Sunday, June 14, 2009

Introduction to the 1823 Fund

Vision

The 1823 is a Foundation set by by Raffles Institution with a view to achieving the following objectives:

a) Reconnect and bond by drawing in alumni across different generations to the school and strengthening the sense of belonging to and ownership of the school.

b) Enhance RI’s standing by enabling alumni members to be role models for current students, on serving others and promoting meritocracy.

c) Contribute to society by creating opportunities for members of the Rafflesian community to make meaningful contributions to society.

Focus Areas

The Foundation has two focus areas :-

1) Provide need-based scholarships, bursaries and grants for deserving Rafflesian students who need financial assistance, to enable them to get the most out of an independent school education.

Currently, the EESIS scholarship covers only $200 out of $300 per month of school fees. Financial assistance provided for needy students have income limits which are kept fairly stringent. It is envisaged that there are deserving students who could still benefit from additional help should we launch a scholarship programme to attract them to RI. Apart from school fees and supplementary fees, CCAs and enrichment activities do exert a financial constraint on some families. A forward and pro-active positioning of the Foundation will also send a clear message to all potential primary school students who come from humble family backgrounds that coming to independent RI will not disadvantage them or place undue financial burden on their parents.

2) Contribute seed funding for projects that are pioneering efforts initiated by existing students and alumni members. These will be projects that provide leadership opportunities for young Rafflesians and which have the potential of making a social impact.

The Foundation can also be a ‘platform’ to engage the broader community with the Raffles Schools. We can get corporate sponsors, international organizations and global leaders, for instance, to engage with the Raffles Schools through this channel.

Source : RI Management