When Covid-19 hit, students islandwide were forced to transition to home-based learning – something that was extra difficult for Shadeana, as the 11-year-old had to share one laptop with five school-going siblings.

Upon realising her situation, SINDA provided a laptop to the Canberra Primary School student to ensure her learning continues. Her family also received an additional tablet and headset that provided them with some respite amidst unprecedented times. Shadeana is thankful that her education was not disrupted – something that has given her more confidence in her abilities as she prepares to enter the crucial final year of her Primary School journey.

Enrolled on SINDA’s Teach programme since 2019 (a school-based tutorial programme), Shadeana and her family are grateful for the continuous academic support throughout the years. “SINDA has played an important role in our educational journeys, and with their support, I am happy that all my siblings are getting opportunities to learn and grow.”

Vivian knows how challenging it is to find the right balance when both job and studies demand a high level of focus. Having parents with medical conditions, the 28-year-old had to work part-time while pursuing his degree in Civil Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

When Vivian was introduced to the (Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce Foundation) SCCCF-SINDA Scholarship in 2020, he was initially sceptical as he was convinced he would not meet the criteria to be accepted – but his doubts were proven wrong and he was granted the scholarship!

The award has turned out to be more than financial help. Through it, Vivian has not only found that elusive work-study-life balance, but also emotional and mental support. Today, the scholarship has given him space to breathe and pursue a minor in entrepreneurship - a first step towards fulfilling a childhood dream.

When schools adopted Home-Based Learning (HBL) during the circuit breaker, it was not an easy situation for Ramanathan Deepa’s family to digest. Including Deepa, who sat for her PSLE last month, the family has three school-going children but did not have sufficient equipment to cater to all of their HBL needs. The lone computer at home was much sought after, as Deepa and her siblings took turns to use it.

“There were times when I really couldn’t miss the lesson – be it school or tuition. So, I had to use my mother’s phone to attend classes but it was so difficult. I couldn’t see my teacher properly on the screen, there were volume issues and trying to understand information or participate in the virtual class through a phone was becoming increasingly tough as the days went by,” she said.

All three children are enrolled in SINDA’s STEP tuition and Deepa’s father decided to seek SINDA’s help. And in just a few days, two laptops were provided to the family, so that all three children could have their own device for HBL needs. The timely help enabled Deepa’s parents, who earn just enough to make ends meet, were tremendously grateful that the challenges their kids faced could be eased.

If you or anyone that you know require help with laptops and related resources, do reach out to SINDA at sinda.org.sg/neu-pc-plus-programme/

Rameeza, along with her husband and two children, are the founders behind ‘Feed Singapore’ – a community initiative to provide meals to elderly residents. The family of four initially relied on themselves, to manage food distribution to those in their area – mostly elderly residents who were either living alone or simply those who were looking forward to a tasty meal. Soon enough, they had more mouths to feed and that meant increased costs as well. But the family of four wanted to keep ‘Feed Singapore’ going.

“At one point, we needed to fork out from our own pockets and that’s when we realised that if we were to run this in a sustainable way, we needed to look for funding. One night, my husband and I sat down and started looking for aid available for such community-based efforts. It was then that we came across the SINDA Community Impact Fund (SCIF). We were very excited to apply for it because we knew we could rely on this fund to keep ‘Feed Singapore’ alive.”

Five months since the beginning of ‘Feed Singapore’, Rameeza now arranges close to 50 meals each week, for the underprivileged in her area. It is no longer just the four of them scurrying around to deliver food on time to beneficiaries but a team of volunteers helping to pack and distribute meals around the neighbourhood.

With her initiative growing from strength to strength, Rameeza is visibly happy as she shares her gratitude for the many volunteers and funding that have made her dream come true: “Each of us is just an individual, but together, we can do so much more. SINDA’s help through SCIF came at just the right time, and the funding encourages us to continue. At the end of the day, seeing the smiles on residents’ faces when they receive their meals is a reminder for us to never stop doing our part for the community.”

Learn more about the SINDA Community Impact Fund and how it can help fund your community cause at sinda.org.sg/scif

23-year-old Kavirishini Murukan was one excited young lady after becoming a SINDA Football Club (SFC) peer leader not long ago! The past two years spent at SFC has not only helped hone Kavirishini’s football skill, but also strengthened her overall confidence and self-belief. Each weekend was a reminder to her that anything was possible, if she put her mind and focus to it.

However, Covid-19 dampened her spirit this year as physical trainings ground to a halt. “I loved going for my trainings – it was something I looked forward to every weekend. But with Covid-19, I was pretty bummed to know that trainings had to be suspended. My university classes, that were already quite intense, had become virtual and the stress from that was piling on. So, SFC sessions were the only stress-buster for me!”

So, imagine Kavirishini’s happiness, when SINDA adopted virtual platforms for most of its programmes, including SFC: “I was so happy when SINDA arranged for online SFC sessions! Our coach taught us easy-to-do basic drills and physical trainings at home and we even learnt how to create a makeshift football using socks, paper and some tapes. It was really fun!” she quipped. She also loved the chance to be part of virtual SFC discussions, where participants could meet with football professionals virtually and expand their knowledge on the sport.

What’s more? All this positive virtual engagement spurred Kavirishini on to join SINDA’s Guidance and Mentorship Programme (GAME) where she learnt all about art jamming and terrarium making.