Million-dollar fund will provide grants to non-profit organisations that deliver mental health support for young people
Singapore, 18 July 2020 – Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee, has joined local philanthropic organisation The Majurity Trust (TMT) and Singapore-based palm oil giant Musim Mas Holdings in launching a million-dollar fund at the 12th Global Youth Leaders Summit today.
Called the Musim Mas BlueStar* Fund, the initiative will see TMT provide grants to non-profit organisations that deliver innovative mental health programmes and services for school-going children and youths. Desmond Lee who graced the cheque presentation witnessed by 1,000 youth leaders who attended the virtual Global Youth Leaders Summit.
The Fund is provided for through a S$1 million cash donation by Musim Mas Holdings as part of its multi-million-dollar care fund, Project Onward.
Musim Mas Holdings’ Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director said the donation to the Musim Mas BlueStar* Fund will help inspire and empower these non-profit organisations in their work towards supporting the youths.
“As the region’s leading palm oil company, Musim Mas is well aware of the importance of creating a safe and sustainable environment for the future. We want to make a positive impact on issues that are uncomfortable but need our attention and actions, and to raise awareness on youth mental health issues in Singapore,” he said.
“Young people represent the future hope of our nation. It is thus important to create a nurturing and supportive ecosystem around them so that they can realise their full potential.”
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AMONG YOUTHS NEED URGENT ATTENTION
TMT is an organisation that works with donors and charities to build a thriving and sustainable community for all in Singapore. Relying on research to identify gaps and underserved needs, TMT brings people and organisations together to creatively address needs and impact lives through conversations and collaborations.
“We are extremely grateful to Musim Mas Holdings for their generous donation to meet an urgent need. The Musim Mas BlueStar* Fund that will go to supporting charities and programmes serving children and youth suffering from depression and anxiety,” said Mr Martin Tan, Executive Director of TMT.
“Declining mental health is an issue that TMT has identified for urgent attention. The impact of COVID-19 has worsened the collective mental health and wellbeing of our society. Many are facing increased levels of psychological distress.
“Our children and youth are among the most vulnerable. In recent years, there has been a worrying increase in the number of youth suicides. Those struggling with anxiety and depression are especially at risk.
“On top of supporting research, public education initiatives and intervention, a portion of the Musim Mas BlueStar* Fund will be set aside for peer-initiated programmes that youths can tap on.
“This Musim Mas BlueStar* Fund will provide timely support to complement existing efforts to help our youth struggling with mental health challenges.”
HappYouth by FutuReady’s Character & Leadership Academy (CLA), which helps young people understand and manage stress and depression, is the first recipient from the Musim Mas BlueStar* Fund.
“We are grateful for this fund where we can scale up our mental resilience programme for children, youths, educators and parents by equipping them with skills to manage their mental well-being especially during these times of pandemic,” said Mr Delane Lim, CLA’s Executive Director and Organising Chair of the 12th Global Youth Leaders Summit.
“We hope that everyone who has been through our programmes will be gatekeepers of their own lives and be our eyes and ears for others who may be at risk.”
CLA is one of the pioneering youth development agencies who develop and conduct youth suicide prevention work in Asia since 2014, training more than 10,000 HappYouth ambassadors globally.
ICONIC SPEAKER NICK VUJCIC MAKES SPECIAL APPEARANCE
The Summit, which took the theme of “MAD@Crisis: Making A Difference In Times of Crisis Regardless of Race, Language, Religion or Nationality”, was held on a virtual platform for the first time in the event’s history.
The event was organised by CLA; supported by FutuReady, Innotrek and NextFactor; powered by National Youth Council; and presented by Musim Mas Holdings.
Iconic motivational speaker Nick Vujicic made a special appearance at the Summit. The 37-year-old Melbourne native, who is born without limbs, delivered a keynote address titled “Resilient Together… We as One” as well as helmed a Q&A session with delegates.
Singapore’s Member of Parliament Ms Tin Pei Ling, the Patron for CLA, also led a panel that included Mr David Chua (CEO of National Youth Council), Ms Sherry Soon (Founder of BeKind SG), Mr Nigel Teo (Founder of GoodHood.SG), and Ms Samantha Lim (Founder of #BlockWatchSG).
Other guest speakers included magician Sng Ming Da, comedian Dr Jason Leong, and voiceover star Steven Bones.
The event also saw the launch of “55 Acts of Kindness” leading up to Singapore’s 55th birthday on 9 August 2020.
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About the Character & Leadership Academy
Character & Leadership Academy (CLA) by FutuReady Asia is a social development enterprise that seeks to engage, empower and equip youths of today with essential personal development and leadership skills. CLA was founded based on the belief that Personal Values and Character are the key foundations and life-smith of every youth leader, allowing them to effectively lead with pride and integrity.
Our mission statement: Building a community of youth with good character and leadership traits, locally and globally, through Equipping, Engagement and Empowerment Through working closely with mainstream schools, local and global youth organisations, we aim to reach out to 25,000 youths from various countries by the Year 2025. We hope to emphasise on character and leadership education, tailored to motivate youths, while facilitating the achievement of the greater self and societal growth through experiential and outdoor learning.
CLA organises the Global Youth Leaders Summit. Currently in its 12th year, participants from all over the region are educated about the importance of connecting to the global world and being more socially aware of current issues. Moreover, the Summit also aims to instill leadership skills and knowledge in the youth of today, as well as develop cultural and youth diplomacy.
About HappYouths
HappYouths is an initiative that aims to spread happiness to youths. Centred around the pressing issue of depression amongst youth, the initiative wants to provide youths with the knowledge and understanding of stress and depression. It also aims to provide skills to mentor other youths that may suffer from depression or are displaying early symptoms of it, and curb the rate of suicide and depression through awareness amongst youth and their parents.
About The Majurity Trust
The Majurity Trust is a philanthropic organisation that seeks to work with donors and charities to build a thriving and sustainable community for all in Singapore. They bring like-minded people, ideas and creativity together to impact individual lives and the community. With platforms such as forums, dialogues and exhibitions, they create opportunities for conversations, idea creation and collaboration to achieve greater social impact.
About Musim Mas Holdings
Headquartered in Singapore, Musim Mas is one of the world’s largest, integrated palm oil corporations with operations spanning the entire value chain across the Americas, Europe and Asia. Our global workforce pursues innovative and sustainable developments across the whole spectrum of the palm oil supply chain, ensuring product quality, safety and efficiency as the industry evolves.
As one of the most prominent players in the palm oil industry, it aspires to be a responsible leader in the evolution of the industry, driving a new era of sustainability with innovation. To that end, we work hard with our stakeholders to address their concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity, as well as labor and human rights. We take active steps to go beyond industry-recognized sustainability standards and will continue to step up in response to critical industry issues in our quest to contribute to a more sustainable industry and equitable world.
For more information, please contact:
Carolyn Lim
Corporate Communications
media@musimmas.com
+65 6576 4770
