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Tote Board
Media Releases

CDAC ‘Ready for School!’ Project

21 March 2013

About 10,000 students from 5,000 needy families received help in getting ready for the new school term in January.

A large group of people queuing in a school hall, with red bags piled up near collection counters.

As part of the CDAC ‘Ready for School!’ Project, an event held on 2 December 2012 saw about 10,000 students from 5,000 needy families receiving help in getting ready for their children’s new school term in January.

The Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) ‘Ready for School!’ Project has helped ease the financial woes of needy families with children, to get ready for school at the end of the year when expenses are typically high.

About 10,000 students from 5,000 beneficiary families have benefitted from the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC)’s ‘Ready for School!’ Project 2012. These families have a monthly income household of less than $1,700 per capita or per capita income of less than $550.

The annual project helps less privileged students and their families get ready for the new school term, and provides an opportunity for these needy families to have a fun-filled day together, basking in the year-end festivities.

Entering its 9th year in December 2012, an event was held on 2 December 2012 at Nanyang Junior College, where 5,000 needy families received family packs worth $140 each comprising of transport and food vouchers. 10,000 students also received school-ready vouchers worth $80 each to purchase books, shoes and spectacles, up to three children for each family. Parents and their children bonded together over talks, games and handicraft workshops. Health and eye screening services were available for the parents, with complimentary haircut services offered to students. The 2012 ‘Ready for School!’ project has also expanded to include families -- family packs were distributed to the families so that they would have the means to purchase the daily necessities such as transport and food for the family.

Mr Tharman in a red polo t-shirt, handing over an envelope to a woman.

Guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, distributing a school-ready pack to a student beneficiary.

The event also saw a 400-strong group of volunteers offering their time and services, including 100 students from Nanyang Junior College, staff from SingTel, Kimage Hairdressing and Baking Industry Training Centre as well as CDAC volunteers.

Tote Board is privileged to provide funding support to the CDAC ‘Ready for School!’ Project 2012, in support of CDAC’s aim to assist children from low income and needy families through this project.

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