Temasek Foundation eyes developing HR in BD

FE Team | Published: November 25, 2012 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
Temasek Foundation, a prominent philanthropic organisation in Singapore, closely working with partner organizations in Asia has called for new programme ideas from the region which has impact for a community for the Foundation's support.
"For Bangladesh as well as for the rest of Asia, we are always open to new programme ideas," Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Foundation (TF) Benedict Cheong told the FE in an interview on the occasion of an International Conference on Technical and Vocational Education Training in Singapore recently.
"We also need local partners who are well-established and ready to implement the programmes in the communities. Expertise partners also play a part in sharing what programmes are possible and useful, and subsequently helped to conceptualise, design and run the programmes," Mr Benedict added.
The CEO said in Bangladesh, Temasek Foundation has funded the training of health care professionals in patient screenings, refractive error correction, low vision treatment, capacity development and increased community awareness.
The training is part of the global initiative - Seeing is Believing, led by the Standard Chartered Bank which helps contribute towards integrated and sustainable community-oriented eye care services for the urban poor communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh, he added.
"In our programme development work, Temasek Foundation works very closely with partner organisations on the ground to get inputs on programme needs. Balancing those needs identified with the limited resources we have, the foundation will then assess and support what is most relevant and impactful for the community.
Temasek Foundation, set up by Temasek Holdings to build a more prosperous, stable and connected Asia through developing human and social capital, works with many organisations to contribute towards development in the region.
Since 2007, it has reached out to seven countries through 21 programmes that support improvements in education, health care, urban management, public sector capabilities and disaster preparedness which include Building People - Developing People in Health Care, nursing management, Technical & Vocational Education & Training (TVET) enhancing the capabilities of the skilled workforce to be more employable and relevant in meeting the needs of the industries.
Besides, Building Institutions & Governance of Excellence. Programmes, the TF works in public Administration providing ttraining to enhance curriculum and training courses for public servants. It has also programmes in strengthening techniques in seismic resistance for public low-rise buildings.
Mr Benedict said the foundation supports the human and social development of communities in Asia through programmes that build capacity and capability in education. TVET is one such area.
"TF recognises that TVET is important in helping to improve and upgrade the skills and competencies of the skilled workforce. Over the past five years, TF has committed about 21% of its total grant funding (about S$23 million) to 29 TVET programmes in 13 countries," he added.
The CEO said, TVET has become an increasingly important component of the education system of many communities in Asia adding that nursing and hospital management will remain as the key pillars of the foundation's support in the area of health care as these impact the overall health standards of communities.
In line with our push to focus more on urban management capabilities, TF has funded the Temasek Foundation Leaders in Urban Governance Programme in June 2012 to train urban management leaders in the region in developing high-density yet liveable and sustainable cities.
Referring to Bangladesh, Mr Benedict said, a key element in the programme is the training and development of health care and support staff as well as community-based organisers to ensure there is the medical capacity and increased awareness of demand for services among the needy populations of Dhaka.
Through TF's funding, some 345 health care professionals (ophthalmologists, nurses, refractionists, community-based organisation workers, etc.) received training in surgical techniques, specialist nursing care, treatment of low vision and eye care public education to provide support to the community.
"From the start, we put in place an outcome management framework to help us and our partners to gauge the impact and reach of each programme. We engage in many conversations with our partners as we develop our programmes so that everyone involved has a sense of ownership towards the programmes," the CEO said.