salt_2004_05_06

No. 3 May-Jun 2004

For Volunteers, Donors and Non-Profits

Money Talks

Reality Bites for Social Enterprises

Fang Ai Lian Balancing the Odds

Trevor Xie One Hunk of a Volunteer

A House is a Home More Habitats for Humanity

Tax Exempt The Heart of IRAS

In the

Family Way

contents ON THE COVER

FAMILY TIES Raffe Mohd Abura gathers his volunteer family – wife June Yahaya and children Nazrul, Nazri and Nazli – for their close-up.

Story on page 11.

Photographed for SALT

by Andy Wong, RAVE Photography; styling by Eric Tan.

SALT No. 3 May-Jun 2004

SOCIAL BUZZ 14 Non-profits are fired up by making money to feed their social aims.

BRENDA YEO quizzes those behind the welfare scene who dare think profits.

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LETTER FROM SALT

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MAILBAG

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NEWS BRIEFS A wrap-up of events, programmes and activities in the People Sector.

PEOPLE MOVEMENTS Appointments and new postings in the People Sector.

11 VOLUNTEER PROFILE SALT turns the spotlight on Raffe Mohd Abura and his family.

13 PEOPLE SECTOR PEOPLE Brick by brick, Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity, builds a better future.

27 WALK THE TALK The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore declares its public giving side.

28 SALT AND PEPPER Susan J. Ellis weighs the differences between volunteers and donors.

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IN THE FAMILY WAY The family is currently one big deal on the national agenda.

MONICA LIM considers Singapore’s baby steps towards flourishing family life.

DEPARTMENTS

29 SALT TALKS NVPC’s Chairman Willie Cheng, looks beyond the headlines towards a new era in giving.

24 SALT SHAKERS AND MOVERS

Balancing the Odds Fang Ai Lian channelled a family grief into something altogether positive and inspiring. ANNA TEO of The Business Times totes up the very public benefits from a very personal account.

31 NEW SALT Stray Watch: The Student Advisory Centre’s Search and Rescue mission.

32 SCENE AND SEEN 34 CALENDAR 36 A DASH OF SALT

May-Jun 2004 S A LT •

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L E T T E R

F R O M

S A L T

SALT is a non-profit magazine with a managed circulation for members of non-profit organisations, grant-makers and companies in Singapore.

Those interested in receiving a copy, please email salt@nvpc.org.sg.

We regret that the print run prevents fulfilling all requests.

International readers please email subscriber requests and mailing details.

There will be an annual postage and handling charge for all international subscribers.

MANAGING EDITOR Monica Gwee

EDITOR Daven Wu

EDITORIAL COORDINATORS Gayle Koh Winnie Koh

PUBLISHING CONSULTANT AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE Epigram SALT is published bi-monthly by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre 7 Maxwell Road #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex Singapore 069111 Tel: 6325 0955 Fax: 6221 0625 Website: www.nvpc.org.sg Email: salt@nvpc.org.sg Copyright is held by the publisher.

All rights reserved.

Production in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in SALT are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

ot quite yet into mid-2004 and already the pace is red-hot in the NonProfit and People Sector. Just watch this space as the year unfolds and don’t say we didn’t warn you. This issue couldn’t go to print without a considered view on the (very) public debate surrounding the National Kidney Foundation. Check out pg 29.

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SALT also examines the nation’s main agenda item: the family. In case you haven’t already noticed and failed to receive a public service reminder, children are a scarce national resource. And marriage, worrisomely for national planners, has become more an option than the norm. What gives? A lot. SALT scopes marriage, family life, children, divorce and the healing hand of the Family & Juvenile Court as we celebrate the International Year of the Family. All views on the shifting reality are welcome.

Our main feature is an inside look at (Non-Profit) Profits, notably, the status of social enterprises in Singapore. Good hearts and fine intentions just don’t cut it; business realities bite. It’s a balance and some fine work and focused individuals are meeting the challenge in “Money Talks”.

Volunteers are a varied bunch. Take Trevor Xie, a triathalon hunk whose potentially hot social life takes second place to runaways and his Student Advisory Centre. Like so many unique volunteer stories (see also the Raffe family featured on the cover), personal conviction and energy spring into powerful, life-changing action. This young man you definitely want to take home to show any mother.

Printed by UIC Printing & Packaging MITA (P) 197/11/2003 To advertise, please call Cynthia Tay at tel: 6292 4456 Email: cynthia@epigram.com.sg or Gayle Koh at tel: 6422 7129 Email: gayle@nvpc.org.sg

And speaking of mothers, leaders and inspiring individuals – this issue’s SALT Shakers & Movers is as modern a juggler as they come. It’s a challenging, vigorous world for those who dare venture beyond themselves and immediate comfort zones, and Mrs Fang Ai Lian is one of the many inspiring stories Singapore owns.

The non-profit sector, as they say, rocks. Discover.

Monica Gwee Director, Marketing & Community Partnerships National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

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MAILBAG

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE? We welcome your letters, news of upcoming events and pictures. Please send them to SALT, 7 Maxwell Road, #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex, Singapore 069111; or email salt@nvpc.org.sg. Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters and articles may be edited for space and clarity.

Dear SALT, read the recent articles regarding the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) reserves with some interest, because that kind of led me to my question.

I had written to both NKF and the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF), and got replies from both organisations. My take is still this: 1. Is it really that economical or productive, to maintain two separate organisations serving the same needs?

2. As far as I can see, KDF does not possess the kind of reserves NKF has, so I wonder how KDF is able to maintain the kind of operational and equipment costs with little of the reserves that NKF requires to project for the next 3-5 years?

3. Why is NKF not contributing to KDF? There are many more questions…

Dear SALT, am against the “stunts for money” charity shows (“Fear Factor” Mar/Apr issue). It’s a total disgrace to Singaporeans and the values we believe in. It wasn’t the stunts that made me pick up the phone but the heart-wrenching profiles of the less fortunate.

And whether the performances were for truly altruistic reasons or not, I am baffled. The tears that flowed with their pleas for donations? Let’s not forget that many of them are Singapore’s A-list actors and actresses.

I’m also surprised that the Venerable Shi Ming Yi chose to endorse these acts. As a religious figure, surely he should practise good faith in the belief of the innate kindness of humanity? His endorsement is a tacit admission that, like the ice that he soaked himself in, the citizens of this multi-religious country are cold and without feeling.

Perhaps we are: obsessed with making money and where casino talks can spur more interest than helping the underprivileged. The media is a powerful medium.

Using it appropriately will certainly encourage spontaneity in volunteer work.

Our stars may then stage live performances to thank the nation.

Dear SALT, our article “The Missing Hand of Adam Smith” (SALT Talks, Mar/Apr issue) aptly discusses the disconnect between revenues and expenses in the non-profit sector. But what is ‘revenue’ when beneficiaries typically pay nothing or less than the cost of providing the goods or services? A way to demonstrate ‘revenue’ is often the value that a beneficiary derives from the service rendered.

Non-profit organisations (NPOs) that clearly demonstrate this value don’t need to measure the ‘revenue’ they have generated as a result of their work. Ren Ci Hospital has been successful in raising funds without offering prizes because donors see the value provided and the sincerity of the administrators. Donors feel their donations will be maximized for the beneficiaries as expenses will be kept to a minimum.

Food From The Heart (FFTH) is a NPO that will continue to struggle balancing ‘revenue’ and expenses. FFTH tags a monetary value on the amount of collected bread ($200,000 per month) as a justification for the $20,000 monthly operating expense.

This excludes the value of volunteers’ time and expense.

This monetary value ought to be derived from the beneficiaries’ perspective, but how do you measure the value received by the beneficiaries when the amount and type of bread received are subjected to fluctuations on the donating bakeries’ business for the day? What value do you put on an unsold donut for an elderly citizen who prefers a hot bowl of porridge?

FFTH founders’ intents are laudable and their efforts have managed to stir a large number of Singaporeans to become volunteers.

When a monetary measure is used for the ‘revenue’, people will question the real expense required to generate the ‘revenue’. This is the balance that it needs to deal with as people will continue to question the high operating costs. Until FFTH fully articulates the value of their service, its effort will be viewed more as a ‘reduce waste’ campaign.

Tracy Ow, Volunteer

Lawrence Goh

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Quah Siew Thiam

Dear SALT, posted a notice for volunteer educators on NVPC’s website.

The Children’s Cancer Foundation’s (CCF) Public Education department needed them to conduct fun yet educational school talks on childhood cancer facts and myths.

For the last couple of weeks, different volunteers enquired, but there was only one ad-hoc volunteer who could commit to this unique project. I was getting discouraged.

But one morning, two teachers called me! One read about the request and later received word that she could volunteer her Community Involvement Programme hours to run the talks for me. The other saw the NVPC ad on the MRT, found out more, and ended up volunteering in the morning before her classes. On top of that, she even scheduled an assembly talk for us in her school.

That was such a bonus!

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Evangeline Goh, Public Education Officer, Children’s Cancer Foundation

Editor’s note: Such feedback is a great encouragement to all who work with volunteers. Thank you, pass the word – and the SALT!

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DUTCH TREAT

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ay the Force be with your wealth. As private and corporate wealth go global, so do wealth and charity management. Dutch private bank MeesPierson, launched its Charity Management Services on April 1.

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A WRAP-UP OF HAPPENINGS AROUND SINGAPORE

Home Team Ambassador Hendrik van Pesch, Netherlands (left) and Mr Pim Mol, Member of the Managing Board, MeesPierson (right).

Volunteers from the HomeCare Programme visit 8 year-old Aslan Fassam and his family at home. Aslan has cerebral palsy.

ome care for children with physical and mental challenges exacts an emotional and financial toll on parents and care-givers. The Viriya-KK Children’s Hospital HomeCare Programme’s three pronged approach provides valuable support.

Voluntary Welfare Organisation Viriya Community Services adopted the programme for three years with an initial pledge of $500,000. The programme offers parents structured in-patient training, equipment resource and a homecare team.

The programme just completed a “befriender” recruitment drive for 10 volunteers, each assigned to a child for homecare visits and counselling support. The new injection of funds means the programme can now also help families hard-put to pay for their child’s medical expenses. An estimated 60% of new patients on the programme require some form of financial help.

Photo by Singapore Sports Council

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PEAK PERFORMANCE hat role can sports play in millennial Singapore? How can it contribute to building and keeping communities? These were some of the issues aired at the Sports Summit 2004 on 12-13 March. Organised by the Singapore Sports Council, the event attracted participants from the local sports fraternity and distinguished speakers from around the world including those from Dale Carnegie Training and the World Sports Group.

Professor Jurgen Palm (Trim and Fitness International Sport for All Association), spoke on the role of volunteers for contemporary sports management. He pointed out how voluntary activity brings the social network in a country closer, and actually has an economic value. The long jump for stitching the social fabric? Team sports as a template for nation building? Quite possibly!

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Guest speaker Tim Egold delivers the low down on Team Building.

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It is the first bank in Asia to offer such specific services. MeesPierson aims to create relationships where investors receive ‘social returns’ on their investment. The services also reflect a growing call for more transparency in charity management and governance across Asia.

With a history stretching over 300 years, MeesPierson has a long tradition in charity management and philanthropy.

Besides assisting high net worth individuals and families towards charity giving and charitable strategies, the service is also designed to help charities and nonprofits optimise their assets and cashflow management.

An estimated US$15 billion to US$20 billion in assets are currently held by nonprofits in the region. Mr Terry Farris heads MeesPierson’s Charity Management in Asia.

BUSINESS WELFARE he corporate flavour of the times is ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. Swinging into action, the British High Commission held a two-day seminar “Business in the Community” on 23-24 February.

The programme raised the profile of corporate pay-back from the perspectives of government, business, environment, religious organisations and Non-Government Organisations.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of State,Trade and Industry and National Development, delivered the keynote address. He emphasised the bond between sustainable economic development and corporate social responsibility, defining the latter as a corporation’s “social license to operate”.

The Government, he said, could assist by matching willing corporate contributors to the needs of society.

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Cross Our Hearts

Left: Residents from the Red Cross Home for the Disabled enjoying themselves at the Red Cross International Bazaar.

Below: His Excellency President S R Nathan with the volunteers from the Malaysian High Commission.

t was an event that combined two Singaporean favourite past-times: eating and shopping.

And all for a good cause. This year’s Red Cross International Bazaar on 3 April celebrated the International Spirit of Volunteerism. Some 200 food and game stalls popped up at the Singapore Expo, their themes criss-crossing the globe with contributions from local embassies and a host of international community big-wigs.

Through the event, the Singapore Red Cross hoped to raise $500,000 for its humanitarian efforts here. Visitors slurped on Turkish ice-cream, chowed into hot-dogs, tapped with dancers from Brazil, Pakistan and the Middle-East while children were wowed by magic shows. Later that night, ambassadors and captains of industry tangoed the night away at the event’s highlight, “The Cocktail and Sambal Night”.

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A SHOE-IN

PASSING WITH FLYING COLOURS

ashion boutiques JWest and Malebox recently stepped up to the mark when they launched a charity initiative (15 February – 15 March) where second-hand shoes were donated to the poor through the Salvation Army. Donors were to receive cash vouchers redeemable at the boutiques.

Photo by Nautical Concept

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n 28 March, the Central Singapore Community Development Centre (CDC) broadcast a call to households to donate unwanted but still useable items such as wheelchairs, old TV sets, all sizes of fans, rice cookers, beds and kettles. The event, Pass It On @ Central Singapore, was held at Toa Payoh’s HDB Atrium. The CDC matched the items, donated on-line, to the needy through various Voluntary Welfare Organisations. Once a match was found, the items were picked up from the donor and delivered directly to the recipient.

The HDB Atrium also hosted a carnival selling ethnic masks, hand-made cards, batik and recycled crafts made by Bishan Park Secondary School.

Carnival proceeds went towards the Dare to Care fund to help defray transportation costs. The project is ongoing. Check out www.passiton.org.sg.

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As it turned out, nearly 4,000 pairs of shoes, some brand new and still in their original boxes, were donated with many donors declining the vouchers.The response proved so overwhelming, the collection period was extended for a fortnight.This is not the first time the boutiques have been involved in community projects. Previously, they gave away watches for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and raised funds for earthquake victims in Turkey.

PEOPLE MOVEMENTS Teo Puay Leng is the Executive Director of the newly established O’Joy Care Services. Formerly the Manager of Community Services Department at Shan You Counselling Centre, she has more than 13 years of experience in counselling, social work and volunteer training and management.

O’Joy Care Services was established by Teo and a group of professionals in the field of social services to fill gaps in the service delivery system, specifically the psycho-emotional needs of the older person and their families.

Email: puaylteo@starhub.net.sg After mulling over a “part-time”decision for over a year, Lau Tat Chuan switched gears to exercise his passion and devote more energy to the mission of the Centre for Fathering Ltd (CFF), where he has been a Director since 3 September 2001. He also drives the vision of CFF’s entrepreneurial arm, as Executive Director of CFF-Living Resources Pte Ltd. Lau has 15 years of private sector experience in engineering, management consulting, human resource management and, most recently, corporate banking. Tel. 64550038, email: tatchuan@fathers.com.sg Sharifah Mariam Said Ahmad joined Heartware Network on 1 March 2004 as its Administrative Manager.Formerly from the banking sector, she brings her knowledge and experience to help strengthen office administrative capabilities.Her role also includes helping in volunteer management and developing MAD (Making A Difference) Movement.

For the past 8 years, Sharifah has also personally volunteered at the Dover Park Hospice.

She was involved in setting up a committee for Malay-speaking volunteers, and currently still helps out with the recruitment of new volunteers. Tel: 6 3274414, email: sharifah@ heartware-network.org Kelvin Lim is the new Volunteer Coordinator of Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA), expanding his Executive Officer role which he has held for the past two years.

From his days as a volunteer in school, he remains, 12 years on, still a volunteer with Temasek Reachout And Neighbourhood Service (TRANS) Centre, helping in different areas. He is also a volunteer instructor with the Singapore Life Saving Society’s Aquatic Programme for People with Disabilities (APDU), involved in water safety, lifesaving techniques and swimming for the disabled.

Tel: 62543006, email: kelvin@hwa.org.sg May-Jun 2004 S A LT •

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PEOPLE MOVEMENTS Oon Jin Teik, 41, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at the Singapore Sports Council.

As an athlete, he represented Singapore at the Southeast Asia, Asian and Commonwealth Games, as well as the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

In recent years, he has continued his involvement in the sports arena serving as a member of the sub-committee on Enhancing Athlete Support Infrastructure, and sits on the Committee on Sporting Singapore. He received the ESSO Sports Scholar Award in 1980. Tel: 63409502 Lee Mui Ngah is the new Director of Volunteer Programs for Habitat for Humanity International – Asia Pacific, based in Bangkok. Habitat for Humanity International, a Christian-based worldwide, grassroots movement, seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness globally, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

Lee worked previously as a Director of the Singapore Volunteers (SVO) Programme at the Singapore International Foundation.

Tel: 662-6320415 Julius Koh has been appointed Programme Manager of Christian Outreach to the Handicapped (COH). Trained in marketing and mass communications, his previous work included media planning and copywriting in the advertising industry.When he left full-time employment to do freelance copywriting, he volunteered at COH, where those with various disabilities are challenged to find places in special schools, sheltered workshops or other day care services.

Subsequently, Koh joined COH as an instructor to teach youths with autism. His current work involves programme planning, staff development and volunteer coordination. Tel: 64409740/4/5, email: julius@coh.org.sg Dennis Lee is the new Executive Director of The Singapore Scout Association (SSA). He was previously Senior Director (Administration) overseeing human resource and finance for the Singapore International Foundation. One of his immediate priorities at SSA is to raise professionalism in managing the association’s programmes and to explore innovation in youth development.

These include working with school and community-based groups with the Scouts’ mission towards youth education and character building. Mr Lee is also actively involved in many social causes. Tel: 62592858, email: dennis@scout.org.sg

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Mobile Coverage t began as a service by the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) under the TEACH ME (Therapy and Educational Assistance to Children in Mainstream Education) banner back in 1991. The service offered about 40 children physiotherapy and speech therapy from specially equipped vans. Today, the number has grown to 256 youngsters in 160 schools, most suffering from spina bifida, cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. Not surprisingly, the vans (three in all) are old and inadequate for the task, with constant breakdowns and high maintenance costs.

New vans are needed and the AWWA has launched a fund-raising effort, notably, reaching out to corporate sponsors. The target sought is around $300,000. For more information, log onto www.awwa.org.sg.

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R E G I O N A L

HEARING AID hare with us your inner thoughts,” the flyer invited, “something you’ve never told anyone.”The simple invite elicited an unexpected outpouring of emotions, grief and joy.

The surprising quantity and depth of experiences, often submitted in handwriting, is now a precious anthology of 77 deeply personal stories in My Voice. The stories offer a searing insight into the psyche of today’s displaced youth. Hope and despair feature in equal parts; more than that, My Voice provided a release valve and encouraged self-expression. The project, initiated by fashion entrepreneur, Ms Elim Chew, was an open forum on painful issues the editors felt were often discouraged and denied by our culture.

All sale proceeds from the book will fund programmes run by The Young Entrepreneur Mastery, a non-profit that helps provide life skills, innovative and creative programmes and communication techniques for youths. My Voice ($12.90) is available at major bookstores. An accompanying CD ($10) produced by songwriter and composer Martin Tang, is available at HMV.

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One of the pilot project’s beneficiary communities in Metro Manila.

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JEANS THERAPY he Philippines has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Asia, with 47% of the country’s unemployed aged between 17 and 24.This is around 2.1 million youths. With education and health training key factors towards a turn-around, the Levi Strauss Foundation recently granted US$350,000 (spread over two and half years) to Philippines-based Consuelo Foundation, Inc. The grant is to manage a Community Coalition Pilot targeting 500 youths from five of the most denselypopulated and impoverished communities in Metro Manila. Mainstream public technical education concentrates on vocational skills training, but these youths will benefit from integrated new courses on reproductive health (including HIV/AIDS education), and leadership and entrepreneurial skills.The goal is to provide students with life skills that enable them to lead meaningful and productive lives within their communities, and ultimately to break out of the poverty cycle.

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AND THE NOMINEES ARE… Nominations are now open for the Asia Pacific NGO Awards which will be awarded on 16 September 2004 in Manila. The awards, organised by The Resource Alliance and sponsored by Citigroup Foundation, recognise excellence and professionalism in the non-profit sector, highlighting good practice and standards for resource mobilisation.The deadline for nominations is 15 July.

For more information, log onto www.resourcealliance.org.

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Family Ties Everyone in this family volunteers. From fashioning tuna chilli padi curry puffs, to sweeping, to “the Giant Trampoline”.

It’s a piece of kuey says DAVEN WU. n a classic turn of less becoming more and negative turning positive, Raffe Mohd Abura first started volunteering when he was out of work in 2002.

“I applied to Mendaki (a selfhelp group set up by the Malay/Muslim community to empower the disadvantaged through education) for educational assistance for my sons. They, in turn, asked us to help out on ad hoc projects,” Raffe recalled.

Before anyone knew it, the entire family was putting in time for various charity events and causes. “My whole family are volunteers,” Raffe said proudly, indicating his wife June Yahaya and their three sons Nazrul, 11, Nazri, 10 and Nazli, 5.

As far as Raffe is concerned, volunteer work has reconnected him with his family. And in the bigger picture, this is an accomplishment that more than justifies the amount of time the family devotes to various causes.

Not that it was always like this.

“Because of my work, I used to spend minimal time with my kids,” he said.

“Now because of our volunteer work, my relationship with them and my wife is very close. And it’s helped me to see that they’ve also changed for the better.

They’re very civic-minded.”

And the family shows, in their own way, how everyone can help. Wife, June whips up towering batches of tuna chilli padi and potato curry puffs. The kids clean up after events, sweep floors, and help set up event areas by carrying tables and chairs.

If there’s an event that needs volunteer help, Raffe insists the entire family

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runs educational, social and recreational programmes to help keep troubled youths in the education system. It also works to engage them in healthy activities to develop their sense of belonging to the community.

“These kids were often just at the wrong place at the wrong time. They could be part of a small street corner gang. Once they’re caught by the police, they’re immediately remorseful. At heart, they’re not rebellious. What we try to do is to help them realise that everybody makes mistakes,” Raffe explained.

“If you look at the word volunteer, it means a lot. You meet new friends, you open new horizons. Money is not the issue. Before, my attitude was, why do work for no money?”

goes together. It’s now gotten to the point where the children prefer to spend time at Mendaki (“They consider it their second home!”) rather than play with other kids in the void deck.

Meanwhile, June supplies her increasingly famous curry puffs for the Friday tea-breaks at the Muhammadiyah Welfare Home, a youth development programme.

For Raffe, the volunteering process reinforces not only community ties, but also encourages others to join. His community work involvement is extensive. Besides regular work with Mendaki (“I tell them, whenever there is an event, please give us a call”), he is also Vice-Chairman for the Giant Trampoline Project.

This pilot project for youths-at-risk

The “Giant Trampoline” refers to the metaphorical safety net there to help the youths bounce back should they fall.

“If you look at the word volunteer, it means a lot,” he continued.

“You meet new friends, you open new horizons. Money is not the issue. Before, my attitude was, why do work for no money? I will contribute to any community’s causes. As long as it does some good.”

When the youngest son, Nazli, was injured recently and had to be hospitalised, overwhelming support poured in. For Raffe, it revealed the depth of reciprocal commitment his volunteering work has generated.

“Doing volunteer work makes you realise that you’re actually part of a big family. Also it helps you bond with your own family and isn’t that what the government is always emphasising?”

What are the ties that bind? Just look to Raffe Mohd Abura’s family. ✩ May-Jun 2004 S A LT •

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Building Blocks Brick by brick, Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, tells DAVEN WU how he builds a better future.

n the world according to Millard Fuller, the home is the fundamental tenet of a society – a shelter, a refuge, a sanctuary and, more importantly, a symbol of that society’s conscience. And for Fuller and his wife Linda, their life mission is nothing short of eradicating poverty housing and homelessness around the world.

In Singapore recently for the official launch of Habitat For Humanity Singapore, Fuller, an urbane Southern gentleman with impeccable manners, pulls no punches about the work carried out by his group Habitat For Humanity International. In particular, he underlines the need for more people to get involved, urging one and all to think beyond political boundaries and to fulfil our larger roles as citizens of the world.

Fuller’s story is very much that of St Paul on the Road to Damascus updated

by John Grisham. Once upon a time, he was a successful lawyer in Alabama. “I became very wealthy,” he recalls, “but I neglected my wife and family. I was devoting my life to dollars, calculating how much I was making per minute. And I drifted away from my Christian faith.”

Following a period of intense soul searching and marriage counselling, he reconciled with his wife and decided on a life of service and to “giving away our money”. But the path the Fullers chose was a little more than simply writing monthly cheques to needy causes.

Photo by Habitat for Humanity

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region,” Fuller said. And first off the mark is the ‘100-House Campaign’, a bold initiative to build 100 homes in Batam and neighbouring countries.

But Habitat is not a charitable handout. Beneficiaries of the programme are expected to pay for their house, albeit through interest free loans. “We build a simple decent place to live within the context of that culture.

Something that the locals can afford, otherwise you create a dependency,” Fuller explains.

“The big task we have,” he says “is that most people in Singapore have never heard of Habitat For Humanity. I am very optimistic about Singapore’s efforts in this area. It’s obvious to me that there is a dedicated group of people here.”

In 2001, six teams from Singapore went abroad to build homes. In 2002, there were 10 teams, 12 last year. And this year, Habitat For Humanity expects to send out 20 teams. For Fuller, the numbers are reassuring, but more than that, they indicate a deeper cause for hope.

“Singapore can be an international hub for this kind of work – there’s so much talent, so much resources here.

Much has been given to you. You are very connected with the world, incredibly aware of world events, but perhaps you’re not as connected with the poorer sectors.

“As a society, you can make a huge difference to the world. I believe that there’s a purpose for our existence in our lives. I felt that Habitat For Humanity was mine. Singapore is blessed and I think you are blessed for the reason of blessing others. Possibly, you have not yet fulfilled your destiny to help the poor.” ✩

A nail at a time: Millard Fuller (right) building a Habitat For Humanity home.

Inspirationally, it was to build homes for the poor.

Started in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International now operates in more than 3,000 communities in 89 countries. It has built more than 150,000 houses for needy families.

Though the group is unapologetically a (non-profit) Christian organisation, it caters to all faiths, ethnicity, backgrounds and professions. Each year, Habitat chapters around the world send out 400 teams of volunteers to build homes.

Every 26 minutes, a Habitat house is being built somewhere.

So, why set up a chapter in overbuilt, urban Singapore? Singapore is in a special category, along with the Netherlands, of countries with no poverty housing.

“The purpose of the Singapore office is to coordinate projects in the Asean

“Much has been given to Singapore. You are very connected with the world, incredibly aware of world events, but perhaps you’re not as connected with the poorer sectors.”

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MONEY TALKS Social Enterprise is all the buzz.

But is this idea of non-profits and charities making money a fad, or the future for welfare organisations? BRENDA YEO quizzes those who dare.

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on-profits making profits. It’s the new black on the whitewashed welfare scene.

The concept of non-profits setting up sustainable businesses that could feed their social aims has fired up Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs). Some have leapt onto the bandwagon, others are at least giving the buzz a once-over.

Social enterprises (SEs) are not entirely new to Singapore. A handful have been around for some time. The Industrial Services and Co-operative Society (ISCOS) is one. Here, former prison inmates are re-integrated into society through work rehabilitation and commercial activities such as industrial cleaning services, and the production and sale of ISCOS’s own branded products. There is also a job placement service.

Operating in the same vein are halfway homes for former drug addicts such as Christian Care Services Centre and Highpoint Community Services Association.

The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled (MINDS) – which provides social skills development, sheltered employment and vocational training for the intellectually disabled – also runs commercial activities like headset recycling for Singapore Airlines and managing thrift shops and a car wash.

But social enterprises as a viable vehicle for non-profits received a leg-up only as recently as last year. The Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCDS) dangled the carrot of the Social Enterprise Fund (SEF) in March 2003.

The $2 million annual seed money fund is available to start or scale-up social enterprises. At press time, 16 projects had qualified for $1.65 million in grants. More will be tabled in April 2004 for this financial year’s allocation.

And at the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre’s Annual Conference in October last year, social entrepreneurs were the certainly the hot flavour.

“Mr Condom”, Dr Mechai Viravaidya, founder of Thailand’s Population and Community Development Association, joined forces with Dr Rick Aubry, the Schwab Foundation’s Outstanding Social Entrepreneur 2002 and Executive Director of Rubicon Programs Inc, USA, and inventor of the bubble wrap, entrepreneur Mr Trevor Yaxley of the Lifeway Ministries Trust. The trio shamelessly plugged SES. All showcased stirring examples of innovative and sustainable social enterprises safely in the black.

Hype aside, what is the case for social enterprises?

Are public and private funds for charities drying up?

On the contrary.

Funding for VWOs is up 14% from last year, bringing this year’s funding from public coffers to $64 million.

This rise follows on the heels of a 60% increase in VWO funding between 2001 and 2003.

Mrs Ng-Tan Poh Su Last year, high profile charities like Ren Ci Hospital Beyond Imagination Pte Ltd & Medicare Centre, the National Kidney Foundation and the President’s Challenge among others, reported bumper takings from fund raising drives – all at a time when the average Singaporean was tightening his belt anticipating tough times ahead.

So why the need for VWOs to set cash registers ringing? For one, not all who ask will necessarily receive.

“There may be a flaw in the distribution system. There may be more people giving money, but funds may not be channeled to all the organisations that need them badly – probably because such charities don’t know how to brand themselves as well,” said Mr Lee Poh Wah, Business Development Manager with MCDS and advocate for social enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Just ask the non-profits that have taken the plunge. Most will tell you that the fight for the charity dollar is keen and getting keener. With more than 1,600

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“I have sleepless nights over when to do charity and when to do business.”

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registered charities in Singapore, the “not so sexy” stand to lose out on a share of the pie.

For non-profits like the Centre for Fathering, a family life focused organisation that aims to promote responsible fatherhood, a social enterprise arm is a potential cash cow. “We need the money,” director Lau Tat Chuan says bluntly.

With his fellow director Edwin Choy, Mr Lau has teamed up with Food & Beverage industry veteran Ban Haw Leong to start Khun Bun, a café with Thai-style toast, bread and rice dishes on the menu. Local design firm Pico Arts contributed interior design and fittings.

Khun Ban is one of the 16 SEF projects seeded by MCDS. Nett profits will be plowed back to the Centre for Fathering Ltd and Friends of the Disabled Society. The trio also intends to commit a portion of profits to Thai-based charities, Aids Care Education & Training and the House of Grace orphanage.

Key players, however, are quick to point out that social enterprises are not all about money. Non-profits and VWOs that have joined the fray say the enterprises are an avenue for them to engage the community they serve, in productive and rewarding activity.

Case in point: Enterprise@UFUK. This project is run by UFUK, a Yayasan Mendaki run co-operative. It aims to set up shop by June 2004 and will hire the chronically unemployed to provide cleaning services.

Whatever the SE’s motive, Mr Lee believes the people sector will benefit from the experience. “If in doing business, VWOs learn to set goals, be customer-centric, better manage their resources and leverage on their assets, market their business then they would have built up their capability, which can then translate into their social work.

“I tell VWOs, ‘It’s not enough for you to do good, you must do sustainable good’. It’s about developing and resourcing yourself for longevity,” he adds.

But can these SEs survive?

Below: A moving business. Christian Care Services Centre’s moving team smiles for the camera.

Picture by Christian Care Services Centre

Above: Women at work.

Beyond Imagination retails products by the women of Songkhem, Cambodia.

Picture by Beyond Imagination Pte Ltd

WHO GETS FUNDING The Social Enterprise Fund is backing 16 projects with its first $2 million.

Here are some of them: WHO: Bridge Learning Pte Ltd WHAT: Offers affordable learning support programmes for students with learning disabilities or difficulties. Lower income families get additional subsidies in return for two to three hours of community service a month. Starts April 2004.

WHO: Ikhlas Holdings Pertapis WHAT: A catering business employing former addicts. Revenue will go to supporting Pertapis, a non-profit that aids needy members of the Malay/ Muslim community.

WHO: Rosemary Chng & Associates WHAT: A consultancy, training and project management business special-

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ising in fundraising and public education programmes. Charities get discounted rates. Profits go to nominated charities.

WHO: Retired & Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) Proguide WHAT: A consultancy for VWOs and small and medium sized enterprises. Consultants are retired CEOs and CFOs. Earned income will sustain the programme.

WHO: Xrgomics Pte Ltd and the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) WHAT: The project involves development of assistive keyboards for the disabled.

Members of SPD are actively involved in development and trials.Xrgomics will share revenues with SPD.

I’M A SURVIVOR? Mr Lee concedes that some of the 16 projects awarded may not cut it. “Its tough even for ‘normal’ small businesses to survive especially in a developed market like Singapore,” he notes. “More so for social enterprises, which have to juggle their business and social objectives.”

Consider Beyond Imagination Pte Ltd. The company sells products made by poor communities in developing countries such as Cambodia and Thailand. It aims to channel at least 50% of its nett profits to funding Girls’ Brigade programmes in the region.

Company director and co-founder, Mrs Ng-Tan Poh Suan has had “sleepless nights over when to do charity and when to do business.”

And she found striking a balance to be very much like managing a basket of investments. “You can’t expect all of your investments to perform all of the time. I will support a worthy cause, say, the orphanage in Thailand for children with AIDS – we took products from them, even though we knew they probably wouldn’t sell here – and rely on margins from our better performing products to make up for it.”

A year down the road, the company has turned a profit.

And while neither Mrs Ng-Tan nor co-founder, Mrs Pearlie Lim has drawn a salary since they started the business, they managed to give their staff a bonus last year. A recent grant injection from the SEF will fund the directors’ salaries in the year ahead.

The company has also branched into education consultancy, where they deploy retired top-tier talents from the education sector on projects. They won their first contract in Indonesia early this year.

Right: Tech savvy. Yeo Jie Wee of the Society for the Physically Disabled assists Edwin Ng, co-founder of Xrgomics in development and trial of assistive keyboard for the disabled.

Picture by Society for the Physically Disabled

DON OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE on Wong has been in business for nine years – the business of giving ex-addicts a second chance at life.

Pastor Wong runs the Highpoint Community Services Association, a halfway home for ex-addicts, which recently received funds from the Social Enterprise Fund to start two new enterprises – a car polish and a catering business.

Highpoint has made a name for itself in the moving, maintenance and painting businesses. But it wasn’t always smooth going. In its first six years of operation, Highpoint chalked up heavy deficits.

Receipts from commercial activities barely covered 50% of their expenses. Today, receipts fund 85% of total expenditure. The remainder is borne by churches and donations.

And Pastor Wong must take the credit for turning these businesses around. He speaks out: On delivering professional service… “Delivery and quality of services is everything. Social enterprises should not expect favours. In the business world – one plus one is two. If you want them to pay a $100, make sure you give them $100 worth of service.”

On learning from mistakes… “When we first started in the moving business, we made a lot of mistakes. We were busy, busy, busy all the time.

We couldn’t figure out why we were still making so little.

“But we learned. The companies with a strong brand and name were outsourcing to us. We were doing the work, but they made the margins. So five years ago – we got our own Highpoint branded uniforms and stickers, painted our white trucks and put our number on the trucks – that’s when the calls started coming in.”

On getting monkeys when you pay peanuts…

“Labour deserves their wages – you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. When we first started, we gave them (ex-addicts) an allowance of about $100 a week for the work they did. Not only could our guys not survive on that, our service was not up to standard.

“In 2001, even running at a deficit, we decided to act. It was time to raise the self-esteem of our guys, to train them and make them understand their worth. We raised their salaries from $100 a week to $50 a day – that changed everybody’s mindset. Our service went up a few notches.

“By 2002, even though we were paying more, keeping more people and providing more jobs, we actually had surpluses.”

On partnership… “I’m a dreamer. I can share my vision, but I need professional and strategic partners to come around and say,‘Let me help you to put things in place.’”

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WANTED: TOWKAYS & MOTHER TERESAS Clearly, reconciling business and social objectives and dealing with the realities of delivering market quality products and services can be done and done well.

“But the ‘can do’ spirit is a must,” cautions Mrs Ng-Tan. “So is having access to the right expertise. You don’t have to have the expertise, you just need to be thick skinned – ask for advice and pull in external resources.”

Mr Lee from MCDS agrees. “Unless you are a cross between Richard Branson and Mother Teresa, setting up and sustaining a social enterprise is not easy. But getting businessmen who buy into the vision and who have the know-how and connections to help open doors, can make it so much easier.”

The majority of the SEF seeded projects feature some form of corporate or professional input. UFUK, for instance, has roped in cleaning industry expertise to help set up systems; while the Centre for Fathering has Ban Haw Leong of Genki Sushi fame to guide them with Khun Bun. Lee believes professional corporate involvement will be a determining factor in the future of social enterprises here.

“In this next phase of development, I’m trying to navigate SEs into the corporate sector. We’ve captured mindshare in the non-profit sector. Now we need to get the businessmen into the picture, match the two up and see what happens.”

When all’s said and done, MCDS is looking for doers, not just ideas on pieces of paper.

“Social Enterprise is not for everyone. But, we are at that stage where we are willing to try projects with different flavours to see how they go,” says Lee. “It’s also a learning experience for us in terms of what works and what doesn’t.” ✩

Above: Polished to a high shine. Highpoint’s new car polish service secured a contract with KIA Motors with the help of volunteer, Chan Yao Kong.

Pastor Don Wong (extreme right), Chan Yao Kong (extreme left). Picture by Highpoint Community Services Association

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IN THE FAMILY WAY The family is now the biggest deal on the national agenda. So how best to promote family life?

MONICA LIM considers modern Singapore’s “baby steps”. ention the word “family” and what comes to mind? Warm and fuzzy images of happy kids with grandparents? Travel packages for “two parents + two children”?

The definition of family is constantly being re-negotiated as life evolves. With marriage, children come into the picture, as do in-laws. In the Asian context, and especially in Singapore, where physical proximity and Asian values place the family at the heart of the community, family tends to include a complex extended network of siblings, grandparents, cousins, and the rest.

Mother-in-law jokes aside, many would concede that the extended family provides an invaluable source of support. The United Nations proclaimed 1994 the International Year of the Family (IYF). To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the IYF in 2004, a Singapore task force has planned programmes in Singapore, to re-affirm the family as a fundamental pillar of society.

Mrs Mildred Tan, chairperson of the IYF 2004 Committee, considers the extended family a blessing.

“In this respect, we are more fortunate than the West because the extended family offers a readily available support system whether in terms of childcare alternatives, or to act as emotional backing,” Tan says.

Listening to her effervescent enthusiasm for the family, it is easy to see why Tan finds time on top of her demanding work schedule as Managing Director of Ernst & Young Associates, to serve in the IYF as well as the Ministry of Community Development and Sports’ (MCDS) Family Matters committee.

“The family is the building block of society,” she declares, “success in your grades, your job, is all short-term. At the end of the day, it’s all about the family.”

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THE NUMBERS GAME That is the message the government hopes more will embed into their daily lives amid grave concerns over waning fertility rates. Based on past experience, those charged with rolling out the national agenda to encourage couples to have more children, are quick to acknowledge that the issue needs to be treated with kid gloves.

They are aware of stepping into the emotionally charged and

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The family as cheerleaders – another one for the family album, Mildred Tan and her family.

‘‘The family is the building block of society. Success in your grades, your job, they’re all short-term.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the family.’’

acutely personal domain of individual choice where starting families and deciding how many children to have are concerned.

Understanding why urban countries have declining birth rates is a key to finding a workable solution. Unlike developing, agricultural-based economies, the utilitarian role of children as a source of income in developed, urban societies is not an issue. In urban societies, children inevitably become a cost factor.

Based on this reasoning, modern Singapore couples who choose a preferred lifestyle without the responsibilities of parenthood, argue that they are not any more selfish than their ancestors who wanted to have children as the safety net and investment for their old age.

Mr Lim Ee Guan, 35, manages the Public Relations department of a multi-national corporation. He’s been married for six years and is finally ready to plunge into parenthood,

and he’s deeply aware that parenting is a lifelong commitment.

“You begin with deciding that the family is of great importance and you order your life to meet that priority. All else falls into place once the objective and motivation are set.”

THE CRUCIAL BALANCE The government is now moving towards a more holistic approach to tackling how to promote the sanctity of the family and family life, while offering pragmatic solutions to time, money and energy constraints faced by married couples.

One clear recognition is the need to spearhead family-friendly practices and work life balance. Based on the premise that those who enjoy strong family bonds are more likely to believe in having families of their own, this approach seems promising.

So how can we promote family life? Mildred Tan paints a realistic picture.

“Baby steps” she says. “I find it sad that some children, especially teenagers, don’t even want to be seen with their parents. If we can get some families to just participate in some activities together, enjoy each other’s company, we would have succeeded somewhat.” Tan, who has been married for 23 years, has a 19-year old son. The family keeps close contacts with their extended family and “we just do things together”.

Ms Vivian Lim has a full-time job and a young brood of four children, and she makes every second with her family count. “Just having meals together, watching TV together and making conversation, all strengthen the family,” she says.

With this in mind, the IYF committee is organising a whole series of activities catered to favourite Singaporean pastimes such as eating and shopping. Consider it a practical and enjoyable way to simply create opportunities for family bonding.

THE FAMILY AS CHEERLEADERS Among the many family activities offered, volunteering as a family is often overlooked. It is taking the family bond one step further – to experience doing something meaningful together for the community the family lives in, or for the larger society.

Ironically, even as volunteering as a family tends to assume an already close family unit, the act of volunteering together actually strengthens the family bond.

Paw-some! Two and four-legged members of the Bong family volunteer together.

“Imagine a whole family participating in cleaning up an elderly person’s one-room flat, or bringing cheer to the less fortunate. The benefits and lessons from the shared experience cannot be measured,” notes Lim Ee Guan.

At the Geylang Bahru TOUCH Senior Activity Centre, the heart-warming sight of senior citizens helping out together with their grandchildren is a regular scene. Churches, mosques, temples and other religious organisations are natural starting places for family volunteerism as they are already family-oriented establishments with a natural affinity for reaching out to the less advantaged in society.

Beyond religious organisations, Vivian Lim feels that family volunteering can be made even more accessible by bringing it to the workplace. “My colleague organises charity work in her company and gets her family involved. So perhaps companies can consider having such family days with a charity component.”

Family volunteering can take on diverse forms. In the case of Mr Joseph Bong, it includes two four-legged members of the family – his dogs. Together with his wife, daughter and two dogs, Joseph visits different orphanages, hospices, old folks homes and mental health institutions.

There, the patients or inmates can play with or pet the dogs as part of the Pet Assisted Therapy Programme run by the Singapore Kennel Club. “This sort of volunteering is great for those who are not as comfortable dealing directly with people,” says Bong. “The pets are a natural mediator.”

For him, volunteering with his family has definitely helped cement the bonds among them, including his pets.

“The satisfaction of seeing smiles on faces after each visit makes it all worthwhile,” he says with relish. ✩ Monica Lim manages her own communications company working from home. She stopped full-time work to spend time with her two young children.

To mark the International Year of the Family, 2004 boasts a wealth of activities. NVPC is organising a Family Camp at Downtown East to explore how families can volunteer together in meaningful ways.The Camp will provide opportunities for family bonding, learning new skills and having fun along the way.

Key IYF 2004 events: ★ Families as Volunteers – A one-night camp to explore easy and unusual ways for families to discover meaningful fun as they volunteer together.

3-4 Sep; Downtown East; Organiser: NVPC. ★ Granny’s Big Game – A three-generational netball game where grandma or grandpa can be a team player, manager or cheerleader. 28 Aug; Organiser: Netball Association of Singapore. ★ Human Values Drama Festival – A drama competition open to secondary school students who enact values such as love, truth and peace in families. 7 Aug (Best Drama Awards); Singapore Polytechnic Auditorium; Organiser: Sathya Sai Central Organisation Singapore. ★ The Family Festival – Comprising the Regional Family Conference and Family Sports Carnival, the festival will engage some 100,000 families in family life education talks, adventure learning, interactive activities and family services. 26-28 Nov; Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre; Organiser: Ministry of Community Development and Sports. ★ Boys Brigade – Outreach programmes throughout the year, promoting family messages in meetings and resource materials. ★ Exemplary Family Awards – Awards recognise admirable families who have demonstrated strong family bonding and who have contributed to the well-being of their community. The Awards are jointly organised by the five Community Development Councils and Young Parents magazine.

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NOT QUITE BY THE BOOK A quiet revolution has been brewing within the Family and Juvenile Court since 1996. A progressive programme of preventive and mediation work advances the Court’s determination to provide “holistic” justice to families and children affected by the fall-out from marital conflicts. MONICA GWEE views the scales.

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he good news is contemporary Singapore fathers are more involved in their children’s lives and are likely to spend as much time with them as their modern career mums.

The not so good news is dual-career families mean what few children young couples have, are often looked after by maids, supplemented by a grandparent or two. This “norm” prevails over the previously clear cut roles of “mother” and “father” where full-time mothers were the main caregivers.

Perhaps as short as 15 years ago, the breakdown of a Singapore marriage leading to divorce often meant mothers had a stronger claim for custody of the children. Lawyers, judges and counsellors note that custody disputes seemed less acrimonious then.

In recent years, with smaller families, many with just one or two children, fathers are now fighting fiercely with mothers for custody. The rising trend in acrimonious, divorces signaled sharp fractures that may ultimately impact on a new generation of Singapore children – and future Singapore families.

The signals were so strong that the Family Court was moved to initiate a series of preventive and mediation services geared to steer families firmly away from using the Court as the first means to resolving family conflict.

Indeed, judges and counsellors at the court’s Family & Juvenile Justice Centre (FJJC), underline repeatedly that the court should be absolutely the last resort, not the first.

“My sense is that previously, fathers accepted that mothers spent a lot more time with the child or children, and the

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father was more willing to believe it was better for the children to live with the mother,” said a Family Court spokesperson.

Prior to 1996, divorce cases were not heard in the existing centralised court on Havelock Square nor were so many efforts made to assist parties to resolve their disputes amicably. Today, the Family Court wants to act earlier in the process of a marriage breakdown – to treat the pimples before a serious acne outbreak causes permanent scars.

This holistic approach involves a formal process offering alternatives to litigation. These non-legal services include sessions on settlement, mediation, counselling and other relevant support services to inform and guide families towards the best outcomes for spouses and children.

Much of the court’s prevention measures ensures the children in divorce

cases “have a voice”. “Parents may be happy to get divorced, but not the children. They are often forced to decide which parent to live with,” said Ms Annie Lee, Director, Family & Juvenile Justice Centre.

A team of 32 FJJC counsellors and interpreter-mediators serve all cases referred by the Family or Juvenile Court.

They work closely with government welfare and self-help agencies to ensure continuity in services. The FJJC began in 1996 with four counsellors.

Ms Lee, previously with Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Health Sciences before she joined FJJC two and a half years ago, notes that the 4,849 civil divorce cases filed last year, excluded over 2,000 Muslim divorces.

“Fewer people are getting married, but there are more divorces. Every divorce case has an average of 1.5 children involved,” she said.

“Our work is to help families affected by divorce to settle their disputes in the most amicable way. We may help settle the legal issues but what lingers on are the negative emotions, hurts, and anger that also need to be resolved.

“We try to link with community resources to send the message that family ties are paramount, and the family is part of the community,” Ms Lee said. ✩ (Please see page 36).

SOME FAMILY & JUVENILE COURT INITIATIVES • Project Heart – Parties at risk of divorce are referred to counselling agencies for marital counselling before divorce petitions are filed.

• KIDS-Line – An interactive CD-ROM that helps children explore divorce issues and family violence in a non-threatening manner using animation. Developed by Family & Juvenile Justice Centre, it can be used in group or individual settings for awareness on family violence and divorce, how to get help and deal with feelings that surface in a divorce situation.

• Project HEAL (Healing, Empowering & Linking) – A victim-offender dialogue conducted to help victims heal, and for offenders to be accountable for their offenses.

• Family Conferences – FC’s are conducted by the Juvenile Court Magistrate to bring offenders, counsellors, victims and their families and other relevant parties together. Offenders are “confronted” by relevant parties to manage telling the truth, denial and accountability. Integrates confrontation with reconciliation (eg, through apologies to victim and family), assessment to resolve and rehabilitate the offender. Also to enable parent or guardian to control the offender.

• Project Contact – For acrimonious custody and access disputes, court orders access conducted at selected Family Services Centres in the presence of trained caseworkers.

• Project Shine (Supporting, Helping, Integrating, Nurturing & Enabling) – Linking parties with numerous repeat maintenance enforcement proceedings with help agencies. Partners include welfare and religious organisations. Referral agencies offer practical, financial, social and emotional support from shortterm financing to support groups and children’s learning and development centres.

S A L T S H A K E R S & M O V E R S

Balancing the Odds Enticed back into community work after a period of personal reckoning, Fang Ai Lian deliberately picked an unglamorous non-profit.

Guest writer ANNA TEO of The Business Times tracks a path not trod by numbers.

or Mrs Fang Ai Lian, involving herself with the Home Nursing Foundation some 10 years ago helped her, it turned out, deal with the grief of losing her husband.

“As I think back, I think it helped me to heal,’’ says the soft-spoken chairman and managing partner of accounting firm Ernst & Young. Fang wears more than a dozen other hats on various boards and committees in the professional, finance, education and charity sectors.

Her orderly, near-perfect world crashed when her husband, Eugene, died of a liver ailment at the age of 42 in 1992.

“I had to prioritise all the factors in my life. Previously, it was home, job and community – they’re all different aspects of my life,” she recalls.

“When my husband passed away, new circumstances crept in. The home and family aspect got larger. Suddenly I was the head of the household. I became a single parent, father and mother to both my kids who were very young then.”

Her job became important from a financial aspect, but she readily concedes that “it helped distract me from my personal emotions, which was a new factor.”

“The emotional aspect occupied a huge part of my space. Clearly I had no time to do community work, and I think, even if I had, I wouldn’t have been able to contribute as well, given my personal state.”

She took stock of her life. “I asked for understanding, and I resigned from all committee work to focus on my family, my own emotions, and my job,’’ she says simply.

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She had, for several years up till then, been involved at her alma mater, Methodist Girls’ School, and with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s Ladies League as well as various women’s organisations.

“I realised that I was becoming treasurer whenever I joined a VWO. It shows that all organisations or VWOs need the skills you already have – whether these are acquired at work or are natural.”

“We all have natural skills or acquired skills in our professions,” she continues, “and it should be easy to find a niche where you can contribute comfortably to a charitable cause.”

She had decided to join the MGS alumni when it was time to register her daughter in the school in the mid-1980s.

By then already a partner at Ernst & Young, she was immediately “pounced

on’’ and made the alumni president.

Before too long, she became chairman of MGS’ Board of Management.

Her self-imposed withdrawal from community work continued for a few years. “Until (former Minister of State) Dr Aline Wong approached me. She sort of sent a few emissaries to speak to me first,” Fang recalls.

This was around 1994, and Dr Wong sought to interest Fang in taking charge of the Home Nursing Foundation, which provides affordable home care services to the elderly sick.

“She felt it was time I put my energy back into a useful cause, that it’d be good for me,’’ Fang says with a smile.

“They needed someone to chair the Foundation, and they wanted someone to introduce sort of systems and processes

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

into the organisation, and they thought I fit the bill,” she pauses.

“I took a little while to think about it, because I was in no great hurry to come out of my little hole.’’

But, as a trained manager, she did her homework, and checked out HNF operations first-hand for herself. It proved to be a genuine eye-opener.

“Here I was, wallowing in self-pity for quite a while, and it dawned on me that many other people had far greater imperfections in their lives, more sufferings.

Indeed, mine paled by comparison.”

But what really attracted Fang to the Foundation was its lack of glamour. “It is not a glamorous VWO (voluntary welfare organisation), because at that stage in my life I didn’t need anything glamorous.

So I took up the challenge to helm the HNF. I think God meant it that way. The entire process of associating and working with the HNF helped me to heal.’’

And in 1997, a group of friends “harassed’’ her until she agreed to take up the job of heading the Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF).

It was another kind of challenge. The HNF is an operational set-up, dealing with ground issues and looking after the needs of the elderly sick, while the BCF is about creating awareness in order to eradicate breast cancer through early detection.

“It’s a different focus. And I find it interesting and meaningful. Let’s put it this way, I’m glad my friends didn’t let me off until I agreed to take on the BCF challenge. It’s been a good experience.’’

To Fang – who was named Her World magazine’s Woman of the Year in 1996 – overseeing a VWO or mounting a fundraising campaign calls for the same management skills as in the business world.

“The scale and available resources may be different, but it’s no different from running any other organisation. It is about governance, positioning the organisation, building its reputation; it’s about marketing, it’s about the cause,’’ she points out.

Specialists in Charity and Philanthropy STRUCTURING • FINANCING • TRUST AND CORPORATE SERVICES • INVESTMENTS • INSURANCE • REAL ESTATE

Her private sector profile didn’t make it any easier when it came to soliciting CEOs for fundraising support. Just as in business, the competition for the charity dollar is keen.

“Just like any other business, you must develop the right strategy. The product here is the cause, and it’s important that you believe in it yourself, so then you’ll be able to articulate it well,” she emphasises.

“To position the cause well, you’ve got to brand it well, just like any other product. Your image and reputation are very important.”

And donors have become more discerning, and rightly so. “It is right for them to question how organisations are run, what the cause is all about, and how effective they are in making a difference in people’s lives,’’ she says.

“Why do you need to be a ‘super’woman in the first place? Juggle the roles the best you can. Unless you try it out, and stop weighing the pros and cons forever, you will never know what you are capable of doing.”

There are now too many cause-related sponsors, she notes, citing, for instance, women-related businesses like Wacoal and Johnson & Johnson who have identified themselves with the fight against breast cancer.

“It’s also part and parcel of corporate strategy and image, and so it’s important they are satisfied with the organisations they’re supporting.’’

All effective women know there is no secret formula to juggling multiple roles, “There is definitely no easy way out,’’ she says. “And we should avoid using the tag ‘super’, as in Super Woman, Super Mum. The word often gives rise to

misperceptions and raises expectations that appear to be so unattainable.

“Why do you need to be a ‘super’ woman in the first place? By all means, strive to be a good mother, an effective employee and a sincere volunteer. Juggle the roles the best you can. Unless you try it out, and stop weighing the pros and cons forever, you will never know what you are capable of doing.

“You must find the cause meaningful and you must believe in it. Then, you make the time for it,” she says.

Fang’s children are now grown up.

Her daughter is currently a young auditor with another “Big Four” firm, while her son is doing his A-levels this year. “It’s not that bad,’’ she smiles.

Two years ago, she agreed to represent the accounting profession as a Nominated Member of Parliament.

“There’s always a good time for everything in one’s life,’’ she surmises.

Her involvement in charity work may be rubbing off on her children. “I think my daughter is beginning to show some inclination,’’ she says. Mother and daughter work on some HNF and BCF activities, and recently, her daughter suggested holding a bazaar with her friends where they could raise money through the sale of old clothes with the proceeds donated to the Home Nursing Foundation.

Fang notes that her VWO work has expanded her perspective from the financial sector to other areas. “It really opens your eyes when you see how much work and acts of kindness are given by those with a passion for the cause. You are also exposed to people with many difficulties in their lives.

“As you watch others give selflessly, it touches you and energises you. Your own life and experiences get enlarged too.’’

“Everybody should do some voluntary work in order to enjoy that balance in life, especially those who have been richly blessed’’.

And yes, of course, she absolutely considers herself richly blessed. ✩

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A Taxing Effort Few people would associate the tax authority with charitable or philanthropic activities.

Yet, the 1,700 staff devote 3,400 days annually to community work. DAVEN WU is surprised by the depth of the IRAS’ commitment and contribution to the community.

e’re low-key,” says Mr Koh Cher Siang, the Commissioner of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) of the organisation’s volunteering and philanthropic activities. “We’re not going for the headlines.”

Not to put too fine a point on it, the IRAS is the government body tasked with collecting taxes, which may explain part of the organisation’s reserve. It’s careful to avoid even the impression that it’s giving away tax-payers’ money.

In its volunteer and fund-raising work, IRAS staff, not IRAS itself, raise and donate funds.

Koh brings attention to the IRAS tagline: “Our Taxes. Our Nation.”

The business of the IRAS is not just a mere tax collector. At its core, staff believe their business is about community building.

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“We’re low-key. We’re not going for the headlines.”

Mr Koh Cher Siang, Commissioner of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore

“We are a partner with the taxpayer in nation building. Without taxes, there’s nothing any government can do [to build roads, schools and housing].”

That’s the macro-level of IRAS at work. On the micro-level, there is sincere encouragement and support to guide staff into community activities and to harness community resources to help others.

Community work efforts may not

be included in work appraisals, but each volunteer staff receives two points for every volunteer activity. These points can be exchanged for gifts and household appliances at the organisation’s year-end carnival.

Meanwhile, a committee plans and streamlines volunteer and fundraising programmes. The aim is for staff to commit and devote a small block of time to a diverse range of activities. Specifically, each of the 1,700 staff are given two days community time off a year and encouraged to take part in at least two community activities in a year.

“That’s 3,400 days off devoted to community work,” Mr Koh points out.

The list of activities is impressive, even if the roll call rarely includes wellknown causes; IRAS prefers instead to search out less visible causes. Every National Day for example, staff organise Makan Parade, a collection of food stalls in the IRAS lobby at their Novena premises. All proceeds are donated to the Pertapis Halfway Home for Malay children and orphans.

In 2003, IRAS staff donated $75,000 to the President’s Challenge. Around 84% of staff voluntarily deduct a portion of their salary to contribute to SHARE programmes – in 2003, $73,000 was collected in this way.

Twice a year, IRAS holds a blood donation drive. It Green fingers – IRAS also ropes in and staff tend to plants as part of their Adopttrains students and A-Park Programme at Marina Promenade. sends them out to community centres and shopping malls to help people file electronic tax returns.

And in 2001, 140 staff adopted a park in Marina Promenade near the Shears Bridge which they maintain, clean and re-plant trees on a regular basis.

There’s an unexpected side to all this giving of time and money.

“It’s a good thing for staff to give,” says Mr Koh. “After all, they are our most important asset. We try to develop the whole person. Friendship and camaraderie build up through volunteer work and we feel like a family rather than an organisation.”

“We had barely 3% staff turnover last year,” notes Patricia Mak, Assistant Commissioner of the Corporate Services Division.

Does giving and job satisfaction go hand in hand? Is that then the secret for a happy, contented work-force? Can it really be as simple as that? IRAS seems to think so. ✩ May-Jun 2004 S A LT •

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Donors and Volunteers –

What’s the Difference?

An organisation will happily accept money from just about any source. Prospective volunteers must undergo a screening process. Not everyone is accepted nor on their terms. SUSAN ELLIS highlights the provocative differences between the volunteer and the philanthropist.

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SUSAN ELLIS PRESIDENT E NERGIZE I NC .

hen Mrs Tan Chee Koon first told me that the National Volunteer Centre (of which she was Executive Director) was changing its name to the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, I congratulated her on the expansion of the Centre’s role but also expressed some concern that it might be hard to share attention equally between the original and the new focus.

Technically, “volunteerism” includes all forms of support for social causes while “philanthropy” is often a synonym for “fundraising.” When the goal is to increase financial donations, volunteering becomes the stepchild of resource development.

There are many reasons why organisations prefer money to volunteers.

Clearly, it is far simpler to put cash to work. Many needed items must be purchased – rent, electricity, food, supplies – and so fundraising tends to focus on this. Yet, it’s important to understand that donors and volunteers are frequently the same people: philanthropists give both time and money, though they may contribute to different organisations in different ways at different times.

Studies show that people who volunteer tend to give more money to charity than people who do not. Also, donors can

Salt and pepper shakers courtesy of Willie Cheng

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lose interest over time; but being asked to share their time and talent revitalizes their commitment – even if they do not accept the invitation. Additionally, money may follow volunteers from their employers as matching funds, and from family and friends who want to support a volunteer’s special interest.

Some people move in and out of volunteering as their time and funds allow during their lives. So a young person who cannot afford to give money starts by volunteering with an organisation; a retiree on a fixed income volunteers while providing a future cash gift through estate planning. Never assume that volunteers have no money to give.

There are many similarities between volunteers and donors. Both must: • Be found and nurtured.

• Believe in the organisation’s cause.

• Value philanthropic activity.

• Feel that their contribution can be helpful.

• Be recognised.

• Be able to eventually stop contributing.

But, from a management perspective, it is more provocative to examine the differences: • The action desired from the donor is simply to write a cheque. It’s easier. Volunteering is far more complicated for both the organisation and the volunteer: the “actions” desired range from a quick-fix to intensive commitment of time and talent.

• To accept money, an agency needs

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an accounting system. But to accept volunteer services, there needs to be work allocation, an application process, training opportunities, and ongoing supervision.

• Besides political and ethical considerations, organisations will usually accept money from any source.

Prospective volunteers must undergo a screening process. Not everyone is accepted nor on their terms.

• Donors can contribute once and, depending on the size of their cheque, make a major contribution in a few minutes but only have to think about the organisation occasionally. Volunteers must demonstrate enthusiasm for the cause on an ongoing basis.

• Giving money is a low-risk action.

Physically, the donor can remain remote and uninvolved and is rarely held liable for what happens once the cheque is cashed. Volunteering is often a risky activity, requiring physical engagement in the work which might even jeopardize personal safety.

• Donors need very little else besides money. Volunteers need skills, personality, accountability, and a matching schedule.

• Money can only buy things that are within the budget. Volunteers contribute value far beyond what the organisation might be able to pay.

• Death ends volunteering, but may generate new money.

• Money is spent and is gone.

Volunteering generates a ripple effect of goodwill, community education, and other long-range benefits.

Clearly both donors and volunteers are important to the health of an organisation. The NVPC can be an advocate for fundraising and people-raising. In so doing, it will encourage the full scope of philanthropy. ✩ Susan J. Ellis is President of Energize, Inc., an international training, consulting and publishing firm specialising in volunteerism. She has written 11 books on volunteerism and numerous articles. She is co-publisher of the international online journal, e-Volunteerism (www.e-volunteerism.com). www.energizeinc.com

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Beyond the Headlines Whether or not SALT Talks (“The Missing Hand of Adam Smith”) in the March/April issue was the starting point for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) debate is now moot.

How and why did a discourse on the structural disconnect between revenue and expenses in the non-profit sector generate so much heat? WILLIE CHENG moves the puck forward.

BY

WILLIE CHENG CHAIRMAN NVPC

everal of my NVPC colleagues have been urging me to write a follow-up commentary to clarify what I actually did say to the media with respect to NKF. However, I think enough water has passed by under the bridge.

While the controversy was unintended, I am glad it happened. The debate has been a healthy and constructive one. It raised awareness of non-profits and posed crucial and wider issues that needed attention.

It also carries the seeds of lessons for donors, non-profits and the authorities.

NVPC is asking that donors be more discerning, discriminating and demanding in our generosity. There is a sea of needs (1,600 registered charities) out there. It is only by our collective conscious choices of why and who we give to that we are able to create a more perfect “marketplace” for non-profits.

All non-profits will need to recognise that the transparency and accountability demands of the corporate world are slowly but surely seeping into the non-profit sector. And the greater trust engendered with the giving public will help to grow the charity pie.

For NKF, the published and unpublished feedback is an opportunity to collect and process feedback on concerns

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“NVPC is asking that donors be more discerning, discriminating and demanding in our generosity. There is a sea of needs (1,600 registered charities) out there. It is only by our collective conscious choices of why and who we give to that we are able to create a more perfect “marketplace” for non-profits.”

out there in an objective manner.

And respond accordingly.

The flood of feedback I personally received suggests an underlying disquiet that only bubbled to the surface when the opportunity arose.

The debate has also posed questions on who the relevant “authorities” are and what they do about public rumblings on charity or non-profit governance.

If there’s one underlying assumption that needs to be reconciled, it’s the “seal of approval” the public expects from any charity registered with the government. This very typically Singaporean outlook is at odds with the caveat emptor (let the buyer – or donor – beware) model of a free market environment that may exist.

We are entering a new era of philanthropic giving. It is about informed giving, involved giving, better governance and more. We are not alone.

In fact, we are behind the curve compared to the U.S. and other developed countries. We can learn from others to proactively evolve to this new environment.

The alternative is to wait to be pushed there via explosive cases. The case of parish priest Joachim Kang and the Independent Society of the Blind may just be emerging issues.

Through SALT and our other initiatives, NVPC hopes to help Singapore move in a forward direction. ✩ May-Jun 2004 S A LT •

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Search and Rescue

Runaways as young as seven years old are part of an unseen layer of Singapore society.

JOAN HO meets one young man whose volunteer initiative works to put the brakes on runaways.

he statistics aren’t clear, but conservative estimates place runaways in Singapore at around 500 to 550 annually. They range in age from as young as seven years to 18. There are no official records on male/female percentages. What’s clear is that runaways are not a small problem in Singapore.

They are the unseen layer of society – young people who, for one reason or another, run away from home, and end up eking out an existence on the streets, falling in with the proverbial ‘wrong’ crowd.

What then spurs a young man to put part of his life on hold to extend a hand to these lost kids?

“I like to see families getting back together,” Trevor Xie says simply. The 23-year old Ironman athlete founded the Student Advisory Centre (SAC) in July last year. The Centre is the first of its kind in Singapore dedicated to helping runaway youths. Staffed mainly by volunteers, its mission is to conduct ‘search and rescue’ operations on Singapore streets.

Teams scour budget hotels, video arcades and shopping centres in search of runaways. Once located, the SAC then attempts reconciliation between family and child.

“We’re the only one doing this. The ‘search and rescue’ is the difference.

Our volunteers go out and look for the youths and bring them home. Other VWOs (Volunteer Welfare Organisations) just wait in the office,” Xie says.

Establishing and managing the Centre was no piece of personal cake and Xie decided to put his studies (Business Administration at the National University of Singapore) on hold for one

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Trevor Xie (front) suspended Ironman training for the SAC. At 21, he was Singapore’s youngest Ironman coming in second in his age group at the Langkawi competition in 2000 with a time of 12hr 44min.

semester. Now in his third year, he juggles his time between his studies and work at the Centre. “I wanted to do some volunteer work and was looking around for something suitable. I realised that there was no organisation helping runaway youths.”

Driven by his conviction, Xie raised the $10,000 start-up costs. He held down three jobs – as a swimming instructor, a tutor and a personal assistant, while studying. A keen sportsman, Xie was 21 when he became Singapore’s youngest Ironman in 2000. But he put his competitive training on hold to set up the SAC. Since he didn’t know how to track down missing people, Xie sought the help of private investigators. “They taught me many things because they knew I wasn’t their business rival,” he grins.

The SAC works with a pool of 30 volunteers (mostly working adults) and three full time staff. To raise awareness of its services, volunteers hold talks in schools to educate youths on the risks and dangers of running away. The Centre

also runs a helpline for youths and their families, and offers counselling and family mediation services.

But it’s not always a happy ending.

A third of cases don’t work out.

“I don’t think we failed, we did what we could do. My work in bringing children home depends a lot on compromises made by both parties, with us acting as the middleman and conflict manager.

“To keep the failure rate down, we emphasise how the family can cooperate with us, what they should and shouldn’t do. The list is getting more comprehensive as we gain insight and experience,” Xie said.

He hopes to network with other VWOs so that more runaway youths can benefit from the Centre’s services, combine more fund-raising projects and increase the SAC’s profile.

Does he regret sacrificing so much, including busting his Ironman winning time?

“My parents were upset at first because they thought studying hard was a priority. But now they’re happy and supportive because they see me happy and see how I’m also growing as a person. It’s a choice I had to make. I feel happy when I see children get back home to their parents. I want them to study well for a good future.” ✩ The Student Advisory Centre depends on donations for its work. On 6 June, there will be an open sea charity swim to raise funds for the SAC. Xie and other volunteers will swim 10 km from Bedok Jetty to the Merlion statue. For enquiries, please call 67770041.

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SCENE&SEEN Mad Hatter’s Party Sentosa Balloon Hat Festival 13-14 March, Sentosa

Hats off – Revellers indulge in fun and music at the world’s first balloon hat festival. Photos by Sentosa Leisure Group

The world’s first balloon hat festival dispersed countless balloons in the air at Sentosa. A portion of the sales of the unique hats benefited the Tanglin School, a special school run by the Association for Persons with Special Needs for youths between 13 and 16 years. The festival was organised by Sentosa and supported by the Co-curricular Activities Branch of the Ministry of Education. This is the first of a series of community projects planned by Sentosa with the Tanglin School. Hats off to the organisers for the lively and colourful event!

Caltex Cup Celebrity Challenge

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8 April, Toa Payoh HDB Hub

(L-R) Lim Soo Hoon, Permanent Secretary, MCDS; Chan Soo Sen, Minister of State, MCDS; Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Acting Minister for Education; Kwa Chong Seng, Chairman, MediaCorp; DPM Lee Hsien Loong; Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister, MCDS.

13-14 March, Laguna National Golf and Country Club Members of the public were invited to tee up with some of the world’s most famous sporting celebrities at the Caltex Cup Celebrity Challenge. The unique opportunity pitted the lucky few (for a $1,000 donation) against golf professionals such as Unho Park and Lam Chih Beng.

Also on the green were legends like former Manchester United player Lee Sharpe, former all-Blacks rugby champion Sean Fitzpatrick, and NBA legend John Havlicek. All proceeds from the event went to the Society for the Physically Disabled Education Programme and the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. To date, Caltex has raised more than $1 million over the last four years from various charity initiatives.

Fabric of the Nation Exhibition

Top: Soccer star Lee Sharpe (Manchester United), David Hirst (Southampton) and Australian Gold Medal swimmer Chris Fydler enjoy a day with some of the beneficiaries of the Society of the Physically Disabled.

Above: Tee-off for Charity. (L-R) Michael Wong, Nicky Au, Sarah Wong, Glenn Weckerlin and Geri Cho.

What began as a simple call to Singaporeans to sew a piece of patchwork to reflect their thoughts and feelings about the challenges of recent years became a brightly coloured beacon symbolising faith, endurance and hope.

The task of sewing over 15,000 patchwork pieces into 60 huge panels (large enough to cover two football fields) was finally completed.

The remarkable result was unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. A three-day carnival from 9 to 11 April at the Toa Payoh HDB Hub offered day-trippers fun and games at carnival booths and stage shows.The Exhibition is free to the public and will run till August.

No More Walls!

Opening of The Arts House at the Old Parliament 26 March Breaking barriers, blurring hard lines. It was a housewarming party on a grand scale as over 400 guests converged for the grand opening of The Arts House at the Old Parliament. The beautifully restored old Parliament House re-invented itself for a new generation, effortlessly weaving rich history and contemporary creativity. Guests included Guest-of-Honour, President S R Nathan and Mrs Nathan, and a host of dignitaries. Local theatre celeb Glen Goei played host to a programme that included a grand light and sound show spotlighting Singapore’s vivid history.

Above: Chairman of The Arts House Edmund Cheng with President S R Nathan and First Lady, and Ghani, one of the evening’s performers.

Top right: Minister for Defence, Rear-Admiral Teo Chee Hean catches up with the former Minister for Social Affairs Othman Wok. Right: The Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi and Mrs Tarmugi share art tips with Glen Geoi, the event’s artistic director.

Art of Benevolence 4 April, Fullerton Hotel

(L-R) Lim Siok Peng (CEO, NHB); Helina Chan (Managing Director, iPreciation); Kwok Kian Chow (Director, Singapore Art Museum); Greg Seow (Chairman, Ju Ming: 2004/05 Singapore/Beijing/Shanghai Steering Committee); Mrs and Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (Acting Minister for Education); Venerable Shi Ming Yi (Chairman/CEO, Ren Ci Hospital & Medicare Centre); Kwee Liong Keng (Chairman, Singapore Art Museum).

A multi-venue exhibition of 60 sculptures by the renowned sculptor Ju Ming was the focal point of fundraising to support the Singapore Art Museum and Ren Ci Hospital & Medicare Centre. The museum staged a glittering gala dinner at the Fullerton Hotel with proceeds from table sales going towards funding for the exhibition (opening in July). Proceeds from an auction are to be divided between the museum and the hospital.

He Bangs!

Love Fetish

13-14 February, Bar Rouge and Rouge Club Who said Singaporeans are a staid lot and don’t know how to have fun? A star-studded line up of local celebrities including actors Lim Yu-Beng, Amy Cheng, Koh Chieng Mun, Irene Ang and Najip Ali, bravely offered themselves up for auction. The prize? Five minutes with the stars for the successful bidder. And it was all to raise funds for TheatreWorks’ new $3 million home at Robertson Quay. The evening’s highlight was Lim YuBeng’s – ahem – naked appeal involving salt and tequila. You had to be there.

Award Presentation SINDA Volunteers Tea 2003/04, 27 March, Suntec City

Service Winner: DPM Lee presents Mrs Steven Vijayeletchume with a 5-year Appreciation Award for her dedicated service at Choa Chu Kang Reading Centre and as a Project Life Family Mentor.

A spot of tea for 3,000 volunteers and friends of SINDA and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong as Guest-ofHonour. The festive afternoon was brightened further by live performances from Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) Indian Orchestra, Bhavan’s Indian Central School Dance Group and The Chinese High School’s Chinese Orchestra. DPM Lee presented 86 awards including those for long service.

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MAY – DECEMBER Community Emergency Preparedness Programme (CEPP) by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) The SCDF has formulated a complete modular training programme (5 modules), covering all aspects of emergency preparedness knowledge.

The programme is available free at any of the Civil Defence Divisions.

To register for training, visit www.scdf.gov.sg or email Ms Freda Yee at freda_yee@scdf.gov.sg.

MAY – SEPTEMBER Lilies on the River 2004 by Viriya Community Services

MAY – JUNE 14 May Rice Ball ’04 – Double Happiness organised by W!LD RICE, in association with Prestige magazine and supported by Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

Caring for Mind & Body by South East Community Development Council (CDC) and Parkway Healthcare Foundation

See Glen Goei, Ivan Heng, Hossan Leong, Lim Yu-Beng, Tan Kheng Han, Selena Tan, Emma Yong and a host of exciting new talents in vibrant show numbers that are about joy, about turning all things oriental upside down and about pure fun and entertainment!

So, put on your best China Chic, step into an evening of W!LD oriental splendour and leave with many happy memories!

Coping with Memory Loss and Confusion (Mandarin) Venue: Marine Parade CC Time: 3pm

Donation tables, seating ten each, for this Charity Gala are priced at $20,000, $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000.

Launched in March, this fundraising effort involves the sale of floating lilies and a donation drive at stalls in major shopping centres around Singapore. A full-day carnival to complement the floating of lilies on the Singapore River will take place on 18 September.

Volunteers are needed to help out at the stalls on the following dates: 28-30 May (Causeway Point); 31 May – 6 Jun (Tampines Mall); 14-20 Jun (Suntec City); 17-20 Jun (Liang Court); 21-27 Jun (Parkway Parade); 24-27 Jun (Century Square); 25-27 Jun (Causeway Point); 19-25 Jul (Parkway Parade); 27 Jul – 2 Aug (Eastpoint); 27-29 Aug (Causeway Point); 9-12 Sep (Liang Court).

To volunteer, contact Whispering Hearts Family Service Centre at 67951008 or email whfsc@viriya.org.sg.

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For enquiries and reservations, contact Ms Kitch Lum at 63593842 or Ms Laura Lim at 63593821.

21 May Singapore Cancer Society’s 40th Anniversary Charity Golf 2004 A special occasion for golfing enthusiasts and their associates to do their bit for charity to help the less fortunate. All proceeds go towards enhancing the Singapore Cancer Society’s patient care services, and helping needy cancer patients rehabilitate and cope with financial burdens.

Tee-off is at 1.15pm, at Tanah Merah Country Club. Guest-of-Honour Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister for the Environment, will grace the event.

To register or donate, visit www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg or email Adrian_lee@singapore cancersociety.org.sg or gladys_chik@ singaporecancersociety.org.sg.

A series of health talks on mind and body for senior citizens:

22 May

19 June Detection and Prevention of Cancer (Mandarin) Venue: Kg Chai Chee CC Time: 3pm

26-27 May Passion.Love. by Odyssey Dance Theatre Ltd Time: 8pm Venue: Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel The full-length version of “Passion.Love.” performed to critical acclaim at its premiere in August 2003 at the Singapore Arts Museum. (A sneak preview “Passion – A Season of Duets” was held on January 2003 at Esplanade Theatre Studio.) This strong dance production is choreographed to the music of Ennio Morricone and Miklos Rozsa.

Understanding Elderly Suicide (English) Time: 4.30pm To register, call the respective Community Club/Centre at: Marine Parade CC: 63467703, Kg Chai Chee CC: 62419878

Volunteer Management System (VMS) Workshops by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre Venue: NVPC (National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre), 7 Maxwell Rd #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex

i. An Overview of the Volunteer Management System (VMS) 26 May or 23 June Time: 9am – 5pm

ii.Developing Volunteer Management System (VMS) Work Tools Workshop 3 June Workshop #3: Drafting Policies Time: 9am – 12.30pm To register, visit www.nvpc.org.sg or contact Aye Shwe Yee at 64227116 or email shweyee@nvpc.org.sg

Volunteers as front-of-house ushers are welcome. Contact Ms Ann Tan at 62215229 or email odysseydance@pacific.net.sg

28 May Eat With Your Family (EWYF) Day organised by Centre for Fathering (CFF), supported by Ministry of Community Development and Sports A simple ritual of the heart. In celebration of National Family Week 2004, 28 May has been set aside specially as an opportunity to spend time with loved ones. Here’s how organisations can participate in the event: 1. Companies are encouraged to let their staff off by 5.00 pm to dine with their families.

2. Management may remind staff not to schedule any business appointments that evening.

3. Companies can promote the event to their business associates.

To participate, contact Irene Lee at 64550038 or email fathers@ singnet.com.sg by 14 May 2004.

29 May, 12 or 26 June Volunteer Orientation by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm Venue: NVPC, 7 Maxwell Rd #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex The Orientation will provide firsttime volunteers with an understanding of the exciting world of volunteering. It offers an insight into volunteerism, the expectations and responsibilities of a volunteer, and how to find the best fit with a Volunteer Hosting Organisation.

There will also be a small group discussion and a Q&A session.

27-28 July

“Profitable Giving: The Way Forward” – National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre Conference 2004 Venue: Meritus Mandarin Singapore, Mandarin Ballroom, 6th Floor, South Tower

NVPC’s fourth annual conference turns the spotlight on philanthropic giving in Singapore. What is the present state of giving – the giving of time (volunteerism) and the giving of money (philanthropy)? How informed is it? How strategic is it?

How have volunteers and donors adapted to changing demands from charities and beneficiaries? How have charities and other non-profits responded to stricter accountability from benefactors?

To register, visit www.nvpc.org.sg or email Gayle Koh at gayle@nvpc.org.sg or Ong Gim Kuan at gim@nvpc.org.sg.

To register, visit www.nvpc.org.sg, or contact Vanessa Tan at 64227121 or email vanessa@nvpc.org.sg

30 May – 4 June Ist Asia Pacific Institute of Addictions Conference, organised by Community Addictions Management Programme (CAMP), Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Singapore, and Association of Professional Substance Abuse Counsellors Singapore (APSAC); supported

by The International Centre for Health Concerns (ICHC), Australian Professional Society for Alcohol and Drugs (APSAD) and National Centre for Education and Training on Addictions (NCETA).

Venue: Novotel Apollo, Singapore This is the first convention of its kind held here. The theme is “Recovery Works! Current Trends in Addictions Prevention, Treatment & Rehabilitation”. The programme includes Teaching Tracks, a forum on Drug & Alcohol Abuse in Asia; AIDS and substance abuse issues in Asia; community based treatment and recovery approaches, plenary sessions and general lectures. Featuring Singapore, regional and international speakers and delegates.

To register for the Conference, visit http://www.apia2004.com or call 63795261 (admin) or email admin@acedaytons-direct.com.

19-20 June Metta Charity Walk cum Family Carnival 2004, in conjunction with Singapore Dragon Boat Festival Time: 8am – 7pm Venue: Marina Promenade (next to Esplanade) Metta Welfare Association is a nonprofit charitable organisation with nine centres, caring for the intellectually disabled and elderly, regardless of race and religion.

Funding for the welfare and health services is mainly from public donations and fund-raising projects such as the Metta Carnival.

18-20 June Sandakan Threnody by TheatreWorks

Volunteers needed. Please contact Jozlyn Soh at 62406330/64442122 or email jozlyn@metta.org.sg.

26 June SiTF Volunteer Day organised

by Singapore infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF) and National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) SiTF is the national association of the Singapore Infocomm industry.

SiTF’s V-Day aims to increase awareness and provide volunteer opportunities and experiences for SiTF member companies in Singapore. Over 1,000 staff from SiTF member companies and their families will volunteer at about 30 non-profit organisations from various sectors including the arts, environment, social service and sports.

To be part of this outreach programme, contact Mrs Mahjabeen Basrai at 63259705 or email basrai@sitf.org.sg.

23 November The National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2004 New award categories are up for grabs at this much anticipated annual awards organised by NVPC (National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre). This year, NVPC is introducing new awards to incorporate its expanded role in philanthropy.

Past award categories have also been updated.

Nominations open in May 2004.

For more details, please email Cheng Shing Meng at shmeng@nvpc.org.sg.

For updates, visit www.nvpc.org.sg.

TheatreWorks’ new production premieres at the Singapore Arts Festival. Staged at the Victoria Theatre, the show is a cross-media collaboration between Singapore, Japan and Australia artists based on Australian wartime survivors’ accounts of the death march in Borneo at the end of World War II. It metaphorises the experiences of war and brutality into a contemporary existential journey, a journey into the heart of darkness.

Volunteers as crew and front-ofhouse personnel are needed for this production. To volunteer, contact TheatreWorks at 63384077 or email tworks@singnet.com.sg.

26 June

Junior Aquathlon by Triathlon Association of Singapore Time: 2 pm • Venue: Sentosa The only swim and run race for children held in Singapore, this is an event not to be missed. Volunteers are required to assist at registration as body markers, swim marshals, transition area personnel, route marshals, drink station crew and finishing chute personnel. To volunteer, contact Ms Yati Daud at 62279154 or email yati.daud@triathlonsingapore.org. www.triathlonsingapore.org.

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DIVORCING COUPLES: A Profile* Sample analysis of 50 couples undergoing civil divorce in the Family Court. All were contested cases referred to Family & Juvenile Justice Centre for counselling.

88% of the wives worked.

In only about half of the couples does the husband earn more than the wife.

Average age for women:

37years; 40years.

For men:

18%

Average length of marriage at time of divorce:

Most had 1 to 2 children.

72%

14.3 years.

had an eldest child in primary school or below.

Combined household income:

Half of the sample 100 individuals indicated problems within

$2,000 to $4,000

first 4 years of marriage.

Among couples who own HDB property,

44%

stay in condos and landed properties

own 5-room and executive flats

(compared to 12% in general population).

(27% Singapore population).

a month.

19.1%

cited communication breakdown as top marriage problem; 10.1% constant quarelling; 9.4% problems with in-laws/relatives; 9.0% adultery; 8.6% financial difficulties.

Source: Subordinate Courts Research Bulletin, September 2003

“When people have loving and empowering relationships in their lives, they will more than overcome during a crisis; they will experience a bit of heaven on earth and family is a good place to build and experience this relationship.”

Wong Suen Kwong Co-founder, Centre for Fathering Ltd

• S A LT May-Jun 2004

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L

T

“Asia has more millionaires than any other part of the world.

It’s easier for them to make money than to give it away. So we’re helping them with their philanthropic focus.”

Terry Farris Head, Charity Management, Asia, MeesPierson at the launch of MeesPierson's Charity Management Services on 1 April 2004

• • • •

“My faith in humanity is constantly renewed whenever I meet colleagues, friends and even strangers, who volunteer their time and talent willingly and often, quietly.”

Jennifer Yin From ‘Hands On’, an e-book compilation of stories about the National Library Board’s Corporate Volunteerism programme.

To download the e-book, visit www.nlb.gov.sg/fr_MLM.html

• • • •

“Lately, I’ve been interested in finding a balance between excellence and kindness. It is a very hard thing to do. But I think it is a meaningful process. It makes you use your brain without forgetting what’s in your heart.”

Ekachai Uekrongtham Artistic director, ACTION Theatre

• • • •

“Just remember: Noah’s Ark was built by amateurs. The Titanic was built by professionals.”

Overheard at the World Volunteer Conference in response to the observation that volunteers are too often seen as amateurs. Submitted by Susan J. Ellis, President, Energize, Inc.

* See page 22

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• • • •

“He always said not to blow your own trumpet. You don’t need to tell the world that you’re helping people. That’s not why he did it.

So long as you know and the recipient knows, that’s enough.”

Jacqueline Khoo On her late father, tycoon Khoo Teck Puat