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President’s Challenge to set aside S$10 million to help needy families, vulnerable groups

SINGAPORE – Aspiring nurse Chan Nget Hoong, 46, works as a senior patient service associate with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Her husband has been jobless for more than six months, and the family of five – the couple have three children aged between 20 months to 18 years old – get by on her monthly income of about S$2,000.

President Halimah Yacob was present at the launch of the President’s Challenge 2018 on Sunday (Feb 11). Photo: Ooi Boon Keong/TODAY

President Halimah Yacob was present at the launch of the President’s Challenge 2018 on Sunday (Feb 11). Photo: Ooi Boon Keong/TODAY

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SINGAPORE – Aspiring nurse Chan Nget Hoong, 46, works as a senior patient service associate with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Her husband has been jobless for more than six months, and the family of five – the couple have three children aged between 20 months to 18 years old – get by on her monthly income of about S$2,000.

Like many working mothers who juggle full-time jobs with family commitments, Mdm Chan struggles to find time to conduct research on courses that can help her pursue her passion in nursing. The mother-of-three could soon get help from a new fund, the President’s Challenge Empowering for Life Fund.

A total of $10 million will be set aside over the next five years to fund programmes that help needy and vulnerable families to gain new skills and boost their job prospects. This was announced by President Halimah Yacob at the launch of the President’s Challenge 2018 at Downtown East on Sunday (Feb 11).

The President’s Challenge Empowering for Life Fund will support programmes such as the pilot NTUC Lift-Up Pathfinder programme, which builds on the existing Lift-Up programme that was launched in 2016. Under this pilot programme, 50 low-income families will be identified and receive customised training from NTUC’s Employment & Employability Institute (e2i), which will partner other training providers.

The training will span four to six months, and it is aimed at helping them upgrade their skills in areas such as communication, digital and financial management. Each family will be guided by a team of volunteers to help them navigate their way through the “landscape of available schemes and programmes,” said Mdm Halimah.

NTUC and e2i will also work with training providers to make it “practical and convenient” for families to attend such training, she added.

In her speech, Mdm Halimah said that the President’s Challenge will need to adapt to the changing needs of our society, particularly as Singapore’s socio-economic landscape has been reshaped by “structural changes to our economy, demographic shifts and technological disruptions.” These changes will also vary across different segments of the population, as she referred to an example for technological disruptions, which are likely to affect low wage workers “disproportionately” as their jobs are the most likely to be displaced.

She said: “President’s Challenge will need to look into more holistic support for the less fortunate, and move beyond generic schemes and programmes. Mdm Halimah also added that support will also need to be “more customised”, and an effective response would have to “go beyond direct financial assistance, and move into the building of resilience and self-reliance among those affected”.

Mdm Chan and her family are among those looking to sign up and receive support from the Lift-Up Pathfinder Programme. With the support from the President’s Challenge, 5,000 low-income individuals and their families are expected to benefit each year from the Lift-Up and Lift-Up Pathfinder programmes.

Mdm Chan said: “(Due) to my age and my (lack of time), it’s not easy for me to attend all these courses… (so this would help). She added that the Lift-Up programme talks have also provided encouragement to her son, who hopes to be an entrepreneur.

Others like senior driver Mohamad Zahari Bin Suratim, 56, and his wife Madam Fairuz Abu Bakar, 55, who works as a part-time retail assistant, are also keen for the opportunity to pick up basic IT and computer skills.

Madam Fairuz said job hunting can be a challenge for older people, as she recalled how she was previously turned down for a job at a hospital. It was hard to re-enter the workforce after leaving about 20 years ago to take care of her children, she noted.

Nonetheless, she is hopeful that picking up IT skills can equip her for an administrative role in future.

“It would be good if the courses are (flexible) with different timings so it can accommodate my schedule and not affect my working hours,” said Mdm Fairuz, who had taken baking courses and is keen on learning flower arrangement.

This year, the President’s Challenge will also be raising money for 59 beneficiary organisations, which range from those providing children and family services, to healthcare and the arts.

 

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