On World AIDS Day, 1 December 2008, One Life Fund was launched by World Vision International - Singapore to support children in Singapore living with HIV/AIDS with a seed funding of $50,000 from M.A.C Cosmetics AIDS Fund, a global fund set up to fight HIV and AIDS around the world.
World Vision’s One Life Fund is an educational bursary scheme that will benefit children and youth in Singapore who are living with HIV/AIDS or those whose parents are afflicted with the disease.
Razif* lives with his wife and four children.
Come every month end, Rafiz will face the unenviable task of balancing the family’s income. Despite taking up two part-time jobs which earn him $600 a month, the family’s finances remains tight and is a constant struggle for the sole breadwinner.
Razif’s burdens are heavily laden upon his frail shoulders. Besides having to provide the basic essentials needed for the household, he has to ensure $80 is set aside to pay for his daughter’s monthly school fees at an Islamic school. As it is, there are already times when Razif has had to defer payment of his daughter’s school fees.
That not withstanding, Razif has to fork out an additional $130 monthly for his medication. You see, Razif is HIV-positive, having being diagnosed with the virus in 2004.
* Name has been changed to protect the person and his family’s identity.
To watch a short documentary depicting the stigmatisation and real life struggles children and parents living with HIV/AIDS face, click here.
Razif’s story is not uncommon among this fragile group in society.
As of September 2008, 3,482 Singaporeans were reported to be HIV-positive.
However, parents in such situations are keenly aware of the long-term value of education. They worry constantly that their children would have to stop going to school or are forced to discontinue their studies due to the financial toil resulting from the disease.
Recognising the gap in this area, World Vision’s One Life Fund was introduced to aid children and youth from families affected by HIV/AIDS through the provision of bursaries.
World Vision aims to grow the One Life Fund to $300,000 to provide some 300 bursaries to students of various ages and levels of education. This is the first programme in Singapore that specifically addresses the educational needs of children who are infected or affected with HIV/AIDS.
World Vision has partnered with Tan Tock Seng Hospital Community Charity Fund - Patient Care Centre. Patient Care Centre will administer the bursary scheme.
Children and youth who are HIV-positive or have one or both parents who have been infected with the disease.
Applicants eligible for the bursary must also fulfill the following criteria:
- Aged between two to 25 years;
- Singaporean Citizens or Permanent Residents;
- Household income must not exceed $3,000 net; and
- Applicant must be enrolled in a full-time registered/accredited educational programme.
The One Life Fund is an educational bursary scheme for children and youth living with HIV/AIDS, or has one or both parents who are infected with HIV/AIDS.
The bursary will support a child’s school fees, textbooks and uniforms, as well as allowance for personal expenses such as transportation and meals.
Each award will span the duration of education at each level of studies (e.g. a successful Primary 1 student will continue receiving financial support under the bursary for six years up to Primary 6), subject to annual performance reviews and positive recommendation by the medical social worker.
Level of Education |
Annual Award |
*Note: Each award will span the duration of education at each level of studies. |
| Kindergarten |
$300 |
| Primary School |
$500 |
| Secondary School |
$800 |
| Junior College/ Centralised Institute/ Institute of Technical Education |
$1,500 |
| Polytechnic |
$1,800 |
| University |
$3,500 |
Education is the passport out of poverty and into a better life. For struggling parents who are incapable of financing their children through the educational system, a helping hand from a caring stranger will deeply touch their hearts and create positive, lasting change in the lives of their precious children!
You can make a difference in the life of one underprivileged student today. Click here to help.
For more information, please contact Ms Deborah Zhang, External Relations Manager at deborah@worldvision.org.sg or 6511 7147.
