Camfil Singapore has teamed up with local education-focused enterprise, Curious Thoughts Academy in an innovative partnership programme called SESG, developed by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (SwedCham).
As a result of the global pandemic, COVID-19, many businesses around the world have seen a decline and this Singapore-based initiative aims to help the local enterprise. Camfil together with SwedCham offers a unique opportunity to understand the challenges and provide mutual help in establishing the business in today’s time.
As many of Singapore’s enterprises, big and small, have seen their business decline as a result of the global pandemic, a new initiative is now aiming to change that. Together with Swedish multinational companies based in Singapore, local small and medium-sized enterprises have recently started a hands-on partnership program, the SESG Initiative, to exchange experiences and develop their respective businesses. Furthermore, the Camfil along with other Swedish companies have sponsored an islandwide advertising campaign, promoting the local entrepreneurs on billboards and buses. This will provide a bigger audience reach and visibility that can help enterprises like Curious Thoughts Academy get their message across the nation.
It also gives Camfil an opportunity to connect and build relationships in the local community which is highly valued and part of Camfil’s Sustainable Development Goals.
What are the parts of this initiative?
From the start, the initiative consists of 3 pillars. The Advocate, which is an out-of-home (OOH) campaign. Fika4Good, which is an ongoing partnership anchored in the Swedish tradition of coming together over a coffee. And the SwedishGig, a job creation initiative to support Workforce Singapore’s SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme - Company Attachment, which is a Singaporean initiative within the SGUnited umbrella.
More about Curious Thoughts Academy
Lydia and Shuohan is a husband-and-wife team passionate about education. They run
Curious Thoughts Academy, a literacy learning centre, and a social enterprise with the vision to empower children from all walks of life through equal and transparent access to quality education. Their goal is to have one child from a less privileged background taught for free for every three paying students. They believe that learning should be fun and engaging regardless of your social background; and that kids from all walks of life can succeed academically.
As a former Policy Officer for protection and rehabilitation legislation for the Government, Lydia saw first-hand how the less-privileged families struggled with school and the impact it had on them. Shuohan is a former MOE teacher who felt that more could be done to address the social inequalities among children, especially in the area of academic progression.
The couple personally teach and mentor like-minded educators at Curious Thoughts Academy’s Bugis location. Curious Thoughts is also actively involved in community literacy programmes at various Voluntary Welfare Organisations, including Family Service Centres and Children’s Homes.
Camfil’s focus will be to create awareness about the ‘jolly phonic’ way of teaching by ‘Curious Thoughts Academy’. We believe that education is a basic human right same as Clean Air.
Read more - Importance of clean air in classrooms - during the pandemic and beyond (brookings.edu)
More about SwedCham
Founded almost 40 years ago, SwedCham’s objectives extend beyond representing and promoting Swedish companies established in Singapore. An important part has long been to facilitate the exchange of views and information between Swedish and Singaporean companies, also including both governmental and non-governmental organisations. The SESG initiative takes the exchange to a new level.
Ms. Lisa Ferraton, General Manager at SwedCham in Singapore, says, “For these Swedish companies, Singapore is a home away from home, and has been so for decades. Joining hands with smaller, Singaporean entrepreneurs offers a unique opportunity to get to know each other's challenges better and provide mutual help when it's needed the most. We are only at the beginning of this initiative, and as we move forward I encourage more companies to participate.”
Read more about the SESG Initiative at www.sesg.info
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