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CDAC to sharpen focus to help 67,000 low-income SingaporeansBy Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 19 December 2009 1909 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) will sharpen its focus so that it can better help needy Singaporeans improve their lives.
The self-help group said on Saturday that it will set aside S$23 million next year to help 67,000 students, workers and their families.
On Saturday morning, 9,500 needy students got ready for school with some help from CDAC. They were each given a S$115 school-ready pack, which includes transport vouchers and stationery.
One of the recipients, Wan Sheng Yong, 11, said: "I feel very happy getting these things. I can save up without buying these things."
More people, including young job-seekers, have turned to CDAC for help to ride out the recession. This year, it has helped 65,500 low-income Singaporeans – an increase of 20 per cent, compared to 2008.
From next year, CDAC said its help schemes will be more targeted.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say, who is also chairman of the CDAC Board of Directors, said: "We will not confine ourselves to just helping them to survive. We will step up our efforts... to help them achieve upward social mobility for the future."
Manpower Minister and chairman of CDAC Education Committee, Gan Kim Yong, said: "Earlier on, our focus was on helping students to pass their exams so that they can progress in their education. We should not just be satisfied with just passing; we have to look at ways to help these students achieve excellence."
The organisation will recruit more volunteers next year to enhance its community outreach and it intends to set up three more CDAC centres by 2012.
SINGAPORE: The Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) will sharpen its focus so that it can better help needy Singaporeans improve their lives.
The self-help group said on Saturday that it will set aside S$23 million next year to help 67,000 students, workers and their families.
On Saturday morning, 9,500 needy students got ready for school with some help from CDAC. They were each given a S$115 school-ready pack, which includes transport vouchers and stationery.
One of the recipients, Wan Sheng Yong, 11, said: "I feel very happy getting these things. I can save up without buying these things."
More people, including young job-seekers, have turned to CDAC for help to ride out the recession. This year, it has helped 65,500 low-income Singaporeans – an increase of 20 per cent, compared to 2008.
From next year, CDAC said its help schemes will be more targeted.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say, who is also chairman of the CDAC Board of Directors, said: "We will not confine ourselves to just helping them to survive. We will step up our efforts... to help them achieve upward social mobility for the future."
Manpower Minister and chairman of CDAC Education Committee, Gan Kim Yong, said: "Earlier on, our focus was on helping students to pass their exams so that they can progress in their education. We should not just be satisfied with just passing; we have to look at ways to help these students achieve excellence."
The organisation will recruit more volunteers next year to enhance its community outreach and it intends to set up three more CDAC centres by 2012.
