1.

0 About the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund

In affluent Singapore, thousands of children have problems attending school every day. This is because their parents cant afford to give them pocket money for recess or even the bus fare to school. Some students - as young as seven years of age - sit through classes on an empty stomach and guzzle tap water to ease their hunger pangs. On Childrens Day (Oct 1) 2000, The Straits Times launched the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund to give poor children pocket money for school. The children can use this sum to fill their stomachs, pay for their bus fares or use it to meet their other schooling needs. The financial help also relieves the burden of many parents, who are already struggling to feed their families on their meagre incomes. In the beginning, the fund gave primary school pupils $30 a month, while secondary school students received $50 monthly. To help needy students cope with rising costs over the years, primary pupils now get $45 every month, while those in secondary school receive $80 each month.

1.1 Increasing number of children asking for help With the economic turmoil in recent years, the number of children asking for help has increased substantially. This year (2010), about 12,400 students need the funds assistance. This is almost four times the number of students supported when the fund started a decade ago. In the past 10 years, the fund has lifted the lives of 73,542 children and it is now Singapores largest financial aid scheme for children. With pocket money from the fund, Tay Soon Xie, 10, says he can now afford to buy his favourite nasi lemak during recess. It is a welcome change from his dreary diet of bread, instant noodles or just rice topped with an egg. His family of seven survives on the $800 his mum brings home as a coffee shop assistant every month. Madam Shaleha Naaim, Soon Xies mum, has spent countless hours worrying how to put food on the table for her five sons. But her darkest days are now over as her three school-going sons each receives $45 every month from the fund. Madam Shaleha, who is a deaf-mute, says: I can give them $1 a day for recess now and I dont have to worry that they have no money to eat in school. Im not so troubled now and my husband and I dont fight so much now over money.

1.2 Increasing number of children asking for help Besides providing monetary aid, social workers disbursing the fund do all they can to assist families with their other problems. They have helped families plagued by multiple woes, such as mental illness, marital conflicts and violence. The Straits Times unique partnership with the National Council of Social Service, the umbrella body for social service agencies here, has allowed the fund to provide such comprehensive help for needy families. The Straits Times raises money for the fund, while the National Council of Social Service administers it. The money is disbursed through social workers working in agencies such as family service centres. Your help is needed to allow us to continue our work of giving these poor children pocket money. This year (2010), $5 million is needed to support about 12,400 children.

Year
2000

Children helped
Fund was launched on Oct 1 but the money was only disbursed in 2001 3,735 7,177 10,419 10,337 7,972 6,258 6,328 8,933 12,383

Amounts raised (in millions)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

$1.3 m $2.5 m $3.4 m $3.5 m $3.1 m $3.2 m $3.6 m $4.4 m $5.7 m

Of the funds raised each year, most of the funds goes to the children. A cap of 10 per cent of the donations received is used to cover the administrative costs borne by the National Council of Social Service to administer the fund. A portion of the donations also go to fund-raising expenses and the processing costs incurred by family service centres, but this is capped at 10 to 15 per cent. Singapore Press Holdings and The Straits Times do not take any cut of the donations.

2.0 How you can help

This year (2010), some 12,400 students need your help to go to school. And The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund requires $5 million to support these children in 2010. For just $540 a year, you can provide pocket money to a primary school pupil for one whole year. And with a $960 donation, a secondary school student does not have to worry about his school-going expenses for a year. Why not consider adopting a student for one year, if you can afford it? However, no sum is too small to lend a helping hand to the poor children in our midst Ways to donate 2.1 By Cheque Kindly make the cheque out to "The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund" and send it to: The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund Singapore Press Holdings Limited Finance Division 1000 Toa Payoh North Singapore 318994

Please do not forget to include the following information at the back of the cheque. For individual donors, please indicate your name, NRIC number, contact number and address. For corporate donors, please indicate the name of your company, company registration number, contact person and contact number. Donors are eligible for a tax-deductible receipt. The receipt will be issued by the National Council of Social Service. It will take about 3 to 4 weeks for your donation to be processed before a receipt is sent to you.

2.2 By Internet You can either use the service provided by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) called Singapore Gives (SG Gives) or by DBS Internet Banking. Singapore Gives (SG Gives) SG Gives allows you to make a transaction (either an individual or corporate donation) using a credit card. To donate, go to www.sggives.org/pocket When you are at the website, click on the search and donate to charities icon, type "school pocket money fund" in the "search by keyword" field, and click on the "search" button. DBS Internet Banking You can also make your contribution via DBS internet banking. To make your donations via DBS, here's a quick guide:

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Step 7:

Go to www.dbs.com Click on personal banking Click on payments Click on the list of corporations and choose the School Pocket Money Fund Select the deposit account to debit donation Type your NRIC number as the consumer reference number Enter the amount you wish to donate

2.3 By rewards redemption Alternatively, you can also redeem your Caltex Thanks! points for cash donations to the fund. 2.4 By GIRO/Credit card donation You can make a monthly donation via credit card or GIRO by downloading this form and sending it to the National Council of Social Service at NCSS Centre, 170 Ghim Moh Road, #01-02, Singapore 279621. Forms are also available at all Caltex stations and the SPH News Centre reception at 1000 Toa Payoh North.