work students from Nanyang Polytechnic and SINDA Youth Club members raised awareness on the various forms of abuse and their impact, and clarified many queries. The attending families also learnt about preventive measures and support services available to those in need. The host of activities included a quiz and a dramatic performance by Drama Box artistes. More excitement and awareness was generated with the dance by Dhool 2013 group Boombox, who performed to theme song ‘Veetin Vanmurai’ specially produced by SINDA and Ameale (Music-Audio Production) in both Tamil and Hindi. An interactive element throughout the afternoon was provided by a roving radio jockey from Oli 96.8FM, who interviewed both participants and experts present, providing greater outreach through the broadcast. Later, the experts engaged in an enlightening panel discussion hosted by Mohamed Ali of Idhayam Pesugiradhu, bringing the road show to a successful close. This event was supported by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Central Singapore CDC.

Riddle-O-Mania This contest will force you to think out of the box! Get the whole family to 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 will have to reach SINDA by 22 August 2014. 3 correct entries will each win a $50 voucher. The winning correct entries will be picked in a lucky draw. The judges’ decision is final. Winners will be contacted by SINDA to collect their prizes and their names will be published in the next issue of SINDA connections.

Name:

BC No:

School:

School Level:

Contact No:

Address: 1. Sometimes I am full, but I never overflow. What am I? Answer: 2. I belong to you. However, other people use me more than you do. What am I? Answer: 3. When I am sick, I run. However, I have no legs. What am I? Answer: 4. Two fathers and two sons go fishing. Each of them catches one fish. So why do they bring home only three fish? Answer: 5. What is special about this sentence: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog? Answer: 6. What starts with a ‘P’, ends with an ‘E’ and has thousands of letters? Answer: 7. What has to be broken before you can use it? Answer: 8. What begins with T, ends with T and has T in it? Answer:

Congratulations to the winners of the previous issue’s contest! Winners will be contacted by SINDA to collect their prizes.

9. Which month has 28 days? 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 Hsieh Fu Hua 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, PBM Secretary Mr Sarjit Singh, BBM 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