Speech by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the President's Challenge 2012 Thank You Reception

Mr Chan Chun Sing
Acting Minister
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports

Madam Halimah Yacob
Minister of State
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        Good evening.

        Earlier this year, I decided to continue with the President’s Challenge because it has become an established flagship fund-raising platform for our social services sector. I also launched the President’s Challenge Volunteer Drive and the President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Award to involve people from all segments of our society to give of their time, talents and enterprise to create a better society for all.

        As we approach the end of the year, it is timely to come together to celebrate the good work and the many lives that have been touched as a result of your hard work and generosity.

        All of you here are instrumental to the success of the President’s Challenge this year, be it as a fundraiser, donor or volunteer. Some of you are from Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), which participated in the President’s Challenge Volunteer Drive, held from August to September this year.

PC2012 Volunteer Drive

        I initiated the Volunteer Drive because volunteerism provides every Singaporean with the opportunity to make a difference in the community. 

        Through volunteering, Singaporeans can give of their time, energy and ability across a spectrum of interests, not just in community service, but also in arts, environment, animal welfare and sports and other areas. 

        The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) is the driving force behind the Volunteer Drive. NVPC encouraged NPOs to open their doors to the public, even for just a day, to help people understand the challenges they faced and where volunteers could fit in.

        Volunteers play a big part in the Volunteer Drive. The planning committee is made up of eight committed and talented volunteer leaders with a passion to ignite the spirit of volunteerism in Singapore. 

        The video you have just watched was produced by a group of student volunteers from Singapore Polytechnic. Many of those featured in the video are also volunteers and you may be familiar with at least two of them - Dr JiaJia and Big Brother. When NVPC approached them to do the video, Chua Jin Chou (also known as Big Brother) and his younger brother Chua Jin Sen (who goes by the moniker Dr JiaJia) were more than happy to give their time for a good cause.

        I thank them, as well as the staff at NVPC, the volunteer leaders, and all the NPOs who responded to the invitation to make volunteerism a part of our lives. Through your hard work, more than 6,000 individuals participated in the open houses and volunteer activities organised under the auspices of the Volunteer Drive. This is well above the target of 5,000 participants.

        I also would like to commend the students from the Singapore Polytechnic Videography Club and Interactive Media Club for their good work and for giving their time to put the videos together. I understand some of the Muslim students often worked till late during the Muslim fasting month to complete the videos and I applaud their dedication.

PC Fundraising

        Fundraising remains an important element of the President’s Challenge. Tonight, more than 60 individual donors, organisations, educational institutes and groups are being recognised for their contributions to assist the 55 beneficiaries of the President’s Challenge.

        Because of your generosity, we have raised over $11 million this year. I would also like to thank the Steering Committee and the Challenge Sponsors – the Singapore Totalisator Board and Singapore Pools – for readily sponsoring the administrative costs of President’s Challenge for the next three years.

        There are several fund-raising campaigns that are worth giving a special mention for engendering public participation. These projects have enabled the President’s Challenge to extend its reach to Singaporeans from all walks of life in caring for the less fortunate in our society.

        Amongst our corporate supporters, two projects are noteworthy for raising funds entirely from the mass public. The first is the ‘Tap and Donate’ project. Jointly organised and managed by the Singapore Press Holdings and EZ-Link Pte Ltd, the project allows members of the public to make donations simply by tapping their EZ-Link cards on designated machines at selected locations, or by purchasing special edition President’s Challenge EZ-Link cards. All proceeds are donated to the President’s Challenge. The second corporate project is the annual President’s Star Charity show produced by MediaCorp. This year, donors were given the additional option of donating online via the SG Gives portal, in addition to the usual method of making telepoll donations.

        Our communities also helped to raise funds for the President’s Challenge. MUIS and all 69 mosques in Singapore showed their support through the Charity Briyani lunch, which has been organised every year since the inception of President’s Challenge in 2000. The annual Deepavali Light-up and recent Food Festival@Little India involved several Hindu temples and Indian organisations, including the Hindu Endowments Board and the Indian Restaurants Association Singapore, in rallying support from donors and well-wishers. These are wonderful examples of our ethnic groups coming together to give back to the wider society regardless of race, language or religion.  

PC Social Enterprise Awards

        Before I conclude, I would like to give an update on another new initiative under the President’s Challenge - the Social Enterprise Award. Over the last few months, I met and interacted with several social enterprises and their beneficiaries including Eighteen Chefs, A-Changin, Dialogue in the Dark and Breakthrough Mission. I learnt about their struggles as well as their successes, not only in staying financially viable but also in helping their beneficiaries. It is very heartening for me to see these social enterprises overcoming the odds to serve our society.   

        Through the Social Enterprise Awards, I hope to recognise and encourage outstanding social enterprises which are innovative and have made significant sustained contributions to the disadvantaged in our community. The Awards Committee is now reviewing the 37 applications, which have been received for the Awards, and the outcome will be announced in two months’ time.

Conclusion

        I am encouraged to see that besides financial contributions, many Singaporeans give their time, energy and skills to make a difference in our community through volunteering and social entrepreneurship. I hope that Singaporeans will continue to participate actively in these efforts to create a more caring and compassionate society.

        Thank you and enjoy the rest of the evening.