Speech by President Halimah Yacob at Official Opening of Muhammadiyah Welfare Home's New Premises

Ustaz Muhammad Azri bin Azman, Chairman of Muhammadiyah Welfare Home

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Assalamualaikum wr wb. I am happy to be with all of you today to officiate the opening of Muhammadiyah Welfare Home (MWH)’s new premises.

Since its establishment on Mountbatten Road in 1989, MWH has been providing shelter and protection for children and youth at risk. Over the span of 33 years, more than 1,000 children and youths have benefitted from MWH’s residential programme and children and youth-related services. Just two years ago, I visited its former premises in Bedok North during MWH’s 30th anniversary celebration. I was heartened that the residents looked both comfortable and secure within the premises of the Home.

The importance of providing the residents with a peaceful and conducive living environment to heal from their trauma cannot be overstated. MWH’s relocation to its new premises marks a new milestone towards this mission. MWH has taken the opportunity of the relocation to align with MSF’s direction to provide small group care in a relatively more residential home setting, as well as enhance its practice and care model to provide targeted intervention and to reunify its residents permanently, in a timely manner.

Situated next to a park, the new Home overlooks the sea and has been equipped with the latest facilities which will help enhance the level of care for the boys residing here. It is built on three key considerations: ensuring the safety of the residents and staff, embracing technology in its operations, and deploying a differentiated care model to meet each resident’s individual needs. I am confident the new premises will provide a nurturing environment for the residents to grow up in and fulfil their potential for a brighter future ahead.

I applaud MWH’s efforts in guiding and reunifying the boys with their families in a timely manner, while developing and empowering them to make meaningful contributions to the community. “Iman” (not his real name), aged nine, was sent to MWH due to challenges in his family which warranted him to stay away until it was safe for him to return. He had several adjustment issues at MWH initially as he had to get used to an unfamiliar environment.  Nine years later, “Iman” is now a mature 18-year-old who is like a big brother to his fellow residents, ready to offer a listening ear. He also helps the staff of the Home wherever possible. He actively participates in various activities, with art and gardening being his favourite hobbies to allow him to unwind and de-stress. I am pleased to know that “Iman” is ready to be reunified with his family at the end of this year.

I am told MWH has been experiencing increasingly complex cases and rapidly shifting needs. It is therefore imperative that MWH, too, must evolve its operations to remain relevant and provide the best level of care for the boys. I am pleased to learn that MWH has taken steps to strengthen its organisational structure, enhance its philosophy of care, and intensify digitalisation efforts. Furthermore, MWH’s support for the boys does not stop once they are discharged from the Home. MWH continues to journey with the boys beyond the Home by providing guidance and support. This ensures that the boys cope well with the transition to living with their respective families. This is something we cannot overstate. We want the boys to integrate with the community, and to be able to live independently. I am glad that the Home is looking into providing more assistance for the boys as they transition into living in the community.

Similarly, initiatives like the Al Fatih Scholarship introduced in 2013 offer a continuous form of support for former residents. We saw a few examples of residents who had benefitted from the scholarship in the video just now. The scholarship was introduced following an MWH study which found that residents who continued to pursue and complete their post-secondary education were less likely to reoffend. This is pertinent because when the boys have skills, qualifications, abilities and competencies, it gives them confidence. This helps them remain in productive activities and prevents them from reoffending. The scholarship, worth $2,500 each, is aimed at assisting former residents with the educational needs and expenses at the post-secondary level. The scholarship has helped 76 young men thus far, and has been made possible by MWH’s network of donors and supporters.

It is also our collective responsibility, as a caring society, to protect our children and build strong and resilient families, not just for ourselves but for future generations of Singaporeans.

In closing, I wish MWH many more years of good service to the community. I look forward to even greater milestones and achievements from the boys and the Home in the years to come. Before I end, let me also thank the boys who performed the dikir barat. It was a wonderful performance. These are examples where we channel youthful energies into productive activities. I hope we can see more of this at MWH. Once again, congratulations to the management, staff and boys of MWH on your new Home!

Thank you.