Welcome Remarks by Mr Janadas Devan, SIF Chairman, at the Mapletree Community Impact Programme – Appreciation Ceremony at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree,
All our friends from Mapletree,
Our Singapore International Volunteers,
Our friends from the National Healthcare Group,
It is a pleasure to join you this morning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. On behalf of the Singapore International Foundation – or SIF – I warmly welcome all of you. We are delighted to have our partners from Mapletree Investments (Mapletree) and our Singapore International Volunteers – or SIVs – with us for this special occasion.
We are grateful for Mapletree’s gift presentation of S$250,000 to support the Mapletree Community Impact Programme at the SIF.
This philanthropic partnership is rooted in a shared belief that collaboration creates lasting impact for communities, both here and abroad. Mapletree’s long-standing commitment to empowering individuals and enriching communities aligns with SIF’s mission to connect Singaporeans and communities globally to share ideas, skills, and experiences for positive social change.
Central to SIF’s mission are our SIVs. Over 34 years, more than 5,500 volunteers from diverse backgrounds have contributed their time and expertise to projects overseas. Mapletree’s donation strengthens their efforts and amplifies their impact – a timely boost to our ongoing work.
When SIF was founded in 1991, “thinking internationally” was already essential for Singapore – and remains so today. As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong highlighted in his 14th S. Rajaratnam Lecture, Singapore must continue to deepen relationships to shape a resilient global environment. This perspective underpins SIF’s mission to forge friendships, foster collaboration, and create lasting positive change.
Through the Mapletree Community Impact Programme, 13 SIVs will work with their counterparts on two healthcare projects – the Palliative Care Accessibility Core Training (PACT) project in India and the Training Healthcare Professionals to Advance Nephrology Care (THAN) project in Vietnam. Together, they will share expertise, exchange best practices, and co-develop sustainable solutions, and will benefit more than 47,000 patients, healthcare professionals and medical students, while strengthening their own skills and cross-cultural understanding. Later, we will hear directly from some SIVs about their personal experiences and the impact of these projects.
Volunteerism is at the heart of the SIF’s work. Our volunteers – healthcare professionals, educators, engineers, young trailblazers, policymakers, and business leaders – share a common purpose: to make a positive difference and foster connections between Singapore and our friends in the region.
It is especially meaningful to hold today’s ceremony here at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Six THAN volunteers hail from its Department of Renal Medicine, which reflects TTSH’s proud heritage as a People’s Hospital.
We hope Mapletree’s farsighted generosity will inspire others in the philanthropic community to support our volunteers. Together, we can build a transformative network that strengthens understanding, trust, and friendship across the region.
I express my deepest thanks to Mapletree journeying with us, and to our volunteers for their unwavering commitment. I wish everyone an enriching afternoon ahead.