International Women's Day: How To Support Vulnerable Women And Girls In Singapore
Today (8 March) is International Women's Day (IWD), a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. IWD also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.
Want to do your part? Here are some organisations you can support which help less-fortunate women and girls in Singapore:
Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations
The Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) was established in 1980 as the National Coordinating body of women's organisations in Singapore. SCWO has more than 60 member organisations, representing over 600,000 women, and it serves to unite them to work toward the ideals of 'Equal Space, Equal Voice and Equal Worth' for women in Singapore.
SCWO runs several initiatives to help vulnerable women such as Star Shelter, a secular shelter which provides a safe refuge for women and children from all walks of life who are victims of family violence.
How you can help: Check out the New2U thrift shop run by SCWO volunteers, which collects donations of pre-loved books, clothing, accessories and household items for sale. Proceeds from the store go towards the Star Shelter and other SCWO programmes and services.
Find out more here
Daughters of Tomorrow
Registered as a charity under the Charities Act of Singapore, Daughters of Tomorrow (DOT) complements and supports existing training and workforce-related agencies by connecting volunteers and community resources to help women reach regular and sustained employment.
DOT beneficiaries are women aged 20 to 60 from low-income families, mostly living in Government-subsidised rental flats, and facing multiple stressors in their families.
How you can help: Volunteer with DOT as a befriender to provide beneficiaries with one-on-one support, or lend your time and expertise as a childminder.
Find out more here
Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support
Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support (Babes) is a non-profit organisation that provides emotional support, information and resources to teenagers with unplanned pregnancies to empower them to make informed decisions regarding their pregnancies.
The organisation also runs programmes which ease teenage mothers' financial burden, equip them with skills to help them reintegrate into the workforce after pregnancy, or provide them with opportunities to return to school.
How you can help: You can sign up to be a trained volunteer with Babes to support the 24/7 helpline it runs, volunteer as a befriender to provide one-to-one support to pregnant teenagers, or offer your time for ad-hoc volunteering with Babes' other needs such as conducting workshops and organising fundraising activities.
Find out more here
Breast Cancer Foundation
Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF) is a social service agency which advocates for the early detection of breast cancer and supports the breast cancer community in Singapore.
Established in 1997 in Singapore, BCF actively raises breast cancer awareness through talks, events, research and publications that advocate for early detection through regular screening.
The organisation supports those affected by breast cancer through psycho-social programmes, support groups and befriending activities, offers subsidy assistance to support low-income women for their first-time mammogram screenings, and also runs a complimentary wig loan programme.
How you can help: BCF volunteers are called upon to support BCF's programmes and services through various roles, from administrative & logistics support to conducting classes and activities and much more. You can check the BCF website to see what volunteer opportunities are currently available.
Find out more here
Aidha
Aidha is a non-profit organisation that helps migrant domestic workers and low-income Singaporean women achieve economic independence through financial education, wealth creation and entrepreneurship.
The charity offers courses in money management, communication, computer skills and entrepreneurship to help these women break the cycle of poverty.
How you can help: You can support Aidha's mission by volunteering to mentor classes, supporting Aidha's day-to-day operations, and even contributing to the organisation's research work to improve its impact.
Find out more here
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