New Green Adventures initiative to encourage sustainability literacy for KidSTART families

Singapore, 2 March 2024 – SP Group (SP) announced its third year of partnership with KidSTART Singapore with a donation of S$1.1 million. KidSTART Singapore is a non-profit organisation supporting families in early childhood development.

SP Group’s recent donation signifies its continued commitment to meet the learning and developmental needs of children from lower-income families. SP Group has donated a cumulative amount of S$3.2 million to KidSTART Singapore since 2021. The latest donation will benefit 2,000 more KidSTART children, offering these children access to educational resources such as digital devices, books and learning activities. The donation will also fund Green Adventures by KidSTART and SP Group, a new initiative which aims to introduce sustainability concepts and inculcates fun, green habits in children.

Green Adventures by KidSTART and SP Group was launched today by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for Health & Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs. (Read his full speech here).

The event launch was held at The Frontier Community Club in Jurong West Central and was attended by 400 KidSTART parents and children. The event featured an excerpt from the KidSTART Sea Adventures play and a variety of environmental-themed booths supported by KidSTART and SP Group volunteers, also known as SP Heart Workers. Families participated in learning activities such as making eco-enzymes and crafts using natural materials and simulating ocean clean-up efforts.

Green Adventures by KidSTART and SP Group will immerse KidSTART families in outdoor adventures throughout the year, helping children learn about the different environmental factors that affect our world at large. These adventures will focus on three key themes, namely "Caring for the Sea”, “Caring for the Environment” and “Caring for Animals”.      

Group CEO of SP Group, Mr Stanley Huang, said, “SP Group has journeyed with KidSTART Singapore to support children and their families through various stages of holistic growth and development. We started by ensuring that KidSTART children and families have access to quality learning tools and resources, continuity of programmes during the pandemic, and support for the improvement of literacy and reading habits in early childhood. In this third year of collaboration, we have progressed to making sustainability a way of life for KidSTART families, through Green Adventures. This is aligned with SP’s focus on empowering the community with reliable, sustainable solutions today and in the future.”

Madam Rahayu Buang, Chief Executive Officer, KidSTART Singapore said, “With the launch of Green Adventures by KidSTART and SP Group, we are excited to provide KidSTART families with an innovative platform to introduce environmental literacy to children in a fun and engaging manner. We hope that Green Adventures by KidSTART and SP Group will not only nurture a sense of environmental stewardship among children but also strengthen parent-child bonds through shared learning experiences. Over the past years, SP Group has been an invaluable partner in enabling us to implement various initiatives aimed at providing comprehensive support to children and their families. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to SP Group for making Green Adventures by KidSTART and SP Group possible. Through this programme, we are empowering families to embrace sustainability and environmental consciousness, ensuring that every child receives a holistic start in life.”

The new initiative is on top of existing forms of assistance that SP Group has been providing, including the provision of learning resources and IT tools for child developmental needs. In 2022, SP Group had earlier also supported the launch of the KidSTART Sea Adventures interactive play and KidSTART Stories to encourage early childhood literacy and equip parents with the necessary tools and skills to strengthen interactions with their children through storytelling and reading. In 2023, SP Group partnered KidSTART to present the Adventures with Andi play, which was attended by 850 KidSTART families.