Singapore, 22 June 2016 – Excited peals of laughter rang throughout KidZania Singapore earlier today as 202 enthusiastic Nurture children fulfilled their dreams of becoming pilots, fire fighters, chefs and more for the day. It was a full-day learning journey organised by StarHub and Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) to commemorate StarHub’s sixth-year sponsorship of Nurture programme. StarHub has also pledged with a $200,000 contribution from the StarHub Sparks Fund. The funding will benefit 622 children from low-income families across 16 Nurture centres in the Central Singapore District.
In 2011, StarHub started its sponsorship journey with Central Singapore CDC in support of Nurture—a programme which provides learning opportunities for children aged seven to 12 from low income families. In addition to helping these children level up on their academic foundations, volunteers also increase the confidence level of these children through interactive activities such as storytelling, speech and drama and music. Empowered by StarHub’s continued support and sponsorship, the programme was enhanced last year to include seven additional modules: environmental awareness, IT, learning journeys, community service, sports, personal development and free play. Since then, the enhanced programme has been renamed Nurture 2.0 to reflect the more well-rounded curriculum.
“The saying that it takes a village to raise a child has never rung truer. Every child has immense potential which can and should be nurtured to the fullest. Some of them may need a little help to begin their learning journey on a more equal footing with their peers, and that is where StarHub comes into play,” said Ms Jeannie Ong, Chief Strategic Partnership Officer of StarHub.
“At StarHub, we strongly believe that companies should give back to the community wherever possible. That is why we have supported the Nurture Programme for the past five years, and are continuing with the sponsorship again this year. Importantly, our staff are delighted to volunteer their time with the children using volunteerism leave provided by the company. We know for a fact that this does inculcate a culture of caring and giving back among our employees,” Ms Ong affirmed.
Ms Ong was at the event early this morning where she presented the cheque for the sponsorship of Nurture 2.0 to Ms Denise Phua, Mayor of Central Singapore District.
Said Ms Phua, “Children do not begin at the same starting point in life, but education is a powerful leveller that closes the gaps amongst children from different socio-economic backgrounds. Literacy, numeracy and character development are some of the most important tools which can empower children at risk of being left behind.”
“Central Singapore CDC is thrilled to partner StarHub for the sixth year, with the upgraded Nurture 2.0 programme to present both academic and non-academic learning opportunities for children who need additional support in our district. It is our joint aspiration to lift our young beneficiaries and give them the boost to build a stronger foundation and soar in life,” added Ms Phua.
Lee Xiao Ying, 9, who has been on the Programme since 2014, has shown improvements in both English and Mathematics. “My results in school have improved a lot after I joined Nurture 2.0. I’m no longer afraid to speak up in class when my teacher asks me questions about grammar or mathematics,” she said.
At KidZania Singapore, the Nurture children went around the indoor theme park experiencing immersive role-play activities in the indoor kid-sized city. They took on various real-world professions dressed in their respective uniforms including a Courier delivering parcels from one establishment to another, a Junior Scientist identifying the difference between good and bad bacteria, and as Cabin Crew providing in-flight service to passengers on board a full-wing aircraft. The over 60 jobs available at KidZania Singapore helped the children to cultivate important life-skills that are not easily learned in school, such as decision-making and financial literacy. For example, they earned salaries in the form of kidZos, the official currency of KidZania, for every profession that they completed. They then had to decide if they should spend it at the Department Store or save it with the Bank.
Md Zami, 10, said, “After spending a day at KidZania Singapore, I now aspire to be a pilot. It is so cool to fly an airplane and fetch passengers around the world!” he exclaimed excitedly.
