Singapore, 7 February 2012 –In line with StarHub’s community outreach objective of empowering Singapore’s disadvantaged youths, and its continued aim of raising awareness for the environment, StarHub donated $200,000 to the Boys Town Building Fund in a terrarium-building session with their boys today.
This afternoon, 42 boys from Boys’ Town—a unique charitable institution dedicated to providing guidance, shelter, education, vocational training and practical living skills to youths—visited StarHub’s headquarters where they discovered their green thumbs. Together with 50 StarHub volunteers, the boys made 84 terrariums
42 of the terrariums were sold to StarHub employees to help raise awareness of Boys’ Town and funds for their new building, while the other half were given to the boys to bring back to Boys’ Town to care for.
The terrariums’ sale proceeds of $2,150 were added to a $200,000 donation from the StarHub Sparks Fund to the Boys’ Town Building Fund. The 63 year-old Boys’ Town residence is in an advanced state of disrepair and the new dormitories and upgraded facilities will cost an estimated S$15m. Although Boys’ Town is an Institute of Public Charter and a member of the National Council of Social Services, they have to raise their own funds for their residential, educational, social and developmental programmes.
“StarHub believes in nurturing the youth of today, especially those who are in less privileged or challenging situations, to realise their potential. The youths of Boys’ Town have their own talents which need the right environment in which to grow and blossom, just like the plants in the terrariums they have made today,” said Mr Neil Montefiore, Chief Executive Officer, StarHub.
“These boys already face many obstacles in their lives, from broken families to troubled homes,” elaborated Mr Montefiore. “Without a proper and conducive residence, they will face even greater difficulty in surmounting these problems and taking charge of their lives. With this donation, and the responsibility gained from caring for a living micro-ecosystem, we hope to show them our support and imbue them a greater sense of self worth and higher self esteem.”
The boys and StarHub volunteers had an enjoyable time preparing the terrariums and decorating them. The terrariums that were created boasted lavish decorations that spoke volumes about the creative talent to be found in Boys’ Town.
“Everyone has hidden potential,” opined Teo Lin Lin, from StarHub’s Corporate Finance, who volunteered to build terrariums with the boys. “These boys just need a chance to create brighter futures for themselves; someone to believe in them and give them an opportunity to change by lending them a helping hand.”
The boys themselves cherished the opportunity to mingle with the StarHub volunteers and try their hand at creating a living work of art.
“I never actually tried gardening with such small plants,” revealed Ravi (not his real name), 16. “However, I really enjoyed it and I’m quite happy with how the terrarium turned out. I look forward to seeing how it grows and blossoms.”
“The boys and staff of Boys’ Town are very touched by this generous gesture of StarHub’s,” says Ms Irene Loi, Executive Director of Boys’ Town. “This donation will help the boys ‘Build A New Future’. With the new building, more facilities will be dedicated to the boys’ developmental programmes.
“We are happy that so many StarHub staff took time off their busy schedules to spend time with the boys and building terrariums with them. From the creation and nurturing of these terrariums, the boys will be able to draw many life lessons. Thank you to StarHub, for your generosity, love and concern for the boys of Boys’ Town.”
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