News

Over $550k raised to support underprivileged students through Citi golf tournament

SINGAPORE - More than $550,000 has been raised through a golf tournament to support underprivileged students from financially disadvantaged families here.

The 18th annual Citi & Partners Charity Golf event, organised by Citi’s IT division, saw some 170 bank staff and business partners tee off at Tanah Merah Country Club on Friday.

The tournament was followed by a gala dinner, attended by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.

This is the 12th year in a row that Citi’s golf tournament has raised funds for ChildAid, an annual concert showcasing young musical talent that started in 2005.

The concert, organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times, aims to raise funds to support two charities – The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF) and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.

Together with representatives from Citi, Mr Chan presented the $550,000 cheque to Ms Lee Su Shyan, associate editor at The Straits Times and chairman and trustee of STSPMF, and Mr Helmi Yusof, deputy editor (lifestyle) at The Business Times and co-chair of ChildAid 2022.

In his speech, Mr Chan noted that some may wonder why Singapore pushes for a whole-of-society effort to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Government funds 90 per cent of the costs of running social services through taxpayers’ monies, while the community raises the final 10 per cent. “We do this because we believe in inculcating a spirit of contributing and giving back to society,” he said.

Mr Chan said that growing up in a single-parent family, he benefited from this whole-of-community support system through his school years.

“This was possible because of the many people before me who have paid it forward and contributed back to society. We hope to build a society where every Singaporean is confident that they will have the best chance to succeed in life, regardless of their station in life,” he said.

This approach is also to remind every generation that they stand on the shoulders of those before them, and that they too should pay it forward and enable future Singaporeans to do better than they have, Mr Chan added.

Those who can should also give of their energies, he urged.

“In every society, it is very easy for us to contribute our ‘treasures’. But I hope we can mobilise Singaporeans, friends of Singapore, fans of Singapore to also contribute not just their treasures, but their time and talent,” he said.

At the dinner, Citi’s Asia-Pacific chief information officer and head of operations and technology Stacey Lacy said the bank is honoured to continue its longstanding relationship with ChildAid to uplift children and youth here from financially disadvantaged families.

“We believe that children deserve every opportunity to gain knowledge through education, and to pursue their passions through the cultivation of their artistic talents,” she said.

The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission