Speech by Chairman Dr Ting Seng Kiong at the Heartware Network Fundraising and Thanksgiving Dinner 2019

Heartware Network is going 20 next year, and it is with immense gratitude that we receive such generous support from our donors and partners over the years. Your partnership and donations sustain us for many meaningful and notable activities and programmes here at Heartware Network.

Heartware Network is a youth charity with several platforms to reach out to youths in Singapore. We provide our youths both training and opportunities at volunteering. For training, Heartware network believes in equipping our youths with skills by providing training programmes to develop them to be resilient leaders with good values, character and relevant life skills. One such programme is the Heartware – Character and Citizenship Leadership programme. Aimed at developing normal stream secondary school students into confident community champions. Some go on to join our volunteer corp. As volunteers are our key resources, Heartware Academy is formed to provide training to equip youth with practical skills necessary for volunteering and to encourage them to educate and train the next generation of youth volunteers, providing a sustainable framework for improving skilled volunteer practices in Singapore. Heartware Academy features a diverse network of trainers dedicated to developing our youth volunteers and leaders to training and knowledge sharing sessions. Heartware Academy is a training hub where individuals of different backgrounds can collaborate towards improving volunteering practices and most importantly improving the lives of people and the communities we serve. After training them, what are the opportunities for volunteering? There are the three primary areas.

First, it is the Heartware Tuition Programme. Through the Tuition Programme, we aim to provide quality educational guidance, practice compassionate leaning, foster positive values and impart life skills to disadvantaged primary school children. Second, an opportunity to serve the needs of isolated elderly with compassion and care during our bimonthly home visits. That is the Heartware Support Our Pioneers Programme. Third, an opportunity to serve in national events such as Hospitality Management for the National Day Parade support where they can contribute by serving the public. We are also the volunteer manager for the President’s Challenge Volunteer Drive last year as well as this year. Lastly, we not only hope our youths can serve, but also to be able to create. Hence, Youth Business Singapore, started in 2008, serves to instill a can do, will do attitude, and support local youth entrepreneurs with mentorship platforms and industry knowledge, assisting them in realizing their innovative business ideas in their start-up and scaling phase.

Recently, Woo Sze Ming, founder of Gamurai Limited, who started his entrepreneurship journey with Heartware Network in 2011. His team was placed third under the overseas group in the Smart China Expo club in 2019. This is a youth entrepreneurship competition on big data and smart technology.

I have witnessed the tireless efforts by the management, staff and volunteers of the Heartware Network to create positive change in the community, by serving from their heart, with sincerity and authenticity, to impact the lives of the youths some of whom who are here today to witness this special milestone towards Heartware’s twentieth year. This evening, we will be hearing some first-hand experience from the volunteers who have been volunteering with us. Volunteering has changed their lives. I am excited for the journey ahead. Heartware will continue to grow to nurture confident and resilient leaders and active community champions.

And I am honoured to be the Board Chairman of Heartware Network, knowing the good work that the charity does and its impact in our community. On behalf of the charity, I would like to extend my greatest appreciation to everyone for your generous support towards Heartware Network, be it through formed partnerships, collaborations or donations. I sincerely look forward to strengthening our bonds of friendship for the growth of Heartware Network together.