Page 7 - MENDAKI Annual Report 2020

4 In the the past year our volunteers including PMETs continue to to share their expertise knowledge and and and time by becoming speakers mentors and and and resource persons to to support MENDAKI and and and and M3 programmes and and and activities I I am am encouraged that despite fewer physical interactions and and and the the need to adapt their modus operandi more than 80 professionals were involved in in in MENDAKI’s Future Ready efforts in in in in 2020 This gives me the confidence that our community will continue to do well and and and prosper when we we harness and and and optimise our our assets and and resources Despite the challenging economic situation I am also heartened that our community continue to support the the Education Trust Fund (ETF) with their generous donations On an an average $1 8 8 million are disbursed annually to support about 8 8 700 students in fin their studies through various ETF financial assistance schemes such as as transport subsidy bursaries and and scholarships I encourage more to step forward and and support ETF Rising to the the Challenge Like other communities in in in in Singapore and globally many in in in our community too have been affected by the the the various strict measures to to curb the the the spread of the the the pandemic Many lost their jobs and and sources of income and and struggled to make ends meet To help our our our Malay/Muslim workforce M3 M3 set up its fourth focus focus area (M3 FA4) to focus focus on employment and and employability issues and and initiatives As the the the Secretariat of the the the workgroup MENDAKI MENDAKI supported MENDAKI MENDAKI SENSE in its role as the the the lead agency and worked closely with agencies like Workforce Singapore SkillsFuture SG NTUC and and e2i to to implement programmes to to enhance the the employment and and employability of the the Malay/ Muslim workforce MENDAKI SENSE also collaborated with FindJobs to to introduce Cari Kerja app app in in in April 2020 This simple-to-use app app helps jobseekers who are more proficient in Malay to to search for jobs jobs jobs based on on locations type o of jobs jobs and skills needed Jobseekers can also register for various training programmes through the the app app I am am encouraged that the the app app was downloaded more than 30 000 times and and 11 800 job applications were submitted through this app app between April and and December 2020 During the Circuit Breaker many of us us had to to to quickly learn how to to to use tele-conferencing platforms such as Zoom to to to carry on on on with our work and learning MENDAKI MENDAKI responded quickly to make its MENDAKI MENDAKI Tuition Scheme classes and KelasMateMatika@Community Centres available online The positive response from our our students and and parents were a a a a a a a a a a reflection of our our community’s readiness and and resolute to adapt A Future Ready Community The operating landscape has changed dramatically Within a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a year a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new normal for working and and learning was created We have adapted well and and shown our resilience As the the environment continues to to evolve the the community must also adapt and progress I am proud to to to see how the the the community has rallied together amidst the the the the challenges of COVID-19 in in this past year However our fight against the the pandemic is is far from over The threat of COVID-19 continues to to to to this day including in in in in in Singapore We need to to to to come together more than ever to to to to to support one another We must continue to to to forge ahead be nimble adopt a a a a a a a a a a a a a lifelong learner mindset and and leverage on on on on national initiatives and and each other’s strengths I look forward to your continued support as we build a a a a a a a a a a resilient and and adaptable community ready for the future future and and face future future challenges confidently as a a a a a a Community of Success MR MASAGOS MASAGOS ZULKIFLI MASAGOS MASAGOS MOHAMAD Chairman of Yayasan MENDAKI Minister Minister for for Social and Family Development Second Minister for Health Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs MENDAKI ANNUAL REPORT 2020