SIWEC past chairman (Clockwise, L-R): Jagjit Singh Sekhon, Dr Sorinder Singh, Gurdip Singh Usma and Amarjit Singh Wasan
By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
Sikh Welfare Council (SIWEC) has come a long way since its establishment in 1995.
It was set up as a community-wide response to assist vulnerable Sikh families and individuals in Singapore to better cope with a fast-changing socio-economic context which presented financial, educational, employment and social challenges. Today, it is has evolved and does much more.
And the organisation has kept changing and evolving. How it responded to the Covid-19 induced pandemic was a case in example.
“The last 2 years have also resulted in changes to the way we deliver our services, including live streaming funerals, sending exercise and motivational videos to our senior members to help them stay active and engaged, video calls to check-in on clients we could no longer visit, Zoom meetings and many more adaptations at the management level as well,” SIWEC advisor and immediate past chairman Gurdip Singh Usma tells Asia Samachar.
On Saturday (4 December), the organistion will celebrate its 25th anniversary, with Singapore president Halimah Yacob as the guest of honour.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Please share with us how the Sikh Welfare Council has grown and transited from a self-help group serving its own community to a well- regarded social service agency in Singapore?
The Sikh Welfare Council (SIWEC) was formally launched on 14th October 1995 in conjunction with the Sikh community’s 30th National Day celebration dinner which was attended by 1,500 people. At the said dinner a sum of S$1.7 million was raised from the Sikh institutions, founding trusties, patrons and members of the Sikh community.
SIWEC was initially set up as a self-help group to assist vulnerable families and challenged individuals within the Sikh community to better cope with a fast-changing socio-economic context which posed a range of financial, educational, employment and social challenges. The pioneers who established SIWEC also set high aspirations for the Council, by exhorting successive generations of volunteers and staff to be guided by the motto that Service to Humanity is the Highest Deed (Jan ki Sewa Uttam Kaama).
Our thinking on SIWEC’s target beneficiaries evolved after 15 years, to realise the aspirations espoused in the motto and the spirit of Sarbat da Bhalla (Service to all Humanity) urged and compelled us to be less insular and to be more embracing to serve all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion.
This vision was also well-navigated and expressed through one of SIWEC’s earliest community engagement initiatives which brought Singaporeans of different races to run together annually in the series of Sarbat da Bhalla runs which evolved to be known as the cross-island Singapore Racial and Religious Harmony Marathon relay.
Overall, with the support of the whole community, we believe that over the past 25 years, SIWEC has made a positive impact on the lives of the beneficiaries served in the wider Singapore community
As of 2020, SIWEC remains a modestly lean social service agency employing 7 staff operating 8 programmes, assisted by about 150 volunteers and serving about 1,200 clients annually. We are now duly recognised by the community and government agencies as a well-regarded welfare organisation.
Q: How has the financial stability and corporate governance of SIWEC been enhanced over the years?
In 2009 the Government granted us the Institution of Public Character (IPC) status.
This IPC status assisted SIWEC to expand its services beyond the Sikh community and to encompass the wider Singapore community as well. It also boosted our fund-raising efforts as all donations to SIWEC began to enjoy generous income tax deductions.
SIWEC’s status was further bolstered in 2014, when we became a full member of the National Council of Social Service, which provided more opportunities and funding resources to help our beneficiaries.
First SIWEC management committee in 1995 – Photo: Source: Sarbat Da bhalla: Service To Humanity, SIWEC 25th anniversary commemorative book
FIRST SIWEC MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE IN 1995. Chairman: Dr Sorinder Singh; Vice-Chairman: Bhajan Singh Suropada; Secretary: Harmit Singh Gandhi; Assistant Secretary: Sarwan Singh; Treasurer: Nirmal Singh; Assistant Treasurer: Surjit Singh Wasan; Committee Members: Jaswant Singh Gill, Jaswant Singh Bandal, Taranjit Singh Grewal, Balbeer Singh Man, R. Kirpal Kaur, Sermit Kaur, Nachatar Singh Sandhu, Gurdip Singh Usma, Luck Singh, Param Ajeet Singh Bal, Kaka Singh, Sarban Singh, Kashmir Singh, Deep Singh, Dr Amar Kaur, Perminder Kaur, Gurbachan Singh, Diljit Singh, Jasmail Singh Khalsa, LTC Mejar Singh Gill, Dr Kuldip Singh, Baldev Singh, Biant Singh (Source: Sarbat Da bhalla: Service To Humanity, SIWEC 25th anniversary commemorative book)
These recognitions also highlighted the need for better corporate governance, transparency and financial stability. Over the past 6 years, SIWEC has enhanced its financial and operating processes, developed and documented its processes in line with the guidelines established by the Commissioner of Charities. Since 2019, we have also started to publish comprehensive Annual Reports for the benefit of our stakeholders.
Our ability to raise funds and obtain matching grants from the government and other agencies, like the President’s Challenge and Tote Board has also enabled SIWEC to achieve good financial stability.
Q: What would you say were the key factors that contributed to SIWEC’s success over the past 25 years?
The key factors that have contributed significantly to the success that SIWEC has achieved over the past 25 years are firstly, the steadfast community support from individuals, institutions, corporate donors and dedicated volunteers devoting effort with hearts, hands and minds to conceive, plan and implement programmes and help raise funds; and secondly, forging strong partnerships across the social and health sectors with key agencies.
One key reality confronting social service organisations like ours is in building on what we have achieved so far and to plan for the next lap of our development. As an organisation, it is vital to institute clear succession planning, enhance professionalisation and skill sets of the Management Committee and the staff team as well.
In terms of programme enhancements, we are already witnessing an increasing complexity of challenges facing clients we support, especially with the intersection of multiple issues in the prevailing context as we transition from pandemic to endemicity. The last 2 years have also resulted in changes to the way we deliver our services, including live streaming funerals, sending exercise and motivational videos to our senior members to help them stay active and engaged, video calls to check-in on clients we could no longer visit, Zoom meetings and many more adaptations at the management level as well.
On the mental health front, even as we embarked on our Theek Thak mental health awareness campaign, we remain concerned about people not seeking help due to concerns about stigma, confidentiality and anxieties about their future. SIWEC will continue to devote attention to this area and develop our internal capacity to help people with mental health issues access the help they need.
Q. Can you give us an insight on the Sarbat Da Bhalla 25th Anniversary Commemorative Book ?
This commemorative book will be formally launched by the President of the Republic of Singapore, Madam Halimah Yacob at SIWEC’s 25th Anniversary Appreciation day to be held on 4 December 2021.
Sarbat da Bhalla – Service to Humanity, is a publication that chronicles the birth, growth and achievements of SIWEC in Singapore between 1995-2020.
The book is a 25th anniversary salute to the commitment and faith of SIWEC’s founding pioneers who stepped forward to establish a dedicated volunteer welfare organisation to cater to the welfare needs of disadvantaged Sikh individuals and families in the mid-1990s. The dedicated service of scores of pioneer volunteers working to support the two full-time staff is a poignant reminder of SIWEC’s humble beginnings
Our editorial team volunteers have worked painstakingly over more than a year to interview pioneer staff, volunteers and leadership, besides searching the national archives and combing through all existing past records.
Everyone attending the event will receive a copy of the book, we will also arrange to courier the book to many of our ardent volunteers, well-wishers and stakeholders who would not be able to attend due to the prevailing capacity due to Covid 19 restrictions.
Event Live Stream: 4 Dec 2021 (Saturday, from 2pm-4pm (Singapore time). Join SIWEC as they celebrate Silver Jubilee to recognise the contributions of their volunteers. Guest of Honour is Singapore President Halimah Yacob. Links: Facebook https://bit.ly/SIWEC25-FB and YouTube https://bit.ly/SIWEC25-YT
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