Nee Soon grassroots leaders led by the GRC’s Members of Parliament have teamed up DBS Bank to launch an ‘Adopt-a-Hawker Centre’ programme in Chong Pang, an initiative which will not just train hawkers to go digital but also provide free meals to frontline healthcare workers in Nee Soon GRC.
Under the arrangement, DBS will provide a corporate sponsorship to the programme under a multi-stakeholder partnership – involving Nee Soon GRC, SG Digital Office (SDO), People’s Association, NTUC Foodfare and DBS. The programme is an initiative under the “SG Together Alliance for Action (AfA) – Online Ordering for Hawkers” which amplifies existing efforts to help hawkers go digital and supports the Digital for Life (DfL) movement.
Minister K Shanmugam, MP of Chong Pang and Grassroots Adviser to Nee Soon GRC GROs will be attending the event with Mr Derrick Goh, MP of Nee Soon Link and Mr Shee Tse Koon, Group Executive and Country Head, DBS Singapore.
“Chong Pang Market and Food Centre is an important part of our heritage. The pandemic has changed the way consumers make their purchases. It is important to help our hawkers keep up with the changes and stay relevant. This will safeguard their businesses and allow us to preserve this important part of the Chong Pang’s identity,” Minister K Shanmugam shared on the importance of helping hawkers to go digital.
“My GRLs have been working closely with SG Digital Office to help our hawkers go digital since last year. The ‘Adopt-a-Hawker Centre’ programme by DBS will expand our efforts. At the same time, it will give our hawkers more publicity and introduce more people to the good food we have here in Chong Pang,” he added.
In show of support for the hawkers at Chong Pang Market and Food Centre, as well as Singapore’s frontline healthcare workers, DBS will purchase meals which will be packed and delivered to medical institutions within Nee Soon GRC, including Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Yishun Polyclinic, by DBS staff volunteers. DBS will partner with IMDA to organise digital workshops for hawkers to learn how to boost their online presence to capture more sales and increase revenue, as well as learn how to use digital payments and avoid falling prey to scams and fraud.
Shee Tse Koon, Singapore Country Head, DBS, said, “Hawkers are an integral part of Singaporean culture and identity, serving the everyday needs of Singaporeans. All of us have a part to play in supporting the continued vitality of Singapore’s hawker culture. Our ‘Adopt-a-Hawker’ initiative attests to the collective efforts of the private and public sector to build a stronger community by bolstering hawkers’ livelihoods and equipping them with the necessary digital tools and know-how to drive business growth.”
Read more here: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/hawkers-under-dbs-scheme-to-get-scam-awareness-workshops-after-some-fell-prey-to-fake-e-payments