Tissue-maker Tipex yesterday gave The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF) a cheque for $28,861.

The amount was raised from the sale of limited-edition Beautex tissue boxes, which featured winning designs by six primary school pupils from an annual art contest held in June this year.

Twenty cents from the sale of each box was donated to the fund.

"The kids who took part in the competition got to have fun and help the needy, too," said Tipex vice-president Richard Sim.

Tipex, which has supported the SPMF since 2009, raised more than $22,500 last year from the sale of its limited-edition tissue boxes.

The SPMF is a registered charity and supports about 14,000 children and youth from low-income families every year.

The fund, which started in 2000 as a community project by The Straits Times, provides needy students from primary to polytechnic levels with monthly pocket money for their daily expenses, including transport and buying meals during recess.

Since it was set up, the fund has disbursed almost $50 million and helped more than 130,000 youngsters.

Zhaki Abdullah