On 16th December, the UAE Singapore Business Council (UAESBC) presented a cheque for $5,000 to Arab Network @Singapore (AN@S) towards the funding of the UAESBC-AN@S Bursary Award 2021. The bursary will go towards deserved low-income Singaporean students of Arab lineage, especially those whose family were impacted by the economic challenges of #COVID19. The bursary also includes mentoring programme that aims to empower the recipients holistically in their academic, personal and professional outlook. The cheque was presented by President of the UAESBC, Dr Brian Shegar, to AN@S Chairman, Prof Syed Farid Alatas.
AN@S is a not-for-profit limited by guarantee company established 10 years ago which identifies education as a major pillar in their activities. Since 2011, AN@S has disbursed close to $160,000 to 183 students in the form of bursary and scholastic awards. The majority of the Arabs in Singapore are Hadhramis tracing their ancestry from the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula called Hadhramaut, Yemen. There are estimated to be around 8 to 10 thousand Hadramis in Singapore whose students are not eligible to get scholarship/funding from the government aided self-help bodies (namely CDAC, Eurasian Association, SINDA and MENDAKI) and thus the UAESBC-AN@S Bursary Fund would be a welcomed assistance.
AN@S is the UAESBC’s first of two beneficiaries this year for our CSR project. The second beneficiary for 2020 is the South East CDC for a project to help vulnerable families in the East Coast GRC. As 2020 has been a most challenging year, the UAESBC EXCO members have decided to double up our charity efforts this year.
Our thanks to UAESBC Secretary, Clarence Singam-Zhou and his dedicated team at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) for their hospitality in hosting the cozy yet meaningful ceremony and tea reception afterwards.
You can browse through photos of the cheque presentation at the FAB (Asia) office below:
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