In recognition of the strong and continuous support that Char Yong (Dabu) Association, Singapore, has given SMU over the years, the University has recently named a seminar room at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business the ‘Char Yong (Dabu) Association, Singapore seminar room’.  This is the first seminar room at SMU to be named after a clan association.

SMU has benefited tremendously from the Association’s generosity over the years.  In 2012, the Association made a generous gift towards the Kwa Geok Choo Law Library, which will be a main feature of the new SMU School of Law building slated for completion in 2017.  This year, the Association made another endowed contribution of S$500,000 which will be used to establish and fund the new Char Yong (Dabu) Association, Singapore Study Award.

[Photo: Unveiling the plaque of the Char Yong (Dabu) Association, Singapore Seminar Room on 27 March 2014 were: (from L-R) Mr Ho Siong Hin, Chairman of Char Yong (Dabu) Foundation, Singapore; Mr Ho Khiam Seng, President of Char Yong (Dabu) Foundation, Singapore; Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President.]

Every year, three study awards valued at S$5,000 each will be given to needy full-time SMU undergraduates who are academically outstanding so as to motivate them to achieve academic excellence.  Preference will also be given to students who are active in community service, and have a special interest in the Hakka culture.

Expressing his thanks to the Association at a donor appreciation event held on 27 March 2014, SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, said, “SMU is privileged to have your friendship and support that dates back to 2007, when you first supported our students in their overseas community service projects to Dabu and its surrounding counties.  I hear that this meaningful engagement is still going strong and we thank you for your support.” Since 2007, two more SMU overseas community service project groups have returned to the Dabu County to serve the communities there.

[Photo: Char Yong (Dabu) Association’s support to SMU dates back to 2007, when it supported SMU student’s overseas community projects to Dabu and its surrounding counties. Dabu is a county of Meizhou City, Guangdong Province in China, and a centre of Hakka culture.]

In his address, Mr Ho Siong Hin, Chairman of Char Yong (Dabu) Foundation, highlighted that the Association is a strong advocator of education and believes that education can transform lives.  In this respect, the Char Yong Foundation was set up in 1997 with the purpose of managing the Association’s philanthropy work in education and culture.

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. We, at Char Yong, see education as the ability to fish, which is why we support education philanthropy," explained Mr Ho.  He added that the Association is delighted to be able to play its part in contributing and supporting a young and dynamic university like SMU.

[Featured Photo: Mr Ho Siong Hin, Chairman of the Char Yong (Dabu) Foundation, handing the gift to SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer.]