Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the North West Youth Concert 2022

Mr Alex Yam, Mayor of North West District;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

A very good evening.

Having served as a Grassroots Adviser in the Marsiling Division until 2017, joining you at this evening’s North West Youth Concert is like a homecoming for me. When North West Community Development Council (CDC) invited me to support the Student Support Fund (SSF) and attend the Youth Concert, I readily agreed, because of the chance to support a meaningful programme in the North West district. The CDC has been championing programmes which rally corporates and community volunteers to serve the community. During difficult times, it is important for fellow Singaporeans to step forward and provide support for vulnerable residents, especially for our children, who will shape Singapore’s future in the years to come.

The SSF has been an important support to many children in our community.  Since 2011, over 130,000 students from lower income families have benefitted from financial assistance and the opportunity to attend enrichment programmes.  I understand that fundraising for the SSF took a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, and only resumed this year. In the past, the North West Youth Concert was the only platform to raise funds for the SSF, leveraging the strength of the CDC’s network of corporate and individual donors. This year for the first time, the CDC has extended the fundraising campaign to the general public, to rally the community to come together to raise $500,000.

The campaign saw many companies, schools and individuals stepping forward to lend their support. I am glad that as of today, we have already surpassed the $500,000 target, raising $763,862 in total. I would like to congratulate and thank all donors for your generous contributions towards this meaningful cause. The campaign will continue to run until 16 August, so please continue to lend your support so that even more children can benefit from the North West SSF.

Keith Chai is a student from a low-income family, receiving assistance from the government through the SSF and other help schemes. When he was studying at Marsiling Secondary School, he was selected to attend a series of workshops under the Student Wise Enrichment Programme. This opportunity helped build his self-confidence and developed his skills in areas such as social etiquette and public speaking, an added knowledge which he otherwise might not be able to pursue, given his family’s financial situation. This provides our less privileged students in the North West with a more level playing field.

For housewife Ms. Aswin Jamee Mohamed Ameerdin and her husband, school fees and other schooling expenses do not come cheap for their two sons, Ahmad Zishanand and Ahmad Irfan, who were both in kindergarten. The family was grateful that both sons received $200 each in supermarket and bookstore vouchers from North West CDC to help defray their expenses. These are some of the many stories of how the North West SSF supports important programmes to uplift less privileged children in the District.

While the Government continues to build a strong social net with national assistance schemes and programmes to support the community at large, the CDCs, Grassroots Organisations and community partners such as the Social Service Agencies (SSA) also help to assist residents who may have fallen through the cracks. Through the North West SSF and many other assistance schemes by various agencies, I hope that the SG Cares spirit continues to strengthen within the North West Community. I strongly encourage partners and volunteers to continue supporting the SSF and other causes and programmes by North West CDC.

I wish you a pleasant evening. Thank you.