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Tanoto Foundation, under the auspices of Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC), donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to HealthServe in support of their work to help the migrant worker community in Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comprising 20,000 KN95 masks, 10,000 pairs of gloves and 1,000 face shields, the PPEs were handed over to HealthServe in a virtual ceremony held via Zoom on 20 May 2020. The gift is part of a larger donation by members of APC, of which Tanoto Foundation is also a member.
This gift follows the support provided to the community in Singapore by Tanoto Foundation and RGE in March and April. The previous efforts included donating 1,000,000 masks to the Courage Fund, which is the National Council of Social Service fund-raising and engagement arm of Community Chest created to provide relief and support to those affected by the COVID-19 situation; and also providing more than 100 volunteers to support Temasek Foundation’s Project #BYOBClean campaign, which distributed free hand sanitiser to Singaporean households.
These activities are part of the Foundation and RGE’s wider efforts in supporting governments, communities and healthcare professionals in countries that include Indonesia, China, and Brazil. In Indonesia, the Foundation brought in 1,000,000 masks, 1,000,000 pairs of surgical gloves, 100,000 protective gowns and 3,000 surgical goggles, donating them to the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB).
“We are all in this together.” – Tanoto Foundation Global CEO Dr Satrijo Tanudjojo shares with participants of the virtual ceremony that included representatives from HealthServe and the Asia Philanthropy Circle.
Dr. Satrijo Tanudjojo, Global CEO, Tanoto Foundation, provided remarks at the informal ceremony:
Firstly, it is important to us that we recognise the efforts of the Singapore government, non-profit organisations and the community in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. These efforts include the commitment to safeguarding the health and welfare of Singapore’s migrant workers. Singapore’s migrant workers play an important role in the nation’s growth and success. It is therefore justified and meaningful that we support APC and HealthServe in helping the migrant worker community.
Our PPE donation is made in the same spirit as our other efforts in countries where we implement our programmes. The Tanoto Foundation may be known mostly for its initiatives in accelerating human capital development. In Singapore, we support medical research on diseases that are prevalent in Asia; we back early childhood development projects; and we disburse scholarships to promising students studying in esteemed institutions of higher learning. In the face of this public health crisis, Tanoto Foundation is equally committed to supporting communities and countries as they remove the hurdles to sustainable development.
We hope this donation will be a meaningful contribution to Singapore’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has given us the opportunity to show the resilience and solidarity humanity has time and again been more than capable of; that we can come together and contribute in our different ways, just so we may achieve a shared outcome
In Indonesian, I say “Semangat” – which means spirit. In Chinese, I say 加油 (jia you) to everyone. We are all in this together. Thank you all.
Tanoto Foundation participated in a virtual hand-over ceremony that also included partners HealthServe and APC. HealthServe, a non-profit organisation that offers medical care, counselling, social assistance and other support to migrant workers in Singapore, will provide the PPEs to some of the 1,000-plus factory converted dormitories, which have higher resident density and are less well-resourced than purpose built dormitories.
The Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC) is a membership-based platform for philanthropists to exchange, coordinate and collaborate, to advance a better Asia. Founded in 2015 by philanthropists for philanthropists, APC’s mission is to accelerate private action for the public good by addressing systemic challenges through collaborative philanthropy. Tanoto Foundation is a member of APC, having worked on projects in education and early childhood development.
CEO of APC Laurence Lien said, “APC is pleased our members have stepped up to answer the call to shore up our support system for Singapore and its migrant worker community. The PPEs are very much welcomed and we hope the factory-converted dormitories will be better resourced now.”
APC Director Stacey Choe added, “APC’s members continue to remain active and engaged amidst the challenges and uncertainties brought about by Covid-19. The Tanoto Foundation first floated in a private discussion the plight faced by migrant workers in the dormitories, and the amount of support required as Singapore manages their unique situation. The conversation then quickly developed into a plan. We later connected with HealthServe, which required PPEs to support their operations. In the few days that followed, APC members also made a combined contribution of over $600,000 in cash and PPEs. This is the collaborative philanthropy APC seeks to continuously build for a better Asia, and we are proud to have members like the Tanoto Foundation.”
More in Tanoto Foundation’s news release here.
Donated by Tanoto Foundation, the face shields and KN95 masks will support HealthServe and migrant workers.
Equipped and ready as Singapore nears the end of its “circuit breaker”: Members of the migrant worker community pose with their KN95 masks donated by Tanoto Foundation and distributed by HealthServe.
HealthServe Executive Director Michael Cheah provides a live tour of HealthServe’s operations during the conference.
Solidarity and purpose amidst social distance: Representatives of Tanoto Foundation, RGE, HealthServe and the Asia Philanthropy Circle discussed briefly the work that lies ahead to support Singapore’s migrant workers, as well as the impact Tanoto Foundation’s donations will create for HealthServe, factory-converted dormitory operators and migrant workers.
