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INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
STAYING LOCAL, GOING REGIONAL
Internationally, CityCare is also spearheading a series of educational and humanitarian projects in the under-served communities in various parts of Asia.
Through volunteer labor and monetary donations, CityCare aids in the construction of schools and shelter homes in different parts across Asia, as well as conduct cultural and educational exchange programs such as English summer camps and spelling contests.
CHINA
School-Building Projects
Our work in China is to promote education in rural China that will help students to improve their lives and their communities. Together with our donors and volunteers, CityCare has helped built 6 schools in the country so far, with plans to add another 2 per year from 2009.
The CityCare-aided schools are:
Spelling Bee Competition
Originated from the United States, the competition requires contestants to study a given list of English words and be able to verbally spell them. More than a competition to help student spell quickly and accurately, the competition provides an environment to promote students’ self-esteem, character development and sportsmanship.
Local English teachers also have the ample opportunities to interact and discuss curriculum and classroom cultures with the Singaporean facilitators.
To date, CityCare has successfully brought the Spelling Bee competition to
English Enrichment Camps
CityCare’s English enrichment camps are held in the summer for students to learn and communicate English in a fun and relaxed environment. Through activities like sports, game and dramas, the camps provided opportunities where the local students could interact with each other, and the Singaporean facilitators, in English. The three-day camp aims to boost the students’ confidence to converse in English beyond the classroom rote learning method, and also opens the door for them to befriend some big brothers and sisters from overseas.
In August 2007, upon the invitation by China Children and Teenagers Fund and China All-Woman’s Federation, CityCare conducted a English Enrichment Camp for 130 students at the Chunlei School located in Anshan, Liaoning.
Over RMB 25,000 yuan worth of gifts such as stationery and daily essentials were also distributed to all the students
Sichuan Earthquake Disaster Relief
Together with Sichuan Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, CityCare organized a charity art exhibition cum auction in Singapore to raise funds for the Sichuan May 12 earthquake victims. The 97 pieces were donated by Chinese artists, most of them from quake-shaken areas.
Over S$370,000 were raised from the three-day exhibition, and the funds will be used to construct a new school, as well as educational sponsorship for tertiary students.
The art exhibition was part of a CityCare relief effort package, which also included donation of 500 tents, food and clothing supplies, as well as financial support for 140 needy single-parent families.
Water and Sanitation
CityCare’s most recent project in Luoning, Henan saw to the construction of 80-m deep well that supplies drinking water for 1,700 teachers and students.
Access to potable water has been perennial problem for the school since it was started in the 1970s. Quality checks revealed the water contains excessive amount of harmful chemicals , seriously undermining the health of the school population consuming the water.
The new well was completed in Oct 2998 together with a filtration system to provide clean drinking water to this village school.
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