Compassion International launches in Singapore; aims to tackle child poverty in Asia
Having Singapore as a regional base will help the charity achieve its goal of reaching 420,000 more children across Asia by 2028
[SINGAPORE] US charity Compassion International on Thursday (Jun 26) launched in Singapore, with the aim of tackling child poverty in Asia. Singapore is Compassion’s newest fundraising country, as the charity expands its presence in Asia after establishing an office in the Philippines in 2023.
Compassion currently supports more than 2.3 million children living in poverty in 29 countries. In Asia alone, Compassion supports 400,000 children through 1,600 local church partners and organisations.
The charity’s programmes focus on child development and ensuring beneficiaries can access critical needs, such as water and sanitation, vocational training, health and income generation.
Irene Chong, partnerships director of Compassion Singapore, said: “Each week, children participate in programme activities that provide them with the opportunity to enjoy nourishing food, learn valuable life skills, pursue their education and build healthy relationships.”
Compassion takes a long-term and holistic approach to child development, she highlighted. This is not only through its initiatives but also through its sponsorship programme, where a donor pays a monthly fee to support a child in one of its beneficiary countries. Each child receives nutritional and healthcare support, clean water and educational resources to empower them to break out of the poverty cycle.
“Our one-to-one sponsorship model means each sponsor supports a single child, creating a personal connection between the sponsor and the child,” she added.
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Compassion also runs its Mums and Babies programme, which helps vulnerable mothers and their babies during pregnancy and the first year of life, as infant mortality is a prevalent issue in many of its participating countries.
Singapore as a regional hub
As one of Compassion’s fundraising countries, Singapore will also serve as a regional hub to connect the charity to more beneficiaries.
Chong said: “While Compassion doesn’t run programmes for children locally in Singapore, the country’s strong economy, global outlook and generous culture make it an ideal regional hub to help reach more children in Asia.”
She observed an increase in funds and resources going towards social impact in the country, whether it is through donor-advised funds, family offices, corporate giving or ground-up initiatives.
“Singapore’s geographic location and neutrality also make it an ideal base for regional giving. Many donors based here have regional interests – such as supporting education in Vietnam, healthcare in Indonesia or poverty alleviation in parts of Africa or South Asia.”
Having Singapore as a regional base will help the charity achieve its goal of reaching 420,000 more children across Asia by 2028, she added.
“In Singapore, our focus is on building awareness and engaging individuals, churches and businesses. We will organise events, run campaigns and form partnerships to help Singaporeans learn more about child poverty and discover meaningful ways to contribute.”
Even though Compassion’s programmes will be delivered to beneficiaries overseas, it still hopes to forge long-term partnerships with local organisations in Singapore to make an impact on the community.
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