SINGAPORE - Amid an eventful career in the education sector - including a previous stint as chief executive officer of self-help group Mendaki - Rashidah Abdul Rasip has been volunteering with the Singapore Children's Society (SCS) for 12 years.
"The greatest motivation comes from knowing that the Society's intervention programmes have helped the children we serve," said the 58-year-old, who is vice-chairman of its social work service standing committee and a member of its executive committee.
On Wednesday night (June 12), the society presented Madam Rashidah with its top accolade - the Ruth Wong Award, which honours outstanding volunteers who have served SCS for at least 10 years.
She was among 32 of the society's volunteers and donors who received awards from its chairman Koh Choon Hui and President Halimah Yacob at a ceremony held at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
President Halimah is the society's current patron-in-chief, and was guest of honour.
The annual awards have been held since 1982 to honour individual, group and organisational volunteers and donors.
Mr Koh said that $10.79 million was donated to the society last year which helped to implement 77 programmes that reached 78,433 beneficiaries - around 12,000 more than in 2017.
SCS operates 12 service centres islandwide, offering services in four categories: vulnerable children and youth, children and youth services, family services, and research and advocacy.
Also given out were the platinum, gold, silver and commendation service awards, ranked by the length of volunteer service rendered, as well as similar awards depending on the amount raised or donated in the previous year.
The late Ms Angela Koh Chay Yong received a gold award, which was collected by her niece Go Li Jia. Ms Koh was the director of local architecture firm Point Architects. Despite having no children of her own, she believed that vulnerable children should be provided for.
She died of cancer aged 57 in 2017 and left $50,000 to the SCS.
The awards ceremony concluded with songs performed by beneficiaries of two Jurong youth centres run by the SCS, where young people at risk can take part in meaningful after-school activities.
