PA’s corporate partners share a common goal to raise community partnership

PA’s corporate partners share a common goal to raise community partnership

Project We Care unites collective efforts of corporates to co-champion community initiatives for meaningful causes.

         Project We Care (PWC) Seminar, where more than 200 business leaders gather to discuss and share views on how businesses can play a more active role in helping the Singapore community once every two years, will take place on 7 October 2024. Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law and Deputy Chairman of PA will deliver the closing address at the seminar to show his support and appreciation.

2         Led by business leaders from the private sector and the People’s Association (PA), Project We Care was established in 2012 as a corporate social responsibility initiative to advocate corporate volunteerism in Singapore. The network has since grown from 40 to more than 400 companies. The PWC has worked alongside PA grassroots organisations in over 700 initiatives collaboratively and contributed more than $16 million in cash and in-kind sponsorship, touching the lives and giving hope to close to a million beneficiaries in the community.

3         Project We Care connects corporates through three key focus areas: Knowledge & Upskilling, Basic Living Needs and Social Mobility. (See Annex A)

“PWC ENRICH” initiative
         DXC Technology Singapore, has been an active member of PWC since 2019. More recently, they joined a network of other like-minded partners to support the holistic development of children from lower-income families under PWC’s Community Action Network – by conducting a series of Scratch workshops to impart basic coding skills to lower-income children during the school holidays. Mr Ng See Sing, DXC’s Managing Director shared: “Prior to joining PWC, our CSR efforts were often individualistic and on ad-hoc basis such as volunteering with societies. However, PWC has enabled our efforts to be more organised and planned, leveraging on PA’s platform to facilitate structured partnerships to ensure that our contributions are aligned with community needs and reach them in a timely manner. The PA and PWC’s branding also brought higher credibility to the initiatives and garnered more trust and support from the community.”

“Jalan with Your Buddy” initiative
         One of the many lives impacted by PWC’s initiatives is Mr Wong Shong Tat, a 73-year-old resident from Kembangan Chai Chee who participated in PWC’s signature programme “Jalan with Your Buddy”. “I’m thankful for this programme. As my wife and I are both retirees, this grocery shopping has helped to reduce my family’s household expenses. I learnt how to choose healthier products and cook healthier and affordable meals below $8. I can share these tips with my neighbours and friends too!”

“PWC Stay Well Programme” initiative
         Ms Mazlinah Binte Omar’s life took a turn for the better, thanks to the renovation support provided by PWC’s “Stay Well Programme”. “Before moving into our 3-room flat, my children – aged 11, 9, 18 months and 7 months had to sleep in the living room and lacked a proper study area. The Stay Well Programme provided crucial renovations which my family needed in our new home, such as kitchen cabinets and window grilles, which was the most essential fixture for the safety of my young children. These improvements had significantly enhanced our quality of life as we now have a personal space, and the kids are more enthusiastic about studying in their own dedicated area. They were also thrilled to receive a bunk bed! I am incredibly grateful for the Stay Well programme for easing my financial burden and providing us a conducive living space.”

4         Mr Stanley Tan, a founding member and Vice-Chairperson of PWC, shared how the Project We Care could be a pivotal network for businesses to connect and collaborate on cause-driven community initiatives. He said: “Project We Care exemplifies the shift from independent corporate philanthropy to a more integrated and collaborative model of giving. By fostering strong partnerships with PA and other like-minded organisations, it synergises efforts to address community needs directly, amplifying social impact and driving meaningful change on the ground.”