In 2011, the temple donated a sum of  $170,000 to AWARE, which has gone to bolstering AWARE’s Support Services in terms of staffing capacity and allowing staff to manage a higher number of calls. These measures have a direct impact on the four designated programs under our Support Services – Helpline, Counselling Services, Befrienders Service, and the Legal Clinic. The number of calls has since increased by 73.41%, in comparison to figures taken in 2007. Counselling cases have since multiplied five times, and Legal Clinic cases taken on by AWARE have doubled in the same period of time. The funding has not only allowed us to increase our resources in managing demand, but have also improved the quality of Support Services, of which an average of 86.5% of the women deemed these services as satisfactory.

In 2012, generous donations from the temple have supported AWARE in efforts to reach out to the Chinese speaking community. Through the introduction of its first Mandarin Helpline training course, we are hopeful that the increased pool of Mandarin speaking helpliners will meet growing needs from the community.

This year, the funds will be used to improve existing Support Services facilities, and to increase the capacity of the Sexual Assault Befriender’s Service (SABS). Funds will also be channeled towards the We Can! End All Violence against Women Campaign. This campaign marks the 21st anniversary of our helpline, and the donation will go into training ‘Change Makers’ to advocate against gender violence in Singapore, and in promoting advocacy efforts primarily through the use of drama.

The Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, located at Waterloo Street, is the one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Singapore, having been built in 1884. Its philanthropic activities can be traced to the early 20th century, where the temple provided shelter for the sick, wounded, and homeless during the second world war. It continues to contribute to causes that support the needy and the disadvantaged, amongst which, bursaries given to needy students have allowed many to continue pursuing their studies. Amongst its notable contributions is the $15 million donation to the National Kidney Foundation in 2000. The temple is also a regular presence and partner to the annual President’s Challenge.

As a patron of the arts, the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple has been used as the site for the works of several artists during the Singapore Biennale in 2006. To date, the temple is a significant aspect of Singapore’s rich cultural heritage, having been designated as a historical site by the National Heritage Board in 2001.

Once again, we would like to thank Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple for its generous donations that will help women in need.