Acclaim Heartware Education Fund Recognises Volunteer Leadership, Promotes Social Mobility
Syafiq Sahrom, recipient of the Acclaim Heartware Education Fund in 2018, giving his acceptance speech at Acclaim’s 35th Gala Dinner.
In recent years, the Ministry of Education in Singapore has made efforts to move away from a sole emphasis on academic results, shifting their focus towards shaping well-rounded individuals who can lead, serve and shape the future of Singapore.
Acclaim Insurance Brokers Pte Ltd (Acclaim) and Heartware Network (HWN) believe that, other than academic excellence, another form of excellence should be recognised and celebrated – excellence in serving the community.
In this vein, Acclaim, in partnership with HWN, has spearheaded the Acclaim Heartware Education Fund (AHEF), previously known as the Heartware Acclaim Endowment Study Fund.
Acclaim’s sponsorship of these awards is part of their ongoing efforts to give back to society. Their partnership with HWN reflects both Acclaim and HWN as proponents of effective and consistent volunteerism as a prestigious form of merit.
AHEF seeks to enable deserving young leaders who have demonstrated their ability and willingness to give back to their community to do more, and to do better. Recipients of the study fund are thus able to focus on their studies, while continuing their contributions to the community.
The study fund therefore aims to uplift students from less advantaged backgrounds by alleviating their financial burdens, thus placing them on a level playing field as those who are financially better off.
Recipients of the study award will have their tuition fees paid for in full, and be endowed with both a laptop and monthly allowance. In return, they will be expected to continue volunteering in more crucial and diverse roles with HWN, and to commit to a one-year bond with Acclaim.
One such volunteer leader is Syafiq Syahrom, recipient of the AHEF in 2018 (pictured above).
Syafiq is currently pursuing a double major in English and Psychology at National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Through his many years of volunteer service, he has made giving back to society a way of life.
His early school years held its fair share of challenges. His ‘A’ Level preparation was riddled with low self-esteem and sports injuries, and being in a highly competitive environment gave him great pressure to do well. However, being actively engaged in Heartware Network’s Tuition Programme back in 2015 provided him the opportunity to remain in touch with others who were less privileged. This helped him to see beyond himself, and realize that there were others out there who were struggling.
Today, Syafiq continues to contribute to the community through HWN as a Volunteer Facilitator. He joins the trainers at Heartware Academy to equip students and youth volunteers with skills to curate community projects, rally their peers, and push social impact in the local community. Syafiq realises that training the next generation of youth volunteer leaders is the way to engage and impact a larger number of youth in service to community, and the way to shape the future of volunteerism in Singapore. With this study endowment, Syafiq does not need to take a loan for his university education, or take up a part time job concurrent with my studies to pay for my living expenses. He is instead able to dedicate his time towards designing training materials at the Heartware Academy.
From left to right: Syafiq Sahrom, recipient of AHEF in 2018, Mr. Anthony Lim, Founder and Executive Chairman of Acclaim, and Mr. Tony Lim, CEO of Acclaim.
Acclaim’s Founder and Executive Chairman, Mr. Anthony Lim, is himself a strong believer in youth development. “Investing in our youth is very different from helping any other group of people. If we help our youth today, they can be the catalyst to change our society positively, and have a multiplier effect to impact the future.”
Indeed, Syafiq’s passion for youth development has impacted many other youth volunteers across his years of service at HWN. “The spirit of youth development upon which [HWN] was founded became an inspiration for me to go beyond my comfort zone in the pursuit of service to others,” says Syafiq. He aspires to be an educator and policy maker in the future to continue impacting and moulding lives.
“I would like to thank Acclaim Insurance Brokers Pte. Ltd., her founder, Mr. Anthony Lim, and her CEO, Mr Tony Lim for awarding me this Study Endowment. It is a great feeling to know that I can focus on my education without having to worry too much about finances.
“To Heartware Network, thank you for providing me the opportunity to continuously grow as you have done for me for the past 5 years. Joining Heartware Network has been one of the best decisions I have made and it still remains as an organisation I call a home away from home.
“This Study Endowment goes far beyond the financing of my studies. It is a statement that regardless of your financial background or status, you can contribute, and be valued in more ways than with just academics. This award from Acclaim is validation that effective and consistent volunteerism is indeed an equally valid and prestigious form of merit.
“AHEF is one key example of how firms in Singapore can promote social mobility and service to others. I believe that Acclaim has set the standards and become the trailblazer for other organisations to follow in building the “Heartware” of Singapore, just as how they have been pioneers in building the hardware branding of Singapore.”
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If you have been volunteering with HWN for the past two years or more, you may qualify for AHEF! More details on the study endowment and application can be found attached the factsheet here.