Good afternoon, Mr Steven Ng, Managing Director of Winfinity S’pore Pte Ltd
Ms Sindy Ng, Personal Assistant to the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Winfinity S’pore Pte Ltd
All valued dealers of Fujitsu air conditioners
Ladies & Gentlemen
On behalf of The Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD in short), I am pleased to extend a very warm welcome to all of you to the SPD Ability Centre.
SPD is committed to working in partnership with people with physical disabilities to develop their potential to the fullest so that they can be self reliant and independent. In line with this vision, we hope to achieve two outcomes for our beneficiaries. Firstly, we hope to improve the quality of life for those who pass through our doors. Secondly, we want to help those who pass through our doors to acquire a skill that can enhance their livelihood and employability.
How can we do this?
Through our programmes and services, we aim to encourage each individual to identify his capabilities instead of focusing on his limitations and to help him find and reach his potential. Our services include an education and scholarship scheme, rehabilitation programme, vocational and IT training, sheltered employment, and social and recreational activities. SPD provides this comprehensive range of services to meet every individual’s needs.
Fulfilling the individual’s needs could mean that the client is able to stand and shuffle just two steps after intensive rehabilitation. It could mean a client passing his BEST course after the third attempt or a client surfing the Internet for the first time. It could mean a client finding a job as a web designer after a formal IT training or being placed in the open employment after the vocational training and sheltered employment experience.
What is important and significant is that the client is able to do the best that he is capable of and SPD is committed to helping him to achieve that potential. To do so, we need corporate partners who share our vision. We are therefore very grateful that Winfinity is launching the “Fill the Air with Love” Charity Drive to raise funds and help us fulfill our mission of partnering with people with physical disabilities. To recognize the effort of the charity drive, we have selected our SPD Computer Training Centre and will designate it as the SPD-Winfinity Computer Training Centre.
SPD has identified that computer training is one of the means to helping people with physical disabilities to realize their potential. IT training will level the playing field for people with physical disabilities in many areas… for many, it improves their quality of life through e-connectivity and the Internet which is very much in line with the government push to promote an IT savvy nation. For some, it will mean economic and social independence with better job opportunities in an increasing IT based market.
With the funds from the charity drive, SPD can set up a fully functional and dedicated IT Training Lab and system for people with physical disabilities. The Training Centre has a structured IT literacy programme that covers courses that range from basic IT skills, general office administration to high end certification courses. The Centre is supported directly by a professional team of assistive technology specialists, IT specialists and social workers to help the individual to maximize their learning capacity.
As in all our programmes and services, SPD will orientate the IT training programme towards the client. We will review clients individually and will help them develop a computer course path so that they can have a goal for their IT training and therefore be able to measure the outcome of their training. You will see later as you visit the Computer Lab and the Multimedia Centre on how SPD IT Programme supports individuals to achieve their potential.
You have also heard earlier personally from Eddie and Roslee how IT training helps to transform their lives. With their physical limitations, their world is largely confined to their home and their aspiration in life is also limited. To them, IT accessibility would give them a better quality of life and even a whole new meaning to life itself. We want to help more people like Eddie and Roslee. We hope to provide another 600 training places in the next two years to enable more people to access the different IT skills training.
We cannot do this ALONE. We need many helping hands and I am very glad to see many of you here today. Your presence greatly encourages us as “Fill the Air with Love” Charity Drive can only succeed with your participation and involvement. As dealers who have the direct connection with the end consumers, your partnership is very important and critical to the success of the charity drive.
Every air conditioner sold will mean Roslee will have a chance to upgrade his web design skills to become a more competent web designer. Every air conditioner you help to sell will mean Eddie can continue with his IT training and have a better quality of life through e-Connectivity with the rest of the world. I therefore appeal to all of you to give your full support to Winfinity’s “Fill the Air with Love” Charity Drive. Only YOU can make it a success.
Thank you once again for participating in “Fill the Air with Love” Charity Drive and I wish all of you a very pleasant afternoon with us.
