MPA actively supports charitable causes through donations and sponsorships. These include maritime related causes like seafarers’ welfare, as well as causes in the wider community like the President’s Challenge, family service centres, hospices and the National Day Parade.
MPA also encourages our employees to play their part in caring and sharing. Our employee-driven CARE Team organises and promotes fund raising efforts and volunteering opportunities.
The CARE Team is a group of MPA volunteers championing initiatives to promote staff volunteerism and to create awareness of responsible environmental practices. The CARE Team’s objective is to provide MPA staff with the opportunity to volunteer their time and make a difference in the community.
1) Encouraging Community Involvement 2011
In 2011, the CARE Team organised several fundraising initiatives amongst staff through projects such as “Say it with Flowers” and the MPA Cares Pledge. All contributions were channelled to the Ministry of Transport (MOT)’s adopted beneficiary – the Community Chest of Singapore – as part of MOT’s Family Charity Outreach 2011 project.
Northlight School 2011
The CARE Team is driving MPA’s collaboration with Northlight School as part of MPA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme. Northlight provides secondary school education for primary school leavers who are not eligible for mainstream secondary schools. Students from Northlight School were brought to tour Raffles Lighthouse as well as our port waters through MPA’s Maritime Learning Journey programme.
Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre 2011
MPA staff contributed over $2,000 worth of NTUC vouchers for the Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre (FSC). The vouchers were given in support of the various programmes run by the FSC. Additionally, the CARE Team organised a trip to Raffles Lighthouse for 25 clients and social workers from the FSC in June 2011.
Chief Executive, MPA, Mr Lam Yi Young presenting the vouchers to Mr Wong Kwong Sing, Executive Director of the Tanjong Pagar FSC.
AWWA Seniors Activity Centre (SAC) & Redhill Moral SAC 2011
A spring cleaning project was initiated for elderly citizens who are clients of AWWA SAC in January and July 2011. MPA also worked with AWWA SAC and Redhill Moral SAC to organise the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, and to fulfill New Year wishes of the elderly by getting staff to donate mooncakes and other requested items.
2) Promoting Responsible Environmental Practices 2011
In June this year, MPA staff visited the Tuas Material Recovery Facility for better understanding of recycling processes and recyclable materials. Recycling tips as well as promotion of responsible and environmentally-friendly practices were included on this visit to increase awareness amongst staff. In addition a workshop to produce pencil holders using recycled materials was conducted in August, to reinforce the message.
MOT Family Charity Outreach 2010
In support of the MOT Family Charity Outreach 2010, MPA raised funds through an online auction and donations by our employees. The charity initiative was inaugurated to reflect the collective commitment and efforts of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and its family of four statutory boards (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Land Transport Authority, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Public Transport Council) towards a charitable cause. A cheque donation of $800,000 was presented to the Community Chest by Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs on 19 May 2010. The donation will go towards supporting critical social service programmes run by the charities supported by Community Chest.
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Outing to Raffles Lighthouse for Children from Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre
MPA hosted some 20 children from the Tanjong Pagar Family Service Centre to an enjoyable afternoon at Raffles Lighthouse on 19 Mar 2010. The children went on a sea tour of the Southern Islands and visited the Aids to Navigation heritage centre at Raffles Lighthouse where they learnt how navigational charts were produced in the past.
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Wish List for the Senior Citizens at AWWA Activity Centre
MPA worked with the AWWA Senior Activity Centre to find sponsorship for a ‘wish list’ of items, requested by elderly residents of one-room rental flats. Members of our CARE Team found sponsors among MPA staff for all 67 wish-list items and helped deliver the gifts to the residents.
As the champion for the maritime industry, MPA plays an active role in reaching out to the general public to educate and share with them information about the maritime industry, the career opportunities in the maritime industry and the contributions of the maritime industry to Singapore’s growth and development.
Amazing Maritime Race
MPA, together with our partners, the Singapore Maritime Foundation, the Association of Singapore Marine Industries and the Singapore Shipping Association organised a maritime-themed race around the island during the Singapore Maritime Week in Apr 2010.
Aptly titled the Amazing Maritime Race, more than 880 students, adults and families competed in teams of four in an exhilarating race around Singapore to stretch their resourcefulness and mental power to solve clues, complete tasks and answer questions on Singapore’s maritime cluster and heritage. Check-points that were carefully mapped out for the race included a good mix of historical and modern maritime related landmarks such as Fullerton Lighthouse, Labrador Park, Boat Quay, Maxwell Chambers and PSA Building.
The oldest competitor of the race was 63 years old, and the youngest less than three years old! Medals, trophies and a total of $4,500 in cash prizes were given out to the top teams.
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Maritime Learning Journeys
Also held during Singapore Maritime Week 2010 was a series of five Maritime Learning Journeys (MLJ). The MLJ provided students and young professionals with insight into maritime operations carried out in the Port of Singapore.
About 350 participants went out to sea and gained access to port facilities for a firsthand experience of our dynamic maritime industry. The sea tour covered areas such as terminal and bunkering operations, maritime technology, maritime security and offshore oilrig construction.
Participants also got a chance to visit Raffles Lighthouse and thoroughly enjoyed this rare experience.
