Brighter road ahead for tots

New CDAC scheme helps women return to work by defraying childcare costs

Monday • September 8, 2008


Neo Chai Chin


chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg







LIFE changed for Mdm Eviyanti Heo, 42, when her husband died when he fell in the bathroom(actually it was more like he collapse in the bathroom due to blood vessel burst).

With only few months of savings to tide her over, she had to start looking for a job and also childcare options for her three-year-old daughter, Joycelyn Lim.

Thanks to a new programme called the CDAC Workfare-Bright Horizons Fund Scheme (WBHF), 80 to 100 children like Joycelyn will be able to get pre-school education.

Announced by Mr Lim Swee Say, chairman of the CDAC (Chinese DevelopmentAssistance Council) board of directors yesterday, the scheme will start with $200,000 jointly funded by the CDAC Workfare Programme and the NTUC Bright Horizons Fund.

The scheme will subsidise up to $200 in monthly childcare fees for those aged two months to 6 years.

Joycelyn has been at the NTUC Childcare Guillemard centre since June, and this has allowed Mdm Heo to attend a month-long basic English course and seek help in finding a job.

With the WBHF and other subsidies, she currently pays $50 a month for Joycelyn’s childcare, compared to the more than $500 she would otherwise have to pay.

Mr Lim said the WBHF aims to “kill two birds with one stone” — providing pre-school education, and enabling more homemakers to return to work. If response is good, it will be scaled up, he added.

This is part of CDAC’s family-centric approach that was adopted since 2005. Previously, its programmes like tuition and skills upgrading had helped specific groups such as students and workers.

“About three years ago, we came to the conclusion that instead of helping members of the family individually, we should try to help the entire family collectively”, said Mr Lim, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The CDAC had partnered NTUC because it did not have expertise in childcare. In future, it will look for even more social enterprises to work with. “We are constantly looking out for other social partners — anybody who can bring resources to complement our shortcomings, and that’s in line with our overall objective,” he said.


as u can see, vincent's auntie and cousin kena interviewed abt the ntuc child subsidee thingy... wah... famous!! haha, juz kidding.... got picture, will post up soon...

move along...

i've pimped up my cam... soooo bling bling!!



keychain! so cute!! this is another side of me, y'all!!!



then, if haf bling bling cam muz haf bling bling cam bag, rite?? so, this is pimped up too!!! woooo




took pix of meself before miting the girls...





me n my family's cool new cam!!!<<>>



THENNN........




SOFRA(shaw towers near bras basah)!!
their chef's plate VERY nice!! succulent and tender meat!! we were served with tenderised chicken and lamb (no fats!!!), strips of chicken, a skewer of chicken (mine taste sooo tangy and cooked to perfection!!) and pieces of beef(oso nice!), with tomato salad, onion salad and 2 pieces of turkish bread... all at a value for money cost of $18 ++

sooo nice, we also ordered their sesame bread and chicken soup(red colour like dat.. got tomatoes and strips of chicken and noodles that is soft and tangy)

dessert was baklava(sooo sweeeetttt) and rice pudding (suspiciously taste like egg tart)

overall experience was great!! will go there again with dear most prolly! its worth the money and the ambience was great too!! love the food presentation... can see their dedication... awesomeness...

these pictures was taken in sofra and the (hidden)stairway leading to the restaurant...