"StarHub IDD Charity Fund Donates S$200,000 for the Youth to Benefit from Infocomms Services"

Singapore, 12 September 2003 - StarHub, Singapore's innovative info-communications service provider, today announced that they will be donating S$200,000 via the StarHub IDD Charity Fund to help the less fortunate in society, in particular the youth. StarHub will use the funds specifically to leverage on its core strength - infocomms service - to help empower the youth and to ensure that they receive the right skills and knowledge to better face the demands of life. What's more, the funds will also help support volunteer youth to help their own peers.

Said Mr Andrew Grenville, Vice President for Product Management and Marketing, StarHub, "The youth today are the leaders of our future. That is why it is so essential for us to help wherever possible, to equip them with the right skills and knowledge, so that they know best how to integrate with society and excel in whatever they do. For StarHub, we find it especially apt for us to depend on our core strength - infocomms services - to help the youth in our own unique way. Furthermore, we are very heartened that our youth are also passionate and caring in helping out their peers. It is refreshing and inspiring to see the youths draw on their strengths, talents and energy to contribute to a worthy cause as well."

Launched in July 2000, the StarHub IDD Charity Fund has been very active on the community front, in empowering the less privileged with educational skills, providing basic necessities and enabling overseas and field trips for needy. This is because StarHub's fundamental belief is that beyond its commercial efforts, it is important to help the less fortunate in society. Thus, StarHub had committed one per cent of the cost of calls made via IDD 008 and IDD 018 to the Fund.

Today, StarHub's contribution of S$200,000 via the StarHub IDD Charity Fund will come in handy for TOUCH Community Services and the Care Corner Counselling Centre for the coming one year, as it will help to support their infocomms services for their clients.

StarHub's S$100,000 contribution to TOUCH Community Services is targeted specifically at their CRuSH and Project SMILE. CRuSH (short form for Cyberspace Risks and where u Seek Help), is a public education effort commissioned by the Inter-Ministry committee on Youth Crime, to inculcate safe surfing values in youth. It is targeted at volunteer youths to serve as e-mentors and Cyber guardians to secondary school students so that they can learn about cyberwellness. As the youth of today are generally very tech savvy and have easy access to the Internet, it is essential to teach them how to use the Internet for the right reasons. With StarHub's contribution, about 33,000 students will be able to benefit from the programme.

Project SMILE is a community arts project to train the youth in performing magic, to reach out to the needy and disadvantaged in hospitals, nursing homes and welfare organizations.

StarHub's contribution of the remaining S$100,000 to the Care Corner Counselling Centre will target their counselling and hotline programme. This comprises two services - a telephone hotline (a 24-hour toll-free service serving families, the youth and the elderly) and a clinical counseling service which is run by volunteers via a hotline.

Commending StarHub for its community involvement programme, Mr Gerard Ee, President of the National Council of Social Service, said, "I am particularly pleased that StarHub has chosen to utilise its infocomm services to help develop the youth to contribute constructively to society,as Mentors and Cyber Guardians. This holistic approach towards community service goes beyond contributing funds. StarHub plays an active role in reaching out to the youth. StarHub in partnership with the youth will certainly be making a positive difference to society. This model of Corporate Volunteerism is worthy of emulation."

StarHub will also be hosting a charity gala dinner tonight at the Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel for their business customers, to launch this latest charity effort. This charity effort was made possible by StarHub's close relationship with the Community Chest.

Students of the LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts will also be on hand to perform at the event. This is because the students also share StarHub's belief and passion in playing a meaningful part in society. Thus, they had contributed their talents and time to perform, all in the name of a worthy cause.

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