salt_2004_11_12 by SALT NVPC

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contents ON THE COVER Venerable Shi Ming Yi’s stunts made him a media darling. Who is this monk beneath the megastar persona? Pg 26 Photographed for SALT by Andy Wong, RAVE Photography.

NATURAL CONCERN

SALT No. 6 Nov-Dec 2004

DEPARTMENTS 2

LETTER FROM SALT

MAILBAG

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 Jack Sim lets loose on why he’s happy roosting in the restroom.

Are there cracks beneath the gleaming veneer of Singapore’s environmental record? WONG SHER MAINE investigates.

13 PEOPLE SECTOR PEOPLE You can dream. Or you can get off your seat. Eugene Seow of Touch Community Services tells why he jumped into action.

23 MEASURE OF SALT Spotlight on key players in the environment sector.

25 WALK THE TALK The supermarket giant juggles profits with its social mission.

Public Trust in Focus: The Council on Governance of Institutions of Public Character (CGIPC) has made its recommendations for governance, transparency and best practices. What will these mean for charities and nonprofits?

28 SALT AND PEPPER Deeds are the measure of men (and women). Gerard Ee, President of NCSS, throws down the gauntlet.

29 SALT TALKS Living rites. NVPC’s Chairman, Willie Cheng, considers raising money from the dead.

31 NEW SALT Ladies of the night and those fleeing from loansharks are welcome at the One Hope Centre.

32 SCENE AND SEEN 35 CALENDAR 36 A DASH OF SALT

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

L E T T E R

F R O M

S A L T

SALT is a nonprofit magazine with a managed circulation for members of nonprofit 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

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Brenda Yeo Daven Wu

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Suzanne Lim

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: 6550 9595 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. Printed by Fabulous Printers MITA (P) 197/11/2003 To advertise, please call Cynthia Tay at tel: 6292 4456 Email: cynthia@epigram.com.sg or Suzanne Lim at tel: 6550 9563 Email: suzanne@nvpc.org.sg

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

s the year draws to a close, this last issue of the year, marks a remarkable 12 months of evolution and growth in the management and transparency of charities and nonprofits. Awareness of the changes afoot is vital. The Council on Governance of Institutions of Public Character (CGIPC) has submitted its recommendations. Now begins the work of preparing, not just IPCs, but the nonprofit sector at large for a keener sense of how measures that may be adopted, will work for them. The Council’s recommendations are just that – recommendations. SALT has commissioned a survey of how IPCs have received the recommendations (Pg 14) in our lead story, as well as providing summaries of the recommendations in full, and the mandatory requirements for financial reporting and other governance measures. This is a process, one moving towards a mutual destination – greater transparency and accountability for both donors and beneficiaries. At the end of the day, it’s also a timely spot check for IPCs to consider their individual work procedures and governance in an increasingly demanding charity environment. And perhaps, no one is more aware of the tussle between earthly demands and spiritual standards than the Venerable Shi Ming Yi. His is an engaging story above and beyond his jaw-dropping stunts for charity fundraisers. This issue is full of strong, driven individuals – from Chandra Das, who says NTUC FairPrice will list over his dead body, to the irrepressible Jack Sim roosting in the restroom, to Gerard Ee of the National Council of Social Service and Eugene Seow of TOUCH, both men who didn’t wish for a better world, but who jumped into action to try to make one happen. Chairman of NVPC, Willie Cheng, considers rites for the living where wealth is concerned, and the One Hope Centre flips stigma on its back to help prostitutes and families on the run from loan sharks. And while you consider Singapore’s apparently glossy green record, spare an ear for environmental groups working against the current. It’s a packed issue at the end of a packed year. You’ve certainly been part of it.

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

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Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

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, never gave much thought before, to what it means to wear a ribbon like the ones in the Yellow Ribbon Project. I was wearing my yellow ribbon on the train the other day. And a fellow passenger – a well dressed young man, maybe in his 30s – asked me, “Where did you get the ribbon from?” I told him it was from a colleague and he asked, “What do you think of the project?” I said something like, “It’s a great project, everyone makes mistakes and should get a second chance.” He looked down and responded, “Today is my first day trying to look for a job.” So, there before me was an ex-offender. Very real. My heart went out to him. To him, my ribbon was a signal of acceptance, a connection deeply felt. We need to think about and appreciate the meaning of the ribbons we put on. They could mean a great deal to the person walking next to you.

Toh Chor Yan, Senior Social Worker, Students Care Service (Yishun Centre)

Dear SALT, ust wanted to say thanks for the article in SALT where I featured (SALT Sept/Oct). I have had emails and calls from folks in the private sector who saw the article. They used to think of the people sector as somewhere just for volunteering. But now, they say that they are taking a look at their lives and wondering if it’s time for a cross-over as they want to have a job that they feel happy to go to.

Usha Menon Chair-elect, International Board, Resource Alliance

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

Dear SALT, “Boring, shallow and irrelevant.” Those were my honest perceptions of SALT magazine when I was given my first two copies. Well, suffice it to say that I not only realised how misconceived my perceptions were, I also managed to read almost all the stories in those two issues. For the record, I now find the neatly designed magazine immensely interesting, insightful and yes, very relevant. I especially enjoyed the inspiring profiles on the volunteers such as the triathlete Trevor Xie (SALT May/June). Equally enjoyable were the well researched and lucidly written articles on issues related to charity and volunteerism. Also, getting recognisable local names such as social activist Ivy Singh-Lim (SALT July/August) to anchor columns is a surefire move. One grouse though: maybe the editors should tweak slightly the compilation of figures on different topics in “A Dash of Salt”. Still, this magazine has been a delightful read and a great introduction for someone like me unfamiliar to the volunteering and philanthropy scene. Keep it up! Kor Kian Beng, Journalist

Editor’s note: Check out “A Measure of Salt” – our new department highlighting comparative information on key players in specific nonprofit clusters and sectors. We hope it provides readers with a better understanding of nonprofit segments.

Dear SALT, hen told that volunteering is simply doing what they do best, most working people I talk to are keen to start volunteering, particularly by serving as a board director or on committees where they can contribute their professional expertise. Unfortunately, when they learn that they may have to be nominated and elected first, they feel uncomfortable and doubtful. The alarming fact is that most people, especially youths, are not familiar with the nomination and election process. This may account for why boards and committees are mainly filled with senior volunteers who are very familiar with the electoral process, leaving the ignorant to wonder why he or she can never volunteer as a board director or a committee member. It may help to provide some public education on the electoral process to students and the working population, to facilitate their participation in this sector of volunteering. Having said that, I’m really glad that NVPC is publishing SALT magazine. As a volunteer myself, it is always heartwarming to read about the motivations of fellow volunteers, the challenges they face, and how they overcome the odds to follow their hearts and to do what they do best, to make a difference in the lives of others. No matter how we always strive to bring a smile to those we serve, volunteering does have its lonely periods. I’m sure most volunteers would agree with me. It is through the sharing of one’s volunteering efforts that we know that we are not alone in this community, that we are appreciated, that we can inspire others and bring out the volunteering spirit in them. That is why I always look forward to receiving the next issue of SALT. You bring hope to volunteers like me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Mervyn Sek Founding President, NUS Volunteer Action Alumni Association

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Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

N E W S B

A WRAP-UP OF HAPPENINGS AROUND SINGAPORE

BRICK-SOLID NEIGHBOURLINESS he escalating cost of living has made housing unaffordable for some residents of Batam. So, Singapore CEOs turned construction workers to build houses for our neighbours in Habitat for Humanity’s 100 Houses project.

U.S.Intervention

Hands on. Mr S. Dhanabalan builds a house for Batam resident, Mr Rajagukguk.

Happy faces at Jamiyah Children’s Home, Geylang.

ver a thousand volunteers from the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) and 17 of its member companies were out in force on 25 September. It was AmCham’s Corporate Community Day. Volunteers got busy at 11 people sector events, helping, first hand, more than 1000 elderly, single mothers, housebound residents, children with disabilities, HIV/AIDS patients, and President’s Challenge beneficiaries. The very special energy of corporate volunteers warmed hearts all round. United Technologies Corporation (UTC) volunteers, for instance, tricked up for children and the elderly in four Geylang vicinity homes. UTC employees had spent several weeks in clown school so they could do tricks and balloon sculpting for residents. ABN AMRO volunteers lent a helping hand at MINDS Towner Garden School’s 20th Anniversary festivities. Motorola hosted a mooncake party for children with disabilities down at MINDS. Pan Pacific Singapore catered to the sweet teeth of youths with Down’s Syndrome at the Summer House. Volunteers from the Marriott Hotel organised a beach clean-up at Pasir Ris. Oracle, Agilent and Cargill employees helped distribute food to needy families across the island. And AmCham teamed with six other American organisations to help HIV/AIDS patients at the Tan Tock Seng Communicable Diseases Centre.

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

For four days, captains of industry worked elbow deep in cement and side by side with the soon-to-be residents of the homes. Among those building goodwill brick by brick were Mr Chandra Das, Chairman of NTUC FairPrice, Mr S. Dhanabalan, Chairman of Temasek Holdings, Mr Lim Yong Wah, CEO of Inter-Roller Engineering Limited and Mr Robert Stark, General Manager of Marriott Hotel Singapore. We take our hardhats off to them.

FOREVER YOUNG ews of Diana Young’s fatal accident in Shanghai in September shook the business community. Ms Young was lauded as mentor, razor-sharp entrepreneur, leader of men, exemplary mother and sister in the tributes that followed. Many noted her generosity – a generosity that she extended gladly to the people sector. With NVPC, Ms Young was instrumental in getting NVPC initiatives for the President’s Challenge 2002 and 2003 off the ground and was also a member of the Volunteer Initiative Panel.

Winners’ Circle A

PEOPLE MOVEMENTS

crop of outstanding volunteers joined the winners’ circle at the President’s Social Service Awards (L-R) Lieutenant-General (PSSA) this year. Organised by the National Council of Social Ng Yat Chung representing the SAF; Service, the Awards recognise stellar contributions to the social President S.R. Nathan; service sector. President S R Nathan presented the Awards at the Lim Wen Hwei, SNMH volunteer; Lucas Chow, Istana on 27 August. SingTel’s Executive Vice President, Corporate In the Individuals category, stockbroker and father of two, Business; Foo Say Thye, Foo Say Thye, was lauded for the depth and scope of his volunteer volunteer. activity. University lecturer, orthopaedic surgeon and researcher, Professor Lee Eng Hin, also proved a winner with his fight to improve education and quality of life for children with disabilities. The band of self-starters who have volunteered weekly since 1992 with the Sree Narayana Mission Home for the Aged Sick (SNMH) took home the trophy in the Informal Group category, while the Corporate award went to SingTel. In the Public Sector category, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) came out tops for putting themselves at the frontline of community service.

AGING WITH GRACE he International Federation on Ageing (IFA) held its Global Conference in Southeast Asia for the first time on our shores. Some 740 delegates from 40 countries gathered for a vibrant exchange of ideas and best practices to meet the challenges of aging populations here and abroad. Healthcare, income security, and active ageing were some of the issues aired. But it wasn’t just talk. The Golden Promenade Lifestyle Exhibition and Public Forum held concurrently, gave the elderly and caregivers a close-up of products, services and activities that could gild the golden years. Jointly hosted by the Singapore Action Group of Elders and IFA, the conference took place from Delegates suss out inter-generation 4 to 7 September. activities at the 3-in-1

Family Centre.

WHEEL POWER erry Fox rallied the world with his indomitable spirit. And this year’s Terry Fox Run in Singapore carried his proud tradition like few others could have.

MDAS members showed their mettle at the Terry Fox Run

Eight members from the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore (MDAS) flexed their heart muscles, pushed past their physical limits and completed a gruelling four-kilometre route in their wheelchairs at this year’s run. Muscular Dystrophy is a condition characterised by wasting and contracture of muscles. But there was no stopping Lim Shin Min, one of the intrepid eight who participated.“This means a lot to me as I am able to do something to help others, rather than being helped,”he said.

Lau Kim Yang joined the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) as Director, Special Projects on 1 July 2004. He will spearhead programmes to broaden and enhance international volunteerism and networking. Before joining SIF, Kim Yang headed SP Capital, the venture capital investment arm of Singapore Power, spending a year in the United States as Executive Director of SPower Ventures, Inc. On his return to Singapore, he was appointed General Manager of the Enterprise Development Centre. Tel: 6837 8748, email: kimyang.lau@sif.org.sg Dr Noreen Chan joined Dover Park Hospice as Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer on 12 July 2004. She took over from Dr Koo Wen Hsin, now Head of Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Centre. Previously with the Department of Palliative Medicine at the National Cancer Centre, she retains a visiting consultant appointment there. Dr Chan is also Honorary Treasurer of the Pain Association of Singapore and Chairman of the Doctors’ Subcommittee of the Singapore Hospice Council. Tel: 6355 8200 Dr Kelvin Lee formerly a Marketing Lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney, is the new President of the Caregiver Counselling Welfare Association (CCWA). CCWA supports caregivers and people with disabilities, mental illnesses, chronic conditions, life-threatening disease, the frail aged and children with special needs. Besides community and support outreach groups, CCWA’s services include care and counselling, self-help and support groups, education and training as well as welfare assistance. Tel: 64498755, email: contact@ccwa.org.sg Kimmis Pun took over as President of the Singapore Business & Professional Women’s Association (SBPWA) on 11 Sep 2004. Kimmis is the Senior Vice President of HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA Singapore, and heads the Private Banking team covering both Singapore and China. SBPWA was established in 1972. It is the main chapter in the Federation of Business & Professional Women and a member of Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations in Singapore. SBPWA is also affiliated to the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW), UK. Tel: 67321219, email: sbpwa@pacific.net.sg

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

STREET TO SCHOOL

Tri Again Photo courtesy of sportsphotoX

Volunteer action. Some 300 volunteers ran the race behind the scenes – tagging competitors and handing out much needed refreshments.

he Osim Singapore Triathlon whipped back into town with a vengeance. Young and old were apparently keen to give the sport a tri and participation in the various races in this year’s event hit an all time high. Organised by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and the Triathlon Association of Singapore (TAS), the Triathlon is one of the most anticipated sporting events here. With prize money of US$10,000 up for grabs, the event has consistently drawn world class triathletes. The main event was the Olympic distance triathlon comprising a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run. Australian triathlete and former world junior champion, Nicole Hackett, won the Women’s Open crown. New Zealander Clark Ellice, took the Men’s Open title.

Time-out. Every Sunday, BDCF books soccer fields and opens the game to displaced youths. The game is time-out from their grim routine and one of BDCF’s key outreach programmes.

Zeroing in on children at high risk of dropping out of school – children with disabilities, girls, orphans, and those from families experiencing serious financial difficulties – BDCF sponsors youths right up to secondary level. To make sure they stay in school, BDCF checks in with schools and families regularly. BDCF is supported by the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi. For more information, contact Blue Dragon’s Director, Michael Brosowski at bluedragon@bdcf.org

IN CONFERENCE Volunteerism is going global. This and other domestic and international volunteering trends were brought into sharp focus at the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) Conference. Representatives from the world over turned out in force for the conference, held from 17 to 21 August in Barcelona. The IAVE is a volunteer run organisation dedicated to developing and sustaining volunteerism worldwide. Mrs Tan Chee Koon, Chief Executive Officer of the NVPC sits on IAVE’s Asia Pacific Board.

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

LOUD AND CLEAR

WINNERS ALL

alk into a fast food outlet. Order a bun, a regular Pepsi without ice and cheese fries without onions. Now try that without talking. That was the gauntlet picked up by 90 junior college students on 25 September. They bonded with hearing impaired team mates in a series of activities that challenged and changed perspectives. The event to commemorate the International Day of the Deaf 2004 was jointly organised by the Ambassadors for the Deaf 2004, Kentucky Fried Chicken Management Pte Ltd and Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd. Highlights included a walkathon and a wrap party at the Esplanade. It was a day with more fun than frustration as both the hearing and hearing impaired reached out to erase barriers. And in the balance of things, the awareness achieved and friendships formed surely tipped the scales.

ingapore is making its mark in the region in more ways than one. Singapore Children’s Society shared third placing overall at the inaugural Asia Pacific Paula Bennett, Vice-President, Regional Corporate Affairs in Citigroup Non-Government with Koh Choon Hui, Chairman, Organisation (NGO) of Singapore Children’s Society and Lim Siew Cheng, Vice Chairman, Singapore the Year awards. It was Children’s Society. one of 75 NGOs from across the Asia Pacific region competing. The other third placed NGOs were Hong Kong Society for the Aged and Philippine Business for Social Progress. Second place went to Corporation Leftovers Love Sharing Community from South Korea. Taiwan’s Garden of Hope – an organisation that helps abused women, was the panel’s choice for Asia Pacific NGO of the Year. It walked away with US$10,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 2005 for the International Workshop on Resource Mobilisation. The award, organised by UK-based Resource Alliance and financial services giant, Citigroup, pays tribute to professionalism and excellence in the nonprofit sector.

Photo courtesy of OSIM Singapore Triathlon 2004

ietnam’s school enrolment rate is 92%, but only 77% of students complete primary school. Many of those who don’t, end up on the streets. Government statistics cited in the official Viet Nam News estimate there to be 21,000 street children in Vietnam – the bulk of them in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Based in Hanoi, the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation (BDCF), an Australia-registered charity which helps disadvantaged Vietnamese youth break out of the poverty cycle, aims to nip this ballooning problem in the bud with its Stay in School programme, launched in August this year.

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• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

O FF R O

Nature Calls

Jack Sim settled a gut churning mid-life crisis and found his calling in the loo. BRENDA YEO lifts the lid on his water closet ambitions. t began six years ago. “I was 41 and trying to find meaning in life. I had enough money, a house and the company. But these were mediocre achievements – nothing spectacular,” recalls Jack Sim. Sim, the co-owner of a family business dealing in construction material was casting around for a new challenge when “the toilet issue came along”. Singapore’s most notable and quotable personality on loo matters, says reports of Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, then Prime Minister, commenting on how the cleanliness of public toilets is a measure of a society’s graciousness, were the turning point for him. “I thought, yes, toilets are a neglected issue.” Sim found he had a taste for the taboo subject and no personal inhibitions to hold him back. “Why shouldn’t we talk about a place that we visit at least six times a day?” he argues. Sim reckoned everyone could do with clean, well-designed restrooms and a good talking to on healthy toilet habits. And he was the man for the job. It was all a matter of making the most of his talents. “Everywhere I go, I connect with people very quickly. I can bring together people from different levels, cultures, nationalities, temperaments and age,” he said. He was confident he could convert people he met into “believers of the toilet cause”. So, the closet cause found a champion. Sim set up the Restroom Association of Singapore in 1998, and the World Toilet Organisation (WTO) three years later. Both organisations are non-profit and have around 20 and 17 trade and

happens? You’ll probably cut short your visit to the historic site because you need to rush to a toilet!” Tick tourism on the list of issues affected. Then there’s business. “You’ll leave a shopping mall earlier if the toilets are dirty,” he notes. And there’s the issue of public health. “There are Jack Sim wants to billions of people in the non-trade members respectively. make Singapore the toilet hub of world who don’t have toilets. Today, Sim lives loos, volunthe world. They defaecate in the teering about 90% of his time to open, and when it rains, disease pushing for better toilet environments spreads.” worldwide, mostly through annual Even the hallowed practice of intersummits organised under the banner of national diplomacy, maintains Sim, can WTO. This year’s summit will be held in improve through toilet talk. “The toilet is Beijing in November. a very centralised place to connect everyFor his efforts, he was one of six body. We had a World Toilet Summit meeting in Taipei. You had high-ranking officials from Beijing sitting at the same table with people from Taiwan. They were very friendly – singing songs, eating and talking.” So far, Jack Sim’s “can do” attitude recipients of a Singapore Green Plan 2012 has buoyed the cause. And this, he says, Award in June this year. The inaugural is just the beginning. Sim is working on awards recognise individuals and organia computer game he calls ‘Urgent’, sations that have made significant which he hopes will inculcate good toilet contributions to the country’s environhabits in children. Also in the pipeline – mental sustainability. the World Toilet College, to train cleaners The recognition is great. “I think the and other maintenance personnel. driving force is being able to tell yourself And the WTO has applied for Interthat you’re doing something important, national Head Quarters status here. “We useful, and that you’re quite clever doing want to make Singapore the toilet hub it,” Sim says bluntly. “These are the of the world.” rewards that I get.” His can is brimming with ideas – like And the issues that underscore the the one where he gets the Singapore cause are significant, Sim insists. Symphony Orchestra in on a toilet tune he’s “Everything under the sun is related tentatively titled, Symphony in P Minor. to the toilet. Imagine visiting Angkor Encore, we say. ✩ Wat and there are no toilets. What

“The toilet is a very centralised place to connect everybody.”

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• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

E O O PP LL EE

Touching Dreams Don’t just dream, do something about it! Eugene Seow tells BRENDA YEO how he lives his dream.

ever suggest to Eugene Seow that he sacrificed life in the corporate fast lane at the altar of the greater good. True, he made a career switch to the social service sector after 12 years as an architect. But make no mistake, there was no sacrifice involved. “It was not giving up, but moving forward,” says Seow, the founding Executive Director of TOUCH Community Services (TCS). It’s a momentum forged early in life and oddly enough, during a trek through a cemetery. “In my army days, we used to walk in the Yio Chu Kang cemetery, and I saw a guy with ‘Life is but a dream’ written on his tombstone,” he recalls. “I want mine to say ‘He lived his dream’.”

“There will always be the sense that the task is too great. But it’s precisely because the task is so big that there’s always stuff to do. There’ll be no ‘recession’.” Seow’s resolve has turned youthful musings into more than pipe dreams. Under his leadership, what began as a corps of 15 volunteers extending a helping hand to latchkey kids in Clementi and Jurong, has mushroomed into a multiservice voluntary welfare organisation. Today, TCS boasts 16 services island-wide for children, youths, families,

Seow’s epitaph

the elderly and people will say “He lived his dream”. with disabilities. Seow has shaped the agency into one where services “go beyond the band-aid”. “Then, looking after a latchkey kid was just about providing care services. Now, you need to be able to help him find his potential,” he says. He also prides TCS with being “viable commercially”. “It’s not about profitability,” he explains. “It’s about penetrating the settings that are relevant to the client. The heartland may be where people reside – but where people work is the place where many social issues are being challenged. “You catch a person at home after work, and he may be too tired to listen. But if you catch him at lunchtime with a message about how he can handle his child when he gets home, you’ve got the message through,” he says. But this, says Seow, is just the beginning. Today, Singapore. Tomorrow, the region and the world. He wants to take TCS global. “Its not that we don’t have a lot to do here. But as a nation, we can only survive if we have the world as our hinterland.

It’s the same with social agencies,” reasons Seow. It’s a small world, so social service agencies must think big. “At the end of the day, we might have to deal with social issues that arise out of our globalisation,” he suggests. TCS’ tentacles are already extended. The agency’s international arm was set up in 1999. It offers relief and community development services overseas, and has led relief missions to Turkey, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, Timor and Afghanistan. The agency’s adoption service is another cross-border connection. TCS is one of two accredited agencies for adoption of foreign-born children here. Fei Yue Community Services is the other. Is such a big bite out of the domestic and global pie more than he can chew? “There will always be the sense that the task is too great. But it’s precisely because the task is so big that there’s always stuff to do. There’ll be no ‘recession’,” he says. So between this, that, and the other thing, what’s left for family time? “The work is all consuming – it has to be. I’m unapologetic about it,” he asserts. “But my family is still my number one priority.” As proof, he whips out a letter his daughter wrote some years ago. “It’s signed ‘Your friend and daughter’ – these are the things that matter,” he points out. When the interview wraps, Seow hefts a back pack, takes the stairs two at a time and hits the streets at a jog – no doubt off to live the rest of his dream. ✩

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

ab ut

TIME The Council on Governance of Institutions of Public Character is a mouthful, but its recommendations are now on every IPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda. JUNE LIM examines the clarion call for governance, transparency and best practices.

â&#x20AC;˘ S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

THE IPC LANDSCAPE

he Council on Governance of Institutions of Public Character (CGIPC) may be a mouthful and a little known entity until recently. But it issued its preliminary recommendations on the minimum standards for governance and transparency in IPCs on 23 September 2004. Some would say recommendations for best practices and transparency for IPCs are long overdue. The past year has thrown up hiccups and furore over donation management in churches, and raised questions on fundraising methods, notably from the Independent Society of the Blind. There was also public debate on the National Kidney Foundation’s reserves, and subsequently, all charity reserves. The incidents begged the public question: What is the official position on these matters? Are these cases behind the recommendations of the CGIPC? “No,” said Ms Lim Soo Hoon, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and the Sports (MCYS) and Chairperson of the Council. “The Council’s recommendations are not aimed at any specific charitable organisation.” The CGIPC, she noted, was set up in January 2004, before the recent cases emerged into the public arena. The Council comprises representatives from the people, private and public sectors and it has spent several months deliberating on the issues in three Task Forces before issuing the recommendations for public consultation. The recommendations have a straightforward objective: to establish public trust and confidence and to grow the charitable sector. MINIMUM STANDARDS The CGIPC has identified a set of minimum standards for governance, fund raising practices and financial accountability. These are to be incorporated into the income tax regulations to be made mandatory for IPCs. (See box on next page for summary of recommendations)

1 The status of approved Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) is conferred under the Income Tax Regulations. IPCs approved by IRAS or Central Fund Administrators are authorised to receive tax deductible donations. 2 An IPC may be an organisation or a fund. If it is an organisation, it may be: – a company limited by guarantee – a society – established by statute If it is a fund, the fund must come under the purview of a company, society or statutory establishment. 3 An approved IPC is usually (but not necessarily) a registered charity. 4 Number of IPCs: over 800; Number of Registered Charities: over 1,700 5 Approval and renewal of IPC status is administered by Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) or a Central Fund Administrator (CFA). The major CFAs are: % of donations received (2002)

CFA

Sector

National Council of Social Service Ministry of Education Ministry of Health National Arts Council Singapore Sports Council Singapore National Olympic Council People’s Association

Social service Education Health Arts Sports

30 27 26 6 5

Community Others

4 2 100

6 Major IPCs based on donations, include: Name

National Kidney Foundation NCSS* Charitable Fund Nanyang Technological University The Education Fund National University of Singapore Football Association of Singapore Chinese Development Assistance Council National Arts Council People’s Association (Community Development Council) The Salvation Army (Social Fund) Singapore Indian Development Association Singapore National Olympic Council

Constitution

Total Total Receipts Donations ($m) ($m)

Co Ltd by 94.6 Guarantee Fund 64.1 Established 797.6 by Statute Fund 27.6 Established 1,265.2 by Statute Society 16.1 Co Ltd by 16.6 Guarantee Established 46.6 by Statute Fund 55.6 Fund Society Society

67.5 43.4 29.6 24.7 15.1 10.5 9.6

17.3 5.6 4.7

9.1 7.6 5.1 4.4 4.1

*National Council of Social Service / Community Chest Source: IPCs’ financial statements 2002, FY02/03

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

CGIPC’S RECOMMENDATIONS AT A GLANCE -SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS1 Guiding principle is for greater disclosure by IPCs to increase level of transparency and accountability. 2 IPCs are tiered (into three groups) to take into account size and capability of IPCs. 3 Mandatory requirements will be effected through updated Income Tax Regulations which IPCs are required to comply with. 4 All IPCs are encouraged to adopt the practices in the Code of Governance, including a section on Good Fundraising Practices. The Code has a set of Basic Guidelines which apply to all IPCs, and Enhanced Guidelines which apply only to large IPCs. Although compliance with the Code is not mandatory, IPCs are required to disclose their compliance with guidelines where applicable, and to state their reasons for non-compliance, if any.

5 Parties granted a fundraising permit under the House-to-House and Street Collections Act should be asked to observe the fundraising rules recommended. 6 NVPC to study how to develop the grant making sector. 7 NVPC to implement an online portal to provide organisation information to donors and potential donors. An e-citizen government portal for fund-raisers to be developed. 8 Central Fund Administrators (CFAs) to grant new IPC status for a maximum of two years, and renewal may be for one to five years.

-MANDATORY REQUIREMENTSLARGE IPCS TOTAL INCOME ≥ $5M (APPROX 10% OF IPCS)

MEDIUM IPCS TOTAL INCOME < $5M BUT ≥ $500K (APPROX 40% OF IPCS)

SMALL IPCS TOTAL INCOME < $500K (APPROX 50% OF IPCS)

1 Board Independence

Not more than one-third of IPC Governing Board shall have family or corporate relationships (does not apply to certain funds & foundations)

2 Fundraising

Information to donors and potential donors should not contain any misrepresentations or material omission. Disclose key information (cause, fundraising target, estimated costs, use of funds, etc) during solicitations, and update donors within six months of each fundraising exercise. Where fundraising event raises $1m or more, to publish report using standard template. Information required includes the breakdown of donations, fundraising expenditure and fundraising efficiency (FRE). Template ensures consistency in accounting (for sponsorship and allocated costs). Alternative use of funds raised should be stated upfront or subsequent consent of donors to be obtained. Respect donor confidentiality. Use of commercial third party fund raisers or co-ventures needs to be approved by governing board, and disclosed to donors.

3 Financial Accountability

To comply with: • Full Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) • Recommended Accounting Practice (RAP) for charities

To comply with: • FRS with some exemptions & reductions in certain disclosures • RAP as appropriate

• Accounts prepared on cash basis • Limited disclosures

All IPCs to make available online an annual report containing the following:

a. Corporate Governance Report

Report on compliance with basic and enhanced guidelines of Code on Governance of IPCs and explanations for non-compliance.

b. Board of IPC Annual Report

Report by governing board providing annual review of IPC activities, including remuneration of top three executives in bands (first band from $0 to $100,000 and subsequent bands in $50,000 increments). For board members who receive remuneration from the IPC, first band from $5,000 to $15,000 and subsequent bands in $10,000 increments.

c. Audited Financial Statements

Full Income & Expenditure, Balance Sheet & Cash Flow Statement

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

Statement on compliance with basic guidelines of Code of Governance of IPCs and explanations for non-compliance.

Receipts & Payments Statement, and Limited Balance Sheet

The Council has also developed a Code of Governance for IPCs that includes best practices on fund raising. While the Code is not compulsory, IPCs will be required to show how they are complying with these good practices in their annual reports. Disclosure would seem to be a key thrust of the Council’s recommendations. “We decided to keep mandatory requirements to the minimum,” said Ms Lim. “These are largely public disclosure requirements to empower the public to make informed decisions, rather than to prescribe how IPCs should be run.” The recommendations are also being subjected to public consultation and feedback sessions with IPCs and relevant parties. The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) commissioned an independent survey on the Council’s recommendations among donors and IPCs (see survey results on page 19). In general, support for the recommendations seems positive. “We applaud accountability and transparency and fully endorse the checks and measures proposed by the Council,” said Ms Alison Hack of Ren Ci Hospital & Medicare Centre, an IPC. “I particularly like the recommendation of an organisational vision because it provides direction and impetus, and encourages development and growth,” added Dr Noreen Chan, CEO, Dover Park Hospice, another IPC. Certainly, there are areas where the recommendations have IPCs worried, although the current feedback suggests these may be matters reassured by clarification. PRIVATE PAY, PUBLIC INTEREST? One recommendation applauded by donors but causing a ripple with some charities and nonprofits is the disclosure of compensation for the top three executives and board members. “Disclosure is not discouragement of any remuneration levels,” explained Mr Gerard Ee, President of the National Council of Social Service, and Chairman of the Governance Task Force in the CGIPC. “In fact, disclosure for board members start

above $5,000 because it is expected that board members could be remunerated for out of pocket expenses incurred in performing their functions. In contrast, most IPCs today do not compensate their board members at all,” he added. On the issue of privacy of senior executive pay packages, Mr Ee noted the Council has not gone as far as the American requirement which makes charities name executives and provide exact compensation amounts. Instead, the CGIPC disclosure asks only for top executive compensation in broad bands. “The SPCA is all for openness. We do appreciate the public’s support and their right to know what they are supporting. We have absolutely no objections to disclosing salaries of top executives for public information,” said Ms Deirdre Moss, Executive Officer, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“The Council has also developed a Code of Governance for IPCs that includes best practices on fund raising.” Ms Lim Soo Hoon, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and the Sports (MCYS) and Chairperson of the Council.

Even where there might a concern, many IPCs recognise the value of such disclosure. “Although remuneration is somewhat private information to a person, we should have no problems if this is done in the name of accountability to our public supporters” said Ms Koh Juat Muay of the Salvation Army. THE 30% RULE ON FUNDRAISING EXPENSES Another area of some contention is what constitutes good fund raising efficiency. Currently, IPCs are required to keep fund raising expenses to a cap of 30% of the funds raised.

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

“Only large IPCs such as NCSS and the National Arts Council, which make up only 10% of all IPCs, should have more stringent financial management and controls. The majority of the IPCs which are small need only follow basic requirements. Mr Ng Boon Yew, Chairman of the Accounting & Investment Task Force in the Council, and Group Chief Financial Officer, Singapore Technologies Pte Ltd

“This was probably the most frequent topic in fundraising discussions”, said Mr Willie Cheng, Chairman of NVPC and the Fund-Raising Task Force in the Council. He suggests three issues with the current rule. For starters, there is no agreed definition on what goes into the ratio. Secondly, a reasonable ratio is highly variable, and depends on such factors as the nature of the fund raising exercise and the profile of the IPC. Finally, because 30% is deemed acceptable, 30% can become a target in itself when fund-raisers can actually spend less. The Council has recommended a template designed to ensure consistency in defining the fund raising efficiency ratio. In particular, it includes sponsorship and allocated costs for fundraising activities. As for a benchmark ratio, Mr Cheng said, “In the long term, we hope that with a consistent and disclosed ratio, donors would evaluate the fund raising efficiency according to the specific circumstances of the IPC, and the fund raising exercise.

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

“This will help them make informed decisions. In the meantime, the benchmark is maintained at 30% with discretion for the tax authority, IRAS, and the Central Fund Administrators to lower it for specific sectors or IPCs,” HOW MUCH, HOW SOON? Many IPCs are concerned with the cost of following through on these recommendations and most expect to incur higher overheads in implementing them. “We are mindful of that,” said Mr Ng Boon Yew, Chairman of the Accounting & Investment Task Force in the Council, and Group Chief Financial Officer, Singapore Technologies Pte Ltd. “That is why we have recommended a tiered approach in the rules and guidelines. Only large IPCs such as NCSS and the National Arts Council, which make up only 10% of all IPCs, should have more stringent financial management and controls. The majority of the IPCs which are small need only follow basic requirements.” The tiered approach means that more than 50% of IPCs will not be required to provide full financial statements. “They need only prepare cash-based receipts and payment statements,” Mr Ng clarified. What about IPCs who do not or cannot meet the requirements? “We will study the different kinds of support and help that the IPCs may need in implementing the recommendations, for example, providing training,” said Ms Lim Soo Hoon. “The respective Central Fund Administrators will help the IPCs to meet the requirements. The IPC status will only be suspended or withdrawn as a last resort.” She pointed out that the recommendations are simply that: recommendations. And that complying with them would not be immediate. “The Council has sought public consultation and its recommendations will be submitted to the Ministry of Finance for consideration,” Ms Lim reassured. ✩

DONOR AND IPC FEEDBACK ON CGIPC RECOMMENDATIONS

1. IPCs should provide more information to donors

AGREE

NEUTRAL DISAGREE

85%

10%

93%

2% 5% CORPORATE DONORS

AGREE

2. IPCs should indicate where they do not follow recommended basic guidelines

NEUTRAL DISAGREE

82%

11%

82%

62%

17%

TOO HIGH

3. Is spending 30 cents to collect every dollar of donations too high, too low or about right?

6. Will implementing the Council’s recommendations increase IPCs’ total operating costs?

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

10%

CORPORATE DONORS IPCs

TOO LOW

49%

56%

2% INDIVIDUAL DONORS

40%

32%

5% CORPORATE DONORS

61%

YES

NEUTRAL

78%

16%

79%

10%

64%

5. Will the Council’s recommendations increase public support for IPCs?

21%

ABOUT RIGHT/NEUTRAL

50%

4. Should IPCs report the salaries paid to their top three executives and board members in income ranges?

6% INDIVIDUAL DONORS

12%

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

12%

24%

YES

NEUTRAL

79%

15%

YES

NEUTRAL

35%

32%

33%

IPCs

CORPORATE DONORS IPCs

6% IPCs

IPCs

Straw poll of 200 individual donors, 61 corporate donors and 66 IPCs by Market Probe-Precision Research in Oct 04. Each bar represents 100%. Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Neutral votes include “Don’t know / No opinion”

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

AD 7

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

Public pardon: A proposed landfill of Chek Jawa was halted in the wake of public outcry. Its seagrass beds are thick and rich with marine life. Photo by Ria Tan, volunteer nature guide

Natural Concern

Volunteer groups see cracks beneath the gleaming veneer of Singapore’s environmental record. WONG SHER MAINE takes a closer look.

ingapore is clean and green. In fact, Singapore was declared the cleanest country in Asia by the Hongkongbased Political and Economic Risk Consultancy in 2001. So, really, environmental groups here have little to worry about. Right? Think again. It would not be far off to say that an endangered species of duck – the Lesser Whistling Duck – has all but disappeared from Singapore because people complained about mosquitoes. A marshy area at Marina South where these ducks congregated, was filled to eradicate breeding mosquitoes which were

apparently plaguing diners at a nearby food centre. That was 10 years ago. More recently, the Nature Society wrote to the Ministry of National Development to express concern and suggest alternatives to a proposed land fill at the Mandai mangrove and mudflats. They also questioned plans to dam up the Sungei Khatib Bongsu river. Ironically, both are designated nature areas in the Singapore Green Plan 2012, which was released in August 2002 and outlines the nation’s environmental blueprint.

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What all this suggests, is that pragmatism, unsurprisingly, rules the national environment agenda. Mr N Sivasothi, a research officer at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity, notes that Singapore’s environmental “feather in the cap” is more to do with brown issues – like pollution management and recycling – rather than blue (marine and coastal) and green (conservation) issues. So, while groups like the Nature Society concede that the government has achieved good environmental management concerning air, water, land and noise, green and blue issues are the real battle fronts. The ammunition lacking in the good fight, grouse volunteer groups, is money, clout and visibility.

“People are sympathetic, but they are lost. There is no light shining in the dark sea. We cannot expect them to show concern if they don’t know what is going on.” Dr Ho Hua Chew, Nature Society

Top: Halus-ination: Here today, gone tomorrow? The Lorong Halus marsh at Sungei Serangoon, a habitat for wetland birds, is among the nature areas conservationists seek to protect. Above: Ducking the issue: The Lesser Whistling Duck all but disappeared from Singapore when marsh areas where they gathered were filled to minimise mosquito breeding. Pictures by Dr Ho Hua Chew

NO MONEY, NO TALK For the environment groups, donations to fund environmental projects are hard to come by. “There is not enough money going into the environment. In that sense it is a neglected cause,” said Howard Shaw, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council (SEC), the umbrella body for environment groups in Singapore. “The general mindset is that the environment is the responsibility of the government, so as a whole it has a much smaller mindshare of the giving philosophy,” he added. Out of the $512 million donated in 2003 to Institutions of Public Character, organisations which can issue tax-exempt receipts, $325,000 was disbursed to environment IPCs – a “sliver of the pie” in Shaw’s words. That may have to change. One of the Singapore Green Plan targets is to strengthen public, private and people sector ownership of environmental concerns.

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

Currently, for every 10 corporate sponsors the Council approaches for donations, nine turn them down. Said Shaw: “When it comes to the environment, results are long-term and intangible. With other causes, like the elderly for instance, it is clear how a $10 donation will make a difference. It’s instant gratification.” To sweeten deals, the Council has made efforts to give sponsors greater exposure. Including the company’s name in the event title or ensuring some publicity in the press, for instance. “It’s a standard wish list,” said Shaw.

ALL TALK, NO CLOUT? Then there is the issue of clout. Environment groups say they don’t have it, especially on conservation issues. Advocacy has had chequered success. “We’ve won some of our battles, but we lost a lot more,” says Dr Ho Hua Chew, the Nature Society’s head of conservation. On the one hand, it can reverse decisions on environmental policy. Public feedback, debate and outcry caused an about turn in plans to fill Chek Jawa, a beach off Pulau Ubin, in December 2001. But Dr Ho and conservation veterans like him are concerned that there is insufficient protection for nature areas like Chek Jawa. Nature areas, unlike nature reserves, are not gazetted. Dr Ho notes that while the green plan has identified and targets to “keep nature areas for as long as possible”, the lingo signals that designated nature areas are simply “nice-to-haves”. “It is very loose and the protection status is weak. Today, it is a nature area. Tomorrow if the Government decides otherwise, it may be more suitable for a golf course,” said Dr Ho. Without the legal framework to protect such nature areas, the only clout owned by concerned groups is vigilance, concerted feedback to the government, and the public voice.

SPEAK UP, LOUDLY The problem is, not every cause is as well-articulated as Chek Jawa. Among the 30 Chek Jawa appeals the Urban Redevelopment Authority received, were field data, detailed reports on Chek Jawa’s biodiversity and even CD-ROMs. But for every Chek Jawa, there are many more environmental die-hards and their causes that nobody knows about and therefore can’t support. Yet, there is support out there for environmental causes. A 2001 survey by the SEC of 1,000 Singaporeans showed that 85 per cent felt land should be set aside for nature reserves and parks, and 79 per cent were opposed to turning land for nature into golf courses. And Singapore is scoring better on the recycling front. Because of the National Recycling Programme launched in

April 2001, one in three households here diligently pack their trash into recycling bags. But the man-in-the-street is probably more like project engineer Jason Loh. “Of course I care about the environment. But apart from recycling as much as I can, I really don’t know what else I can do,” he said. The Nature Society’s Dr Ho wishes more environment experts or groups would speak up on their causes to create more awareness on conservation issues. “People are sympathetic, but they are lost. There is no light shining in the dark sea. We cannot expect them to show concern if they don’t know what is going on.”

“Of course I care about the environment. But apart from recycling as much as I can, I really don’t know what else I can do.” Jason Low, Project Engineer

A SS UU RR EE A

Perhaps if those diners had known that the survival of the Lesser Whistling Duck hung in the balance, they might not have complained. Better yet, they might have turned their complaint into environmentally positive action benefiting duck and diner. ✩

In this issue, SALT turns the spotlight on five nonprofit players in the environment sector.

Environment Organisations All inputs provided by the societies and associations

General Date of establishment Constitution Registered charity IPC Website Organisation Chairman Executive Director Number of full-time staff equivalent Number of volunteers Key programme/Activity

Finances (S$’000) Income – Donations – Grants/Sponsorships – Membership fees – Other incomei Expenditure – Programme expenses ii – Operating expenses – Fundraising expenses – Other expenses iii Surplus/Deficit Reserves/Accumulated Funds (S$’000) i. Includes investment income

SINGAPORE ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL

LIVING GREEN ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE)

NATURE SOCIETY (SINGAPORE)

WATERWAYS WATCH SOCIETY

RESTROOM ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE)

1995 Company Yes Yes www.sec.org.sg

1995 Society No Yes www.livinggreen.org.sg

1961 Society No Yes www.nss.org.sg

1999 Society Yes No www.wws.org.sg

1998 Society Yes No www.toilet.org.sg

Heng Chiang Meng Howard Shaw 7

Marilyn Ong Tan Ka Seng –

Dr Geh Min (President) – 1

Eugene Heng – –

Jack Sim Colin See

1,432 Green Volunteer Network Eco-Office Eco-Family Green Transport Day School Green Audit Award/ Young Environment Ambassadors Singapore Environmental Achievement Award

10 Green Heritage Programme Green Kitchen

200 Nature appreciation and education for school and community groups Conservation projects and surveys Campaign for protection of natural habitats

60 Patrol and monitoring of cleanliness in Singapore River and Marina Basin Public education to schools and public on the importance of keeping our rivers and waterways clean and free from pollution

25 Happy Toilet Rating Programme The Happy Toilet School Education Programme (HTSE) Happy Toilet Seminar National Skills Recognition Scheme Training

(2003)

(2002)

(2003)

431 131 221 – 79 990 – 990 – – (559) 710

0.1 – – 0.1 – 2.0 – 2.0 – – (1.9) –

ii. Also known as direct charitable expenses

296 3 31 81 181 325 169 121 – 35 (29)

73 – 73 – – 28 18 10 – – 45

167 – 160 1 6 150 90 60 – – 17

304

–

iii. Includes publicity, capital expenses and all other expenses

Research compiled by TAN TZE HOONG, Sector Development, NVPC Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

AD 8

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Community Market Profit is not a dirty word at the trade-union cooperative supermarket chain. But the bottom line is how surpluses are distributed. BRENDA YEO shops for answers at NTUC FairPrice.

‘‘W

e’ll list over my dead body,” declares Mr Chandra Das, Chairman of NTUC

FairPrice. Strong words. But it’s a cavil that reflects a laser sharp conviction that FairPrice is at heart and by heritage a company with a social mission. “The day we are not socially motivated, we have no relevance. We won’t deserve to be here,” he says. Das recalls a time when FairPrice was on the verge of listing. That was in 1993. “But I became Chairman. And I built a case against it. “When you’re listed, your whole approach to business is different. The CEO will look at his quarterly results and shareholders will look at bottomline returns.” Not that making money is a no-no. “Profit is not a dirty word. We must make a profit,” says Das. “But the difference between us and company ‘B’ – is how we distribute the surplus.” And Das maintains that it’s FairPrice’s continued standing as a socially driven co-operative that has given it unique avenues for distributing the goodies. For instance, FairPrice is absorbing two percent GST on 400 essential items till the end of the year – an exercise expected to cost the company $7 million. It gives senior citizens an additional 2% discount on Tuesdays. And last year, it gave away $1 million worth of food vouchers to low income families via Community Development Councils and Citizens’ Consultative Committees. The co-operative’s social report card reads like a Dean’s List of achievers with a remarkable range of

in 2003 was a whopping $6 million. Surprisingly, it’s the initiatives where “the money is small”, that Das describes with the greatest pride. Like the Used Textbooks Project. Used testbooks from the public are collected at FairPrice outlets. Low-income families benefit from these, with those on public assistance on the priority list. Into its 21st year, the project has helped over 100,000 students. Das says it’s the all-hands-on-deck nature of the project that appeals. “A lot of people are involved. The donors, the stores, the schools that help to sort the books. It’s a Gift shopping as massive operation. And the families subjects – education, sports, FairPrice takes on The Boys’ Brigade that benefit tell me ‘these books family welfare, the list goes Sharity Gift Box as main sponsor. will save me $70, $80, $90’. That’s on. “We cover every angle,” Beneficiaries filled their carts for a lot of money to them,” he notes. Das states simply. free at last year’s FairPrice has upped the ante on In 2003, about $500,000 launch. the ‘non-cash’ aspect of its community worth of study grants were programme. Staff get one day off a year given to children of some 500 members for volunteer work. And the company and employees. recently formed ‘Club V’ – a committee to Another $500,000 went to the promote staff volunteerism and spearhead Community Chest through ComChest’s activities like outings for children from Club Charity Sweep and Heartstrings Buys. Rainbow – FairPrice’s adopted charity. This year, NTUC Fairprice has devised So, what’s in store for 2005? The another means to support ComChest – Used Textbooks project, study grants, the FairPrice Care & Share Charity FairPrice’s Netball Super League sponFund. For every item of its housebrand, sorship, its support of the Community private label and weekly specials sold, Chest and Club Rainbow, a nonprofit FairPrice donates one cent. The retailer assisting children with critical illnesses, expects to raise $1 million by July 2005. will continue. In sports, the group was a title One thing’s for certain, says Das, sponsor for events like the Netball Super “We’ll do more. And if overall the League and the Singapore Badminton community benefits and we lose out a Association Badminton Championships. little, we’ll still go ahead.” Not an exhaustive account by any That, we imagine, is what sets this means. Suffice to say that the tally for supermarket chain apart. ✩ FairPrice’s basket of social programmes

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

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

Mind Over Matter here is a certain calm about Venerable Shi Ming Yi that is natural given that he is a Buddhist monk. Moreover, the surroundings – the Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre for the chronic sick in Buangkok View – are as peaceful as he is. Yet, “Ven Shi” is anything but a typical monk. Earlier this year, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ren Ci stood in a container full of ice for almost 23 minutes to raise money for the hospital. Broadcast live on SPH MediaWorks’ Channel U during the charity television show, his stunt helped raise more than $7.7 million. It was not the first time that Ven Shi had turned to unorthodox methods to raise money. During the same charity show last year, his 25-minute abseiling stunt down the side of Suntec City Tower 2 drew pledges of $750,000. During that stunt, he lost his footing and dangled in mid-air, before regaining his balance and completing his descent, to the relief of his audience. He remembers the moment well. “It was mind over matter,’’ he tells SALT, recalling his problems with the building where a downpour had turned the cladding slippery. Mind prevailed over matter as well when he was encased in ice. His temperature did not fall drastically, and he came through the ordeal.

Picture by Rave Photography

Whether he intended it or not, Venerable Shi Ming Yi burned himself into the nation’s psyche when he abseiled down one of Singapore’s tallest buildings in 2003 as a fundraising stunt. Guest writer, ASAD LATIF of The Straits Times, takes a shine to the monk with the megastar persona.

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

“Buddhism does not prevent you from going for things.’’

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

What he means when speaking of mind over matter is clear from the drift of his comments. The desire to serve humanity gives the individual mind a steely focus. He knew that he could not afford to fail. The 42-year-old monk modestly plays down the fame that his stunts have brought him, saying that he carried them out because they were meant for a cause. It is true that he had an interest in rock-climbing when he was younger but, he adds, he would not have gone abseiling had it not been for other people: in his case, the more than 400 needy sick under Ren Ci’s care. Buddhism teaches compassion. This monk puts precept into practice. He found his calling early in life. The child of a bank officer and a housewife, he and his three sisters grew up in a nominally Buddhist family in Tiong Bahru. He was attracted to the serenity of Buddhist temples and enjoyed eating vegetarian food. After attending the intensely competitive Raffles Institution (“Buddhism does not prevent you from going for things,’’ he says nonchalantly), his mind turned to things other than success. His destination clear, he was ordained as a monk at 22. Today, he is one of the most recognisable faces of Buddhism in Singapore. He is the Abbot of several temples here, and he is active in Buddhist circles overseas. In November 1998, he took over the abbotship of Kun Chung Temple in Hong Kong, and he assumed the abbotship of Kwan Inn Teng Temple in Malaysia in September 1999. He was awarded Singapore’s Public Service Medal in 1996. Outspoken, he comments publicly on a range of issues from religious harmony, to the arts and the life sciences. A strong advocate of a healthy body,

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

he exercises regularly and has enough energy to get by on five hours of sleep every night. What motivates him? Ven Shi responds with a comment that is as sharp as it is pithy: “You are helpless when you can’t help others.’’ He recalls an incident in which he was traveling in a car when it began to rain. An elderly woman without an umbrella, who was waiting to cross the road, got caught in the downpour. The car in which he was sitting was on the far side of the pavement that she was waiting to cross; he could not do anything to help her. He felt helpless. His work at Ren Ci, which he set up in 1994, crosses the road to help the helpless. Some years ago, he was astonished to discover that there were people in affluent Singapore who could not afford to spend on their health care every day what some would

“When people are happy, they tend not to think of others, but when they are in trouble, they reach out for the healing hand of society.” spend on a fast-food lunch. He decided that something had to be done for people like them. Ren Ci waives fees for those who cannot afford to pay the $18 a day it charges for their stay. It has 444 full-time patients. Are they all Buddhist? Of course not, Ven Shi replies. The hospital serves everyone irrespective of race, language or creed. The only qualifying factor is need. In fact, Ren Ci’s patients are not required to eat vegetarian food. Pork?

Yes. Beef? Yes, of course. These are all permitted, he says, adding jovially, however, that smoking and drinking are not allowed, because this is, after all, a hospital. There is a strange simplicity about Ven Shi. For a priest who has been described as charismatic, he speaks in a style that is mellow, almost deadpan. For a person who deals with sickness and suffering every day, he does not glamorise the work of his doctors and other staff. The level tone of his voice never gives way to the imperfections of the contentious world that he lives in. Ask him a question, and he responds with the calm of a person who has asked himself that question a thousand times. Is Singapore a materialist society? Well, it is fast-paced, he says, like Hong Kong and Shanghai. Are Singaporeans selfish? He sees the issue differently. When people are happy, they tend not to think of others, he remarks, but when they are in trouble, they reach out for the healing hand of society. Imperturbable, he is not terrified of terrorists or roused to anger by religious extremists and fanatics. The point, he says, is that people have to think about the motives and the consequences of their actions. Do they want chaos or peace? Even in a violent world, he believes that returning hatred with hatred does not produce love. Compassion is the answer. Are these but pious thoughts? Not where this man is concerned. Ven Shi spends every day translating the compassion embedded in his religion into the reality of healing those stricken with the infirmities that plague the progress of life. When he speaks of piety, he means it. And that is not a stunt. You may, if you wish, call it a triumph of mind over matter. ✩

Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

Making Significance Deeds are the measure of men (and women). Gerard Ee, President of the National Council of Social Service, throws down the gauntlet. BY

GERARD EE PRESIDENT N ATIONAL C OUNCIL S OCIAL S ERVICE

hen we think of someone from the past, do we ponder on that person’s wealth or that person’s achievements? For starters, we cannot even fathom the wealth of the super rich nor do we care unless we can benefit from it. However, we do admire and even feel grateful for the contributions of people who have enriched our community, and directly or indirectly, benefited our lives and that of our loved ones. We do remember and ponder on the philanthropically motivated acts of individuals. Why should you care about this aspect of life? Why not just work hard, earn lots of money, play hard, have a great life and move on? Perhaps it is because we realise that as humans, we should aspire to be on a higher plane than animals. Animals roam around and seek to satisfy their survival instincts and maximise their pleasure and avoid pain. Humans are similarly designed. Do we not place high in our priorities, the need for comfort and pleasure, which we euphemistically describe as seeking greater quality of living? I too seek these things and I am not about to condemn them. I also have a strong desire for the comforts of life for my loved ones and myself. Having crossed the half-century mark and enjoyed much of the benefits of a rewarding career, I realise that there must be more to life than just seeking pleasure and comfort. Where would I draw the line? How would I determine

Salt and pepper shakers from a private collection

• S A LT Nov-Dec 2004

what is enough? Personally I do not think there is a need to set limits. The key to this paradox must be to maintain a balance between seeking the quality of life and making significance. Perhaps Maslow had this in mind when he wrote about the process where an individual progresses from basic needs such as food and sex, to the highest needs of fulfilling one’s greatest human potential. Each one of us will have to arrive at our own definition of our greatest human potential. For some, just being very successful in business and accumulating massive wealth would illustrate their highest achievement. Then there are others, who after achieving a level of financial security, begin to suspect that there is more to life than just material success. When I dig into the lives of some of the super-rich in America, I find many philanthropists. They leave behind legacies and through the Foundations they establish, continue to make significance to the lives of millions. We have many local examples – the Lee Foundation, Lien Foundation, Shaw Foundation and Khoo Foundation, to name a few. Then again, financial success is not the pre-requisite to making significance – America’s Martin

“It is within every individual’s means to make a positive impact on the life of another. To know that I am making significance is my measure of success.”

Luther King was not a wealthy man, but he fought hard and died for civil rights; Singapore’s Sister May Stevens is not a wealthy lady, but she is totally committed to serving HIV infected patients. Luckily for all of us, we need not be billionaires, millionaires or even wealthy to make a significance. We do not have to establish a Foundation to make significance. One dictionary definition of significance is “the quality of having importance, or being regarded as having great meaning.” It is our deeds that matter most. The tea lady in my office who spends all her free time helping elderly people, is making significance. She helps them on trips to the doctor, takes them on outings, and also attends to their numerous, mundane daily needs. The lawyer who provides free legal advice and assistance to abused housewives is making significance. The wealthy person who provides funding so a student can complete his studies is making significance. Everyone can make significance. It is within every individual’s means to make a positive impact on the life of another person. To me, that is making significance. It is important to me to know that I am making significance. It is my measure of success. Even a pet dog can make a great significance to the life of its owner. No wonder we read of owners bequeathing their wealth to their pets. I am trying very hard to continue making significance. I pray that you are too! As Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can try to help another without helping himself.” ✩

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Living Rites The Chairman of NVPC tackles the delicate subject of raising money from the dead. BY

WILLIE CHENG CHAIRMAN, NVPC

x-banker Winston Tan was in his element at lunch, regaling me with stories and philosophies of banking. In his view, bankers uniquely understand and have very successfully built an entire industry around a very simple notion – the time value of money. The topic turned to our work at NVPC and ideas for raising the level of philanthropic giving in Singapore. Applying his banking insight, he advised, “Take the path of least resistance – get people to give when the value of money matters least to them.” “Like when?” I asked. “Like when they are dead,” he said. “But, of course, get them to commit before they die!” The concept is not new. Leaving estate assets in wills to charities is promoted under the auspices of “planned giving”. Some bequests receive wide media attention. One of the most dramatic examples is the sum of US$1.9 billion that Joan Kroc, the widow of Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds Corp, left to the Salvation Army and other charities when she died on October 2003 at the age of 75. Closer to home, we have stories of Mdm Chan Lai Heng and Mdm Chia Fong Ying, both of whom left their property and other assets to high profile charities such as the Community Chest and the NKF. Not all bequests are a surprise to the beneficiary organisations. In fact, most are being promoted by the nonprofit

organisations themselves. This is especially so in the US where institutions of higher learning and healthcare-related charities are among the most proactive. Graduating students, patients and other potential donors are asked to name these institutions in their wills or life insurance policies. More sophisticated instruments such as Life Income Gifts (where donors receive income for life after transferring their assets), and Pooled Income Funds (where gifts are invested with similar gifts from other donors), have also emerged to meet specific giver needs. Planned giving can be significant. In the US, it is estimated that 9% of the total charity pie of US$240 billion in 2003, came from bequests alone. In Singapore, while no data is available on the extent of planned giving, it is likely minute. Planned giving is promoted by a few organisations. Those that do, do so discreetly. These organisations include the Community Chest, the NKF and the National Heritage Board, with the Singapore Management University and the National University of Singapore gearing to enter this space. A recent commendable initiative is a trust fund being set up by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS). It allows parents to provide for their mentally disabled children after their deaths, by setting aside money in the trust fund that will be managed by the Public Trustee. The potential for planned giving in Singapore is great. NVPC estimates that the inter-generational transfer of wealth each year exceeds S$2 billion. If just

10 per cent of this goes to charity, it would double the tax-deductible donations contributed by individuals each year. Why is planned giving not as significant as it could be in Singapore? I would hazard two guesses. First, our estate tax rates are too generous. After certain exemptions including a $9m dwelling, estate tax rates of 5% apply for the first $12m and 10% thereafter. In contrast, estate tax in the US and Britain quickly reach the 40% bracket. Philosophically, unlike a regular taxable income like salary, an inheritance – the result of blood or other relationship – is not “earned income”. From a societal standpoint, taxing inheritance would more equitably distribute wealth and opportunity. Under most tax laws, including Singapore’s, donations to charities in wills are not dutiable. In fact, if a beneficiary of an estate in Singapore chooses to donate part of his or her inheritance to charity before the estate is finalised, that part of the donation will not be subject to estate duty. A higher level of estate tax rates would likely encourage more planned giving. It is estimated that over12% of charitable giving in the US is influenced by the estate tax. However, as we live in a global economy, we also need to ensure that our estate duty rates are competitive. Another reason for the low level of bequests to charities is perhaps that death is not a polite subject brought up in our Asian culture. Curiously, if you consider the amount of life insurance being sold, that taboo can be overcome. Perhaps, the solution then is to educate the gatekeepers – the insurance agents, the financial planners, private bankers, and other professionals – to be comfortable with raising the giving question with their clients. And, if this article has helped broach the subject with you, perhaps you can consider putting something in your will for a good cause. ✩

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Dare to Care eople ask me why we want to help prostitutes, but everyone is deserving of help,” declares Reverend Edward Job. The 49 year-old Executive Director of Christian Care Services Centre, is the founder of One Hope Centre (OHC), a welfare organisation dedicated to improving the plight of not just prostitutes, but “anyone in need of help”. Two years ago, volunteers from some of the churches in Geylang organised prayer walks in the area. And came face-to-face with people more used to being avoided than accepted. Enter the OHC. Recalls Rev Job, “We didn’t just come across prostitutes who had been forced or tricked into the trade. There were also families who were on the run from loansharks. We wanted to reach out to these people, to touch and change their lives.”

Photo courtesy of Rev. Edward Job

Society may shun prostitutes and families on the run from loansharks, but not One Hope Centre. SUZANNE LIM walks the fringe with founder, Reverend Edward Job.

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“Even cats and dogs have organisations that look after their welfare! Society’s outcasts, such as prostitutes, need somewhere to turn to as well when they are in need.” While the idea of helping families with loansharks went down well, helping prostitutes raised more than a few eyebrows. “We received all sorts of comments. Some thought these women were not deserving of our help because of what they did for a living.

One Hope Centre

“But quite a few of counsellors help those shunned by others. these prostitutes have been forced into prostitution, lured from their home countries with offers of well-paying jobs in Singapore. Often, they have borrowed large sums of money back home to come here and not being well educated, can’t get legitimate jobs after they arrive. Prostitution is a last resort,” comments Rev Job. “Our aim is not to eradicate prostitution. We just want to provide them with an avenue for help, whether to get back home or to help them get out of the trade,” he adds. To date, volunteers from OHC have counselled around 50 prostitutes, helping the women out with temporary shelter and providing advice on dealing with the authorities. Separately, the group has also mediated on behalf of about 10 families in Geylang, negotiating with the loansharks on reasonable payment plans that the families can stick to. “So far, the loansharks have not been violent or unreasonable towards us. Our main concern is to help out the families, either by negotiating with the loansharks or providing the families with food, basic necessities and counselling. “Sometimes, the people we’re trying to help ask us why we do it. We tell

them there are no strings attached. We’re not there to convert them; we just want to help them, regardless of race, language or religion,” Rev Job, one of five winners of the President’s Social Service Award in 2003, says. OHC is manned entirely by volunteers, currently numbering around 20. It hopes to recruit another 200, although Rev Job admits, the stigma of counselling prostitutes is hard to shake off. He is also quick to stress that OHC does not operate along religious lines – volunteers from all walks of life are welcome. Nonprofit OHC covers its operating costs through membership fees and donations from the churches involved with the centre. It has received funding offers from various organisations (including secular ones), but has not accepted any to date, as it is still in the process of formulating a business plan for the purposes of accountability to donors. It hopes to set up its own 24-hour drop-in counselling centre in Geylang for those in need, a telephone help-line manned by a full-time trained counsellor, and a training and rehabilitation centre for former prostitutes, recovering drug addicts and alcoholics. “Even cats and dogs have organisations that look after their welfare!” exclaims Rev Job. “Society’s outcasts such as prostitutes need somewhere to turn to as well when they are in need. Others may shun them, but OHC dares to care.” ✩ For more information on One Hope Centre, contact Reverend Edward Job at 64408349/64408362/63440423 or coc@pacific.net.sg.

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SCENE&SEEN College Carnival 7 to 9 August, Charity Fiesta 2004, Suntec Singapore

It’s a report card with distinctions. The carnival, organised by the National University of Singapore Student’s Union (NUSSU) Volunteer Action Committee, South West Community Development Council and National University of Singapore Society (NUSS), raised about $100,000 for 15 voluntary welfare organisations. The public joined the stellar effort. The result: 900 people with disabilities had their wishes fulfilled at the carnival’s focal event,“Wish Upon A Shooting Star”.

Top: Arts Alive! A talking portrait of The Scream by Edvard Munch, gave guests an animated introduction to Art Outreach. Bottom: (L-R) Art Outreach Founder, Claudia Cellini, Art Outreach Executive Committee Member Richard Loh, Guests-of-Honour Dr & Mrs Balaji Sadasivan and LTA’s Chief Executive, Ho Meng Kit.

Above left: Art from the heart. Disabled artists and volunteers with their masterpiece. The piece was part of the “United Colours of SouthWest” mural competition – a Charity Fiesta fringe event. Above: Shooting stars. Wish slips burned off the boards. The public picked-up and pledged to fulfill more than 900 wishes.

Living Art Empathy Unlocked 17 September, Art Invitational, Four Seasons Hotel

Art came alive, quite literally, for more than 300 guests at Art Outreach’s debut fundraiser. Two art collections went on the block. ’Art-in-Transit’, donated by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), featured works from MRT stations along the North East Line.‘Art Fundamentals II’ comprised works from local talents. Arts Outreach, started by Ms Claudia Cellini in 2003, is a nonprofit programme that takes art appreciation classes to schools. It expects to reach more than 5,000 students in the coming year.

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27 August, Hair for Hope, Lush Hair Salon

Left: Before; Right: After. Volunteers hope more will join them next year.

Some spend a fortune to keep their locks. Twenty-five men, women and a child gave their locks in a gesture worth a fortune. The volunteers shaved their heads in support of children with cancer. The funds they raised from pledges go to the Children’s Cancer Foundation, which helps these children and their families through programmes that enhance their emotional, social and medical well-being.

Hung for Charity

Flying High

12 September, Comedy 4 U, Esplanade

Budget airlines are off to a flying start. On 28 August, 80 children from the Singapore Children’s Society took flight with Tiger Airways, thanks to the carrier and co-organisers Visa and United Overseas Bank. And on 3 September, 120 special needs children from MILK (Mainly I Love Kids), flew Valuair courtesy of an anonymous sponsor. MILK funds treatment and care of children with chronic illnesses, education, counselling and arts, and sports therapy programmes.

Photo courtesy of Kidney Dialysis Foundation or KDF

Local jokesters Kumar, Norleena Salim, Selena Tan, Hossan Leong, Irene Ang and Abigail Chay hung with American Idol reject, William, at his recent concert. Part of the concert proceeds went to the Kidney Dialysis Foundation. The Foundation provides subsidised haemodialysis treatment to needy patients. He bangs. William Hung presents fans from the Kidney Dialysis Foundation tickets to his concert.

Memories are Made of These

Above: Inflight hospitality. MILK and more and they’re loving it. Below: What a great way to fly. Kids from the Singapore Children Society toured the cockpit on the Tiger Airways flight.

1 August, Down Memory Lane 3, Suntec Singapore

It was yesterday once more as some of Singapore’s best-loved performers from the 60s, 70s and 80s banded together for this charity dinner show and dance in aid of the Family Life Society. Guests dragged museum pieces from their closets and dressed retro for the sentimental shindig. Family Life Society provides counseling and care services, educational resources, a pregnancy

Retro makes a comeback. Guests togged up in the bell bottoms and psychedelia of yesteryear.

crisis service, a help hotline for youth, a helpline for parents and breastfeeding mothers, and free legal counsel.

Giving Credit 17 September, HSBC Volunteers’ Gathering 2004, Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore HSBC staff volunteers got to party by the poolside as a well-deserved thank-you for giving their time and talent to those in need. Paul Lawrence, CEO of HSBC in Singapore, played host. To mark the occasion, the Bank donated $200,000 to the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, the Singapore Association for the Deaf, Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore, Rainbow Centre and the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore.

L-R: June Tham, Executive Director and Principal of Rainbow Centre; Michael Gray, Vice President of the National Council of Social Service; Paul Lawrence, CEO of HSBC in Singapore, played host and Jessica Neoh, HSBC volunteer. The selected charities each received $40,000.

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Presidential Campaign All the President’s men and women gathered at the Istana on 13 October. It was the President’s Challenge Thank You Reception for 350 individual donors, sponsors, supporters and event organisers who stood up for Singapore’s underprivileged. The nation-wide fundraiser raked in $8.5 million this year. Fifty organisations, schools and religious groups got in on the act and pulled together 28 events. Funds went to 56 charities. Each received between $30,000 and $200,000. President S R Nathan poses with students and staff from the Singapore Association for the Deaf.

Highlights of the President’s Challenge 2004 TNP BE YOURSELF DAY

Above: Sporting spirit.

Photo courtesy of SPH – The New Paper

Students from 68 schools ditched their uniforms and dressed the wild child within for The New Paper’s Be Yourself Day. The event raised $120,000.

Top: A volunteer learns the art of making paper.

NVPC’S FAVE CAMP The President’s Challenge event with a twist. NVPC’s Families as Volunteers Experience Camp was an unforgettable weekend. Families were primed to volunteer – pets, petanque, paper and spinning plates. You had to be there.

Above: (L to R) Tay Ping Hui; radio personality, the Flying Dutchman; President SR Nathan; table tennis star Li Jiawei; Sharon Au; and PSC compere, Michelle Chong with beneficiaries. Bottom: Towering above the rest. Mediacorp artistes Terence Cao and Carrie Chong stand up to the challenge.

Above: Playing dress-up.

Above: Ministers on the run.

SSC SPORTS FIESTA

SINGHEALTH’S 80KM CHARITY RELAY

The Singapore Sports Council’s Sports Fiesta had it all – 6-a-side soccer, street soccer, futsal, 3-on-3 basketball, and street netball. Supporters cheered ringside as MPs, media and sports personalities squared off in a series of celebrity matches.

Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports ran with the pack of 1200 healthcare workers in SingHealth’s Charity Relay. The event raised $360,000 for the President’s Challenge.

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PRESIDENT’S STAR CHARITY The President’s Star Charity (PSC) was this year’s top money spinner, bringing in more than $2.83 million.

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21 November – 24 December Grant A Wish 2004 Venues : Bukit Panjang Plaza; Funan The IT Mall; IMM Building; Junction 8; Lot One Shoppers’ Mall; Plaza Singapura; Tampines Mall & Liang Court Organised by the National University of Singapore (NUS) Students’ Community Service Club with support from CapitaLand Commercial Limited.The aim: to fulfill 3,500 wishes for the underprivileged. The public can visit the booths at any of the eight participating shopping malls to grant a wish. Volunteers are needed to wrap and transport gifts or man booths. To volunteer, contact Ms Lee Ying at 97545796 or email U0301731@nus.edu.sg. Visit www.nuscsc.net/~wish for more information.

23 November The Inaugural National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2004 Venue: The Istana This year’s pinnacle awards for volunteerism and philanthropy will be presented at the Istana by Guestof-Honour, President S R Nathan. New this year, is the philanthropy element to recognise outstanding contributions in the nonprofit sector in Singapore. The five 2004 awards are for: Corporate Citizen; Nonprofit

Organisation; New Nonprofit Initiative; Innovative Fundraising Initiative and the Special Recognition Award.

25-26 November Family Conference 2004 Venue: Suntec Singapore Organised by The Committee on the Family and International Year of the Family (IYF) Task Force, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and Reed Exhibitions. The Conference comprises a Regional Family Policy Forum and a Family Matters! Seminar, which will be held over two days. The event anchors the Family Festival 2004, which rounds up the nation’s yearlong celebration of International Year of the Family. The Festival takes place 26 to 28 November at SUNTEC Singapore, Levels 4 & 6. For more information, contact Mr Vincent Lee of Reed Exhibitions at 67804642 or email vincent.lee@reedexpo.com.sg.

30 November – 21 December The Boys’ Brigade Sharity Gift Box 2004 Time: 11am – 9pm daily Venues: Between Orchard MRT and Wisma Atria; Beauty World Centre; Plaza Singapura; Suntec City The Boys’ Brigade (BB) seeks to bring cheer to the less fortunate in the community through the BB Sharity Gift Box (SGB) programme. Bring

your gifts of food items such as rice, instant noodles, biscuits, canned food and diapers to the BB SGB Satellite Gift Boxes listed above. Alternatively, you can contribute by purchasing FairPrice-Sharity Gift Vouchers valued at $20 each at any FairPrice counter. You can also fulfil someone’s Christmas wish by donating online at http://sharity.e-mart.com.sg/ or at Wish Tree locations.

part. The keynote speaker is Professor Gilbert Burnham, director of John Hopkins Centre for Refugee and Disaster Studies. NVPC's Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Tan Chee Koon, will be one of the panel speakers for “Serving Humanity: Challenges and Opportunities at Home and Abroad”. For more information, contact Ms Dawn Neo at 63360629 Ext. 266 or email dawn.neo@redcross.org.sg.

5 December Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2004 For more information, log on to www.bbsgb.org.sg or call 67370377.

4 December The Singapore Humanitarian Conference Time: 8.30am – 6pm Venue: RELC International Hotel, Orange Grove Road Organised by Singapore Red Cross, the conference addresses the challenges that face humanitarian organisations and volunteers at home and abroad, as well the opportunities available for serving humanity. Panel discussions will focus on how best organisations can contribute, first-hand accounts of volunteers’ experiences as well as how the youth of today can do their

24 & 30 November

Clown-Around-The-World Festival Venue: NTUC Centre Auditorium, No. 1 Marina Boulevard

Jointly organised by Circus Outreach and its community partner The Write Stuff Pte Ltd. Nine award-winning clowns from the USA, UK, Japan and Malaysia will showcase their unique brand of clowning. Festivities include 10 public performances and two clown camps for healthcare providers, teachers and volunteers keen to pick up tips on caring via clowning. Funds will also be raised for Round Box (Singapore Children’s Society), Faith Acts, Singapore After-Care Association, Tampines Family Service Centre and the Education Trust Fund. For tickets, call TicketCharge Hotline: 62962929. For more information, call CircusOutreach at 62260424.

Time: 6am – 3pm Venue: Esplanade Drive Bridge The much-awaited international sporting event is here again! Volunteers for the marathon needed in a range of positions on race day (Sunday, 5 December) and at the 3-day Marathon Expo and roadshows. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old and must attend compulsory briefing(s) before the event. To volunteer, visit www.singapore marathon.com/2004/volunteers/ volunteer_form_page1.asp. For information, email Adeline See at adeline_see@ssc.gov.sg.

12 December The SUNTEC Singapore G-Force Concert – It’s About Giving Time: 12.30 – 2.30pm Venue: SUNTEC Convention Centre, Level 2, Theatre It’s the season of giving. SUNTEC and NVPC are staging a community concert to showcase the arts as an avenue for giving. The concert will feature performances by community arts groups such as the Singapore Association for the Deaf (together with CCCrush), Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), the SWIM Shadys, Breakforze Crew, and Chinese rap outfit Chou Pi Jiang among others. For invitations, contact Ms Suzanne Lim at 65509563 or suzanne@nvpc.org.sg. Nov-Dec 2004 S A LT •

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Yellow Ribbons The Yellow Ribbon Project is a nation-wide initiative to change mind-sets on ex-offenders by offering them a second chance as they leave prison and return to society. Wearing a Yellow Ribbon signifies acceptance for ex-offenders.

“It’s better than receiving a gold medal.” Lady Yuen-Peng McNeice, when informed of a 20-storey high Malayan Terminalia tree in the Botanic Gardens dedicated to her. The 87-year-old naturalist is one of the Garden City Fund’s top donors. The Fund finances conservation, outreach, education, research and infrastructure programmes.

“I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise, what is there to defend?” Robert Redford, Actor, Producer, Director

• • • • • • • • “The struggle to save the global environment is in one way, much more difficult than the struggle to vanquish Hitler. For this time the war is with ourselves. We are the enemy, just as we have only ourselves as allies.” Al Gore, Former Vice-President, USA

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“I wouldn’t say that ex-offenders ‘deserve’ a second chance, but rather that they need it. Their families need it. By helping just one ex-offender, you help the entire family as well. In helping him start life anew, you are also contributing to making Singapore a safer place to live in.” Jason Wong CEO, Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE)

•••• “My boss always says that if you want respect, you have to give it first, and that is what I try to do… I feel like a useful person now and I think that I have changed for the better.” “John Low” Ex-offender, now employed as a machine operator

•••• “Nobody owes you a second chance. Stigmatisation applies to the poor and the handicapped as well. It is a fact of life.” Anthony Chng Executive Officer, Community Reintegration & Partnerships, SCORE

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