22 Mar 2013

Joint Media Release: President’s Challenge 2013 launched with $1.5m donation from Keppel

President Tony Tan Keng Yam launched President's Challenge 2013 today with strong support from Keppel Corporation.

President Tony Tan, on behalf of President's Challenge 2013 beneficiaries, received a cheque of $1.5 million from Keppel Care Foundation today at the Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) yard.

Keppel Corporation has also pledged 5,000 hours to community service in Singapore, and, through its human resource talents, will share experience and assist social enterprises nominated for the President's Challenge Social Enterprise Award.

On Keppel's contributions, President Tan said, "Keppel Corporation is a home-grown company that has established itself as a global leader. I am heartened that it has chosen to celebrate its 45th anniversary by giving back to society."

"Since its launch, the President's Challenge campaign has benefitted from strong support from many sectors of our society. I hope that the President's Challenge will continue to grow as a movement that encourages all Singaporeans to give back to the community."

Mr Choo Chiau Beng, Chairman of Keppel Offshore & Marine and CEO of Keppel Corporation, said, "As President's Challenge has gone beyond the giving of money to the giving of time and the imparting of skills to the disadvantaged, Keppel is likewise doing the same for worthy causes.

"At Keppel, employees are encouraged to care for the well-being of others, especially the less fortunate in society. Furthering our commitment to volunteerism, we will pledge 5,000 hours to community service in Singapore this year. Beyond our shores, our people in operations around the world will also be stepping up their community outreach activities, and we will share their stories in due course."

Amongst guests witnessing the cheque presentation at the Keppel yard was Mr Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Social and Family Development and Senior Minister of State for Defence, members of President's Challenge Steering Committee, Keppel's senior management as well as beneficiaries from Children-At-Risk Empowerment Association (CARE Singapore) and Teen Challenge (Singapore).

On supporting social enterprises, President Tan said, "This year, we will go beyond just recognising the social enterprises and the people behind them. We will create opportunities for the award winners to draw from the expertise and experience of industry leaders through mentorship and business advisory programmes, to provide support for the social enterprises to continue to grow and remain successful in their mission."

On Keppel's support to social enterprises, Mr Choo said, "We recognise that more concerted efforts should be made to help Singapore's nascent social enterprise sector develop its capabilities, build robust networks, and better achieve its social missions.

"In this regard, we have a team of high-potential employees in the Group, called Keppel Young Leaders, who have embarked on a project to review and refine the business models of social enterprises, beginning with those under our adopted charity, the Association for Persons with Special Needs. We are happy that our young leaders are provided with the platform to share their experience with the nominees of this year's President's Challenge Social Enterprise Award."

President's Challenge 2012 raised over $12 million in donations and introduced two initiatives - the President's Challenge Volunteer Drive and the President's Challenge Social Enterprise Award. Last year, nearly 6,500 people took part in over 300 volunteer activities organised by 120 non-profit organisations during the President's Challenge Volunteer Drive. The President's Challenge Social Enterprise Award received 37 applications last year, with four outstanding social enterprises eventually winning the award.

The public can also visit the President's Challenge official website at www.pc.org.sg for more information on the President's Challenge 2013. To contribute to President's Challenge, the public may donate online on www.pc.org.sg; or send a cheque made payable to "President's Challenge 2013" to the following address:

President's Challenge 2013
c/o National Council of Social Service
170 Ghim Moh Road #01-02
Singapore 279621
Attention: Ms Irene Toh

For further information, please contact

For President's Challenge
Mr Kenny Chua
Ministry of Social and Family Development
Email: Kenny_chua@msf.gov.sg  
DID: 6354 9840

For Keppel
Ms Teri Liew
Group Corporate Communications
Keppel Corporation
Email: teri.liew@kepcorp.com
DID: 64136 425
Mobile: 9686 4038


About Keppel Care Foundation

Launched on 9 September 2012 by former President Mr SR Nathan, Keppel Care Foundation Limited (the Foundation) is a registered charity under the Charities Act which will provide assistance for the needy and under-privileged, promote education and encourage eco-friendly mindsets and initiatives.

The Foundation will support organisations which have been conferred Institutions of Public Character status, and reach out to support worthy causes with the following key objectives:

• Advance and improve the well-being of the poor, needy, aged or underprivileged and promote and foster community spirit;
• Advance the cause of education, whether general, professional or technical;
• Promote, foster and support efforts to improve and protect the environment.

About Teen Challenge

Teen Challenge (Singapore) was established in 1976 to support high-risk teen and adult offenders through their rehabilitation process and transform them into productive and law-abiding citizens. Teen Challenge (Singapore) serves about 1600 clients and runs the following services:

1. DARE Centre - A Halfway House and Residential Community for male adults above 21 years who are overcoming substance and behavioural addictions.
2. Pastoral Care and Outreach - Provides pastoral counselling and community reintegration programmes for inmates in the Drug Rehabilitation Centres and Prisons.
3. Community Outreach Programme - Provides individual and family counselling for the youths. The programme also includes a drop-in centre, there@Queensway for youths to interact in a healthy environment.
4. Teen Challenge Enterprises Ltd - A social enterprise that provides skills development and employment opportunities for residents of DARE Centre.

Children-At-Risk-Empowerment Association (CARE Singapore)

Established in 1997, Children-At-Risk Empowerment Association (CARE Singapore) is a charitable youth development agency with a mission to help at-risk youths succeed in life. CARE is also a Centre of Specialisation for Youth Empowerment, appointed by the National Council of Social Service. Targeted at youths at risk of academic failure, socio-emotional maladjustment or delinquency, CARE provides life-skills instruction, motivational engagement, socio-emotional support and leadership development.

CARE serves about 1,000 clients and focuses on helping youth to succeed. They offer the following programmes:

1. School-based programmes

• Uth Power! and Starkidz!: School-based motivational life-skills programme for at-risk youths and children
• CAREvolution: School empowerment programme for developing positive relationships and reflection

2. Centre-based programmes

• Counselling Services
• CAREgym: Career cum personal guidance programme that directs youths to discover their life passion
• Training and Consultancy

Attachments:

Download - Speech by the President of Singapore

Download - Speech by CEO of Keppel Corporation Limited