UOL commits $150,000 to ComLink+ programmes for children from lower-income families

SINGAPORE – Lower-income families in Bukit Merah will benefit from enrichment activities and learning support, with the expansion of a community support initiative to help children from such backgrounds.

Property developer UOL and its hotel subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) announced on Jan 10 that it would donate $50,000 towards the scheme.

The amount is part of a wider $150,000 donation to fund the UOL-PPHG Community Uplift Programme, which was

launched in Jurong West in 2023

to support children from lower-income families.

UOL said on Jan 10 that participation has more than doubled since the programme began, from 57 beneficiaries in 2023 to 120 in 2025.

With the expansion, more than 35 families under

the ComLink+ scheme

in Bukit Merah will receive support through the programme.

ComLink+ is a national initiative led by the Ministry of Social and Family Development, bringing together government agencies, social service offices and community partners to support families with children under 21.

It helps families build stability and improve self-reliance, and enhances social mobility through coordinated, longer-term support.

The programme by UOL and PPHG is run in partnership with the social service offices in Boon Lay and Taman Jurong.

In Bukit Merah, the programme will provide support, including weekly mathematics tuition for secondary school students, talent grants for arts and sports enrichment, regular family outings, and a rewards system featuring experiences such as staycations and buffet meals.

Outcomes from Jurong West show a positive impact. Feedback from 36 participating families in Boon Lay indicated that 96 per cent of children made new friends, while 63 per cent of parents felt closer to neighbours. About 80 per cent of children said rewards motivated them to study harder, and 77 per cent said organised outings strengthened family bonding.

Academic improvements were also recorded, with 41 per cent of 81 primary and secondary students who received mathematics support improving their grades, UOL said.

UOL and PPHG will continue supporting ComLink+ children over the next three years through talent grants and interest-based programmes, including culinary sessions, art enrichment, boxing training and graded Korean pop dance classes in collaboration with a dance academy.

Education Minister Desmond Lee said the programme provides valuable opportunities for children from ComLink+ families to learn new skills, build confidence and broaden their perspectives. He was speaking on Jan 10 at an annual awards ceremony recognising the achievements of ComLink+ families in the UOL-PPHG Community Uplift Programme at PARKROYAL on Beach Road. Three children were recognised for their efforts in school and personal development, including improvements in academic results and leadership qualities.

Mr Lee, who is also Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, added that partnerships with companies such as UOL and PPHG are key to helping families achieve stability and creating pathways for social mobility.

“This is a unique model,” said Mr Lee, noting the expansion from Jurong West-Boon Lay to Bukit Merah-Queenstown and its potential to be replicated across Singapore.

In this model, corporates, social services, and secular and religious organisations work together “not as individual partners but as queen bees bringing the whole neighbourhood, community and stakeholders along and anchor in the community”, Mr Lee added.

He also highlighted ComLink+’s key features, describing it as a whole-of-society initiative, involving not just the Government but also community and corporate partners.

ComLink+ uses information from multiple sources to understand the full circumstances of each family rather than focusing on issues and individuals, he added. It also places emphasis on active community involvement and families’ own aspirations.