Singapore President Halimah Yacob presenting the SIWEC 25th Anniversary commemorative book to Baljinder Kour, accompanied by SIWEC immediate past chairman and event organising chairman Gurdip Singh Usma - Photo: Supplied
By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
Some years ago, retired school teacher Charanjeet Kaur leaped at the opportunity to engage Singapore Sikh seniors. The efforts led to the formation of Sunehri Sahelian, a novel programme that would enrich the lives of seniors in their golden years.
“In all my years of organising community activities, I had never seen any Sikh seniors participating in any of our activities! So I was very happy and excited!” she said when recalling the initial days of the programme in 2014.
Let us also introduce you to Baljinder Kour, another active member of the Singapore Sikh community. For last decade, she has volunteered with SIWEC’s bereavement and grief support programme. She is among a group of volunteers who spring into action at very short notice to assist a bereaved family when a death occurs.
“I find meaning in being with grieving families to bring them comfort when a loved one passes on. Doing this sewa is emotional work that requires patience,” she says. “I will continue doing this as long as I am able to do so.” Baljinder is the current president of Istri Sat Sang (women’s wing) at Central Sikh Temple (CST).
Charanjeet and Baljinder Kour were among the 85 in-person guests recognised at an event yesterday (4 Dec 2021) to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Sikh Welfare Council (SIWEC).
Guest of honour President Halimah Yacob also launched the first comprehensive publication documenting SIWEC’s major milestones and achievements titled Sarbat da Bhalla – Service to Humanity.
SEE ALSO: 25 years on, SIWEC continues to serve Singapore
SEE ALSO: On the ground with SIWEC
The hybrid event was hosted at the Singapore Khalsa Association (SKA) and the Sikh Centre (SC) concurrently.
Seated among the guests were Luvinderpal Singh, part of the cycling volunteer team who have raised funds for the organisation.
“I am really glad and thankful to SIWEC for recognising cyclists. I feel very proud, and I think that the cyclists would have been very glad and proud that we have been recognised for our efforts,” he said.
Looking at the commemorative book, volunteer and former SIWEC staff Jaspreet Kaur said: “The commemorative book and the video shared today brought back a lot of memories of the work we have done as a team in SIWEC.”
SIWEC chairman Harmit Singh said that over time, the organisation has grown from a lean self-help group with only one staff manning a 24/7 hotline in 1995 to becoming an established social service agency (SSA) with Institute of Public Character (IPC) status and full membership of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS).
“25 years later, we are now in a stronger financial position to employ seven full-time staff operating a diverse range of welfare programmes. These include financial assistance to vulnerable families, active ageing programmes for seniors in the community, psycho-social support for seniors and persons with disability in long-term care facilities, community mediation for families facing conflict, education support for children from our client-families, bereavement and grief support for members of the Sikh community, as well as mental health support to those who need it,” he said.
SIWEC was first established as a self-help group in 1995. It is an approved charity with Institution of Public Character (IPC) status since 2009, and a full member of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) since 2014.
The objectives of SIWEC are to carry out and manage welfare schemes in the form of relief, financial assistance, health, education, housing, or any other help (collectively referred to as “welfare”) for those requiring assistance within the Singapore community.
Charanjeet Kaur, SIWEC programme coordinator for Active Ageing, receiving the commemorative book from President Halimah Yacob
Singapore President Halimah Yacob launching SIWEC’s commemorative book, Sarbat Da Bhalla – Service to Humanity, at the oganisation’s 25th Anniversary celebrations Gurdip Singh Usma, accompanied by organising chairman Gurdip Singh Usma – Photo: Supplied
RELATED STORY:
25 years on, SIWEC continues to serve Singapore (Asia Samachar, 6 Dec 2021)
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