2 agencies supporting children with disabilities get $3m from SIA fund-raising drive
Over 400 beneficiaries and caregivers attended the SIA Cares Open House held at the SIA Training Centre in Upper Changi on July 19.
SINGAPORE – Two social service agencies that support children and youth with disabilities and developmental needs received a total of $3 million from Singapore Airlines, as part of the national carrier's SIA Cares fund-raising drive.
On July 19, SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong presented AWWA and Rainbow Centre with a symbolic cheque at the SIA Cares Open House held at the SIA Training Centre in Upper Changi.
Over three months, SIA's partners and staff, as well as the public, raised $1.5 million in donations, which SIA matched with another $1.5 million.
As part of SG60 celebrations, the Government will also make a $3 million donation to the Community Chest, matching the amount raised by SIA.
Community Chest – the philanthropic arm of Singapore's National Council of Social Service – supports children with special needs, children at risk and low-income families, along with other causes.
SIA said on July 19 that AWWA will use the funds to enhance its therapy services, independent living skills training, as well as its free co-curricular activities, to engage students with disabilities, among other efforts, in its special education schools in Hougang and Bedok.
Rainbow Centre will strengthen its special education programme across its Admiral Hill, Margaret Drive and Yishun Park campuses, so that children with autism or multiple disabilities can get a personalised approach to address their needs.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure
Asia China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities raise alarm around the world
Asia Autogate glitch causes chaos at KLIA and Johor checkpoints, foreign passport holders affected
Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore
Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died
Singapore Who decides when you can't? A guide on planning for end-of-life care
Singapore Why hiring more teachers makes sense, even with falling student numbers
Singapore Bukit Panjang LRT disruption: Train service resumes after power fault affects 13-station line
More than 1,600 children and youth are expected to benefit across the two agencies.
AWWA chief executive J.R. Karthikeyan said: 'The provision of high-quality services and greater inclusion require the efforts of many helping hands, and we are grateful to Singapore Airlines and its partners for their compassion and spirit of giving.'
Ms Tan Sze Wee, executive director of Rainbow Centre, added that SIA's contribution will help the children and youth people under them grow and thrive.
Meanwhile, Community Chest will use the funds to address underserved social needs, including support for children with special needs, youth-at-risk, adults with disabilities, persons with mental health conditions and seniors and families needing assistance.
SIA's Mr Goh said its efforts to raise funds reflects its commitment to Singapore's social service agencies.
'The funds will enhance programmes at AWWA and Rainbow Centre, empowering young people with vital life skills and opportunities for greater independence and inclusion. Additionally, it will support Community Chest's broader initiatives benefitting society at large,' he said.
Over 650 Singapore-based SIA staff members volunteered to organise and run the open house for nearly 900 beneficiaries and caregivers from 33 social service agencies over the July 19 weekend.
Visitors went on guided tours of SIA's training facilities, learnt how flight training simulators work, and explored an SG60 and SIA heritage showcase which featured a digital interactive installation on Singapore's nation building journey.
They also had the opportunity to talk to SIA cabin crew, pilots and engineers.
For lunch, visitors enjoyed a selection of SIA's in-flight meals, including SIA's signature satay and nasi goreng.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong speaking at the SG60 SIA Cares Open House on July 19.
PHOTO: MDDI
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, who was guest of honour at the event, said that SIA, as Singapore's national icon, is well-placed to connect communities and help those in need.
'As we celebrate SG60 as a nation, we must remember that every Singaporean counts. We must continue to build a nation where every individual has a meaningful stake in society, and where we are invested in one another as well as in our shared future,' he said .
Muhammad Ziqri Muhammad Abidin, 10, who has autism spectrum disorder and is a student at AWWA's special education school in Bedok, said his favourite part of the open house was getting to sit in the mock-up business class seat, as he has never been on a plane before.
His mother, Ms Nur Aliza Kamsan, 38, said the open house was a rare and meaningful opportunity.
'For children like Ziqri, it's not every day they get to see aviation facilities up close. Experiences like this make a big difference, giving them joy and memories they can cherish,' she said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024
Find out what's new on ST website and app. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. SINGAPORE – Despite her mother's vehement objections and her former partner's indifference to her pregnancy, Sarah dropped out of school at Secondary 3 and became a mum at the age of 15. Sarah (not her real name), whose baby daughter is now 11 months old, said: 'I considered abortion at first, but when I saw my baby on the ultrasound, I felt a very strong connection to her.' The 16-year-old added: 'I feel the baby is innocent. I wanted to step up and take responsibility for the mistake I made.' More teenagers, like Sarah, are becoming mothers, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024 released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. In 2024, there were 244 babies born to teenagers aged 19 or younger, up 7 per cent from the 228 such babies in 2023. In 2022, the figure was 218. The slight increase marks a reversal from the steady fall in teen births in the past 20 years, especially when the numbers for teen births were much higher in the decade leading up to 2010. For example, there were 853 teen births in 2005. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Ms Melisa Wong, executive director at Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, a charity that provides support to pregnant teens, cited a combination of reasons for the rise. She said many teens felt isolated or struggled with other negative emotions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and they may have had unprotected sex to seek connection or to cope with whatever they were going through. While teenagers generally explore romantic relationships at an earlier age these days, some may not use contraceptives for various reasons, she added. The rise in the number of teen births could also be due to fewer of them choosing an abortion, she noted. Non-profit groups that help pregnant women in distress, such as Babes and Safe Place, have seen those as young as 12 seeking help, though most of the pregnant teens are between 16 and 18 years of age. In the past five years, the average age of pregnant teens was 18, the Health Ministry said in 2024. Mrs Jennifer Heng, director of Safe Place, said many of the teens the group sees chose to keep their baby because of their religious beliefs and a sense of attachment to their unborn child. They also have supportive families or partners. Ms Wong said some teens seek help only in their third trimester, when it is too late to get an abortion, so they end up giving birth. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. Social workers say these teen mums were not ready – mentally, emotionally or financially – for parenthood. And they struggled with feelings of fear and helplessness, and judgment from their friends and relatives, as Sarah did. Sarah said: 'Some of my relatives and friends say things like, 'So young, pregnant already'. I feel they look down on me for being a single mum.' She moved out from her mother's home to stay with her grand-aunt, the only person who supported her decision to keep her baby and who helps her with infant care. Her grand-uncle supports Sarah financially. She also broke up with her partner, who is five years older, before the baby was born. She said: 'I felt he didn't care about the baby, and there is no point staying if I have to do everything by myself. I didn't feel seen or heard.' She is thankful for Safe Place and its social workers, who give her counselling support and free necessities for her baby, such as milk powder and diapers, every month. 'Whenever I feel very overwhelmed, I would text my social worker and she comforts me. She also checks on me regularly,' Sarah said. 'It's exhausting to care for a baby, but I feel very happy to see my baby. She smiles a lot, and she is my pride and joy.' Baby's father not named Meanwhile, 330 babies were registered in 2024 without their father's name. This number has remained relatively stable in the past few years. In 2024, one in four of these babies was born to teens aged 19 or below, the report on registration of births and deaths stated. Besides teens, Mrs Heng said women in their 20s comprise the other major group with babies registered without the father's name. She said the women do so because the fathers do not want to be involved in the child's life. Or the woman does not want the man to be involved, and she is afraid he would fight for custody of the child if his name is listed as the father. Ms Wong said there are also teens with multiple partners who are unsure who the father is – hence the absence of a father's name. She added that some do not list the father's name 'as a way of starting afresh or emotionally detaching from a painful chapter'.

Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Indonesia ferry fire kills 3, more than 500 rescued
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Passengers jumped overboard with life jackets after a fire broke out on July 20 at the stern of the KM Barcelona 5 as it sailed to Manado. – Three people died and more than 500 others were rescued after a ferry caught fire off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, emergency officials said on July 21. Passengers jumped overboard with life jackets after the fire broke out on July 20 at the stern of the KM Barcelona 5 as it sailed to Manado, according to the Indonesian Coast Guard. A video released by Manado's rescue agency showed a coast guard vessel spraying water on the ferry, which was emitting black smoke. The Indonesian authorities previously reported that five people died in the accident, but later revised the death toll to three. 'Until now, the joint rescue team is still conducting the search-and-rescue operation because the data is still developing,' Manado rescue agency head George Leo Mercy Randang said. 'Our post is still open 24 hours a day, in case families want to report about their missing relative.' At least 568 people were rescued from the ferry and water while three others were found dead, the National Search and Rescue Agency said in a statement on July 21. The ferry's log had only registered 280 passengers and 15 crew members on board. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Local media reported that the ship had a capacity for 600 people. The incident happened just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali . In the latest incident, fishermen helped evacuate the victims to nearby islands. Those injured were taken to the nearest health facility. The accident happened about an hour away from the resort town of Likupang, in the northern tip of Sulawesi, said Mr Randang. 'What is important is that we are prioritising rescue before nightfall,' Mr Randang told AFP news agency, without confirming the total number of people who were on board the ferry. Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the South-east Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards or bad weather. The ferry sinking en route to Bali earlier in July was attributed to bad weather. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person. In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island. AFP

Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
1.5 million loans, 840,000 visitors and counting, NLB's mobile library keeps reading on the move
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Over the past decade, the mobile library service has chalked up nearly 1.56 million book loans. SINGAPORE - Every other Saturday, Ms Hirma Sheeryn and her children like to take a walk – not to go to the mall, park or playground, but to visit Molly. Affectionately called Molly, the National Library's mobile library has become a regular sight in the 35-year-old homemaker's Punggol neighbourhood since 2022, where it stays for half a day. With four children in tow, Ms Sheeryn appreciates that it takes her family just under five minutes to get to Molly, compared with a journey to her nearest library, P unggol Regional Library at One Punggol lifestyle hub , which is about five LRT stops away. She and her two daughters, aged seven and nine, who are the more frequent visitors in the family, enjoy the variety of books among the 3,000 titles carried by the bright blue bus. The two girls have been more interested in reading since visiting Molly, she said. They are among 840,000 users who have visited Molly since it first hit the roads in 2008. Over the past decade, the mobile library service has chalked up nearly 1.56 million book loans. In 2024 alone, there were more than 116,000. Ms Hirma Sheeryn's two daughters have been more interested in reading since visiting Molly. PHOTO: COURTESY OF HIRMA SHEERYN It is among initiatives in Singapore to boost access to reading for underserved communities. These places include pre-schools, special education (Sped) schools, and voluntary welfare organisations. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore Black belt in taekwondo, Grade 8 in piano: S'pore teen excels despite condition that limits movements Singapore As Asean looks to nuclear energy, public education efforts are needed: UN nuclear watchdog chief Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Asia Death toll climbs as Thai-Cambodia clashes continue despite calls for ceasefire Asia Shunsaku Tamiya, who brought perfection to plastic race car models, dies at 90 Since Molly's inception, its fleet has grown to three vehicles – one big and two smaller ones, which were launched in 2014, said Ms Tan Chui Peng, director of public libraries at NLB. Big Molly visits two locations daily , holds up to 15 adults or 25 children, with space for up to five wheelchairs, and carries 3,000 books. The mini Mollys were set up to bring the library experience to younger children aged six and younger , and were built to navigate smaller roads near pre-schools. They operate on weekdays, and can accommodate 12 to 15 children and two adults, with a collection of 1,500 books. On the road, big Molly visits Sped schools and social service agencies monthly, and mini Mollys visit pre-schools at least twice a year. Since April 2014, Molly has made at least 8,000 visits to various sites, said Ms Tan, with the most visited stop being Pathlight School, which has three campuses. Molly has also recently been visiting primary schools that have a high number of students who receive financial assistance, Ms Tan said, adding that visits will be expanded to nursing homes, to enable seniors to visit libraries more conveniently. A 2025 study by the National Institute of Education and NLB, which focused on low-income families living in rental flats, looked at the reading resources of 37 families. Over six months, it sought to find out whether children who visited Molly experienced reading enjoyment, frequency, and proficiency. The households in the study had limited books at home and little exposure to reading in either English or Mother Tongue. Of the families surveyed, 43 per cent were found to have never visited public libraries at all due to a lack of time, concerns about book damage, and unfamiliarity with borrowing books. They were also unaware of the mobile library's existence, or did not know they could borrow books from the bus. The National Library's mobile library is among initiatives in Singapore to boost access to reading for underserved communities. ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN For families who did start visiting Molly regularly, the study found that children became more excited about reading, showed improved vocabulary and print recognition, and made book-borrowing a part of their routine. Parents said they appreciated the convenience and less intimidating atmosphere compared with public libraries. Associate Professor Loh Chin Ee, the study's principal investigator, said that Molly brought books and library resources to the neighbourhood in a friendly and cosier setting, which can help to address the literacy gap in low-income communities. 'Molly has the potential to help families become more familiar with library resources,' said NIE's Prof Loh, adding that regular use over some time builds routine. Still, even with better physical access to books, psychological and social barriers - like potential costs or unfamiliarity with library systems - still deter some families . Simple outreach efforts, such as placing Molly's schedule in lift lobbies or sending WhatsApp reminders, could boost engagement, the study suggested.