How We Got Started?
Sometime in the second half of 2003, a group of professionals and businessmen with the common desire to serve and make the world a better place for all, especially the children of the world, came together to explore how they can collectively achieve their altruistic goals in a fun and collaborative environment. Over several dinner meetings, the group decided to form the Kiwanis Club of Singapore (Delta Chapter) as an autonomous affiliate of Kiwanis International which is a worldwide service organization founded in the US in 1915.
We chose to be a part of Kiwanis International for the following reasons:
1. Kiwanis focuses on serving the children of the world.
2. Kiwanis is a vibrant and rapidly growing brand in the Asia Pacific region.
3. Kiwanis emphasizes on hands-on involvement and close association with all the community projects it chose to undertake.
4. Kiwanis has a tradition of engaging the spouse and children of its members to be an active part of its social programs and community service projects.
Kiwanis Club of Singapore (Delta Chapter) was registered on 9th March 2004 as a society with the Registry of Societies, Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore, under the Societies Act. The Club officially commenced its activity on 17th July 2004 with a Charter Night Dinner at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.
What Do We Do?
Kiwanis Club of Singapore (Delta Chapter) exists primarily to help create and provide young children and youth with opportunities that are not available to them because of their disadvantaged background to become socially active and useful citizens and leaders, armed with altruistic values, when they grow up.
We plan to achieve this through:
1. Kiwanis Key Clubs established in secondary & junior colleges in Singapore
2. Key Leader Program
3 Community Service.
Who Are Our Members?
Our members are all volunteers, drawing no salary, wages or allowances from the Club. They pay the Club a small annual membership fee of S$180.00 which goes to defray the Club’s administrative expenses.
Our membership roll includes professionals and business owners as well as men and women from all walks of live. All of them come forward for the singular purpose of giving their time, expertise and leadership skills as well as opening their networks to support the highly disadvantaged and vulnerable children in our midst.
How Do We Fund Our Projects?
Up to now, a large part of the funds for our current projects came from the following sources:
1. Our own members’ generous contributions,
2. Our network of generous friends, business associates and local corporations,
3. Our fund raising programs.
What’s In It For Our Members?
None of our members are in the Club for monetary or material benefits. In fact, our members are people who are willing and able to set aside a small personal budget every year to support the club’s service projects.
Our past experience showed us that our members were satisfied enough just to see the happy faces of the children that we touched. After each project, our members came away in good spirit and increased energy level that they would like to see the Club do more to help the children. Such feeling of self satisfaction and quiet achievements remains with our members for a long period of time.
Our members also find the Club’s monthly meetings and occasional social events to be fun and great opportunities to bond with one another and form lifelong friendships.
The annual Kiwanis Asia Pacific Conference and the Kiwanis International Conference are ideal platforms for our members to extend their network of friends beyond the shores of Singapore.
Being part of Kiwanis is a lifelong affair for many of its members.
How Do We Operate?
The Club is managed by a General Committee of not more than ten members elected by a simple majority of members every year at the Club’s Annual General Meeting.
We meet formally once a month on the third Saturday at the British Club at 11:30am. We start with the Club’s official business followed by lunch. Spouses, friends and guests are most welcome as this is an excellent opportunity to experience the warm camaraderie of the members.