ASEAN Life Vol: 2 March - May 2014 | Page 36

non-profit Love, and Smiles --- six gifts the organization clinics that provide free medical services to they eventually created a special counseling wants to impart to the underprivileged and residents in underserved areas. program for the needy seniors as well as their families. They provide help through disadvantaged children in the Philippines. acupuncture, counseling, employment, Centre for Seniors C h i l dren ’s O rg an i z at i on o f Southeast Asia (COSA) A voluntary nonprofit organization, the Centre for Seniors, established in 2006, continuing education, and community service centers. Created in 2005, COSA facilitates helps ensure the total well-being of seniors in community development, empowerment Singapore. The center particularly develops and education, and provides shelter to at- and provides training programs for older Children of Vietnam is a nonprofit risk young girls in the Hill Tribes of Northern people to help promote their continuous humanitarian organization that assists the Thailand. The non-religious and privately- employment. It also provides programs for poverty-stricken and homeless children of funded organization addresses child human resource personnel, managers, and Da Nang. It provides scholarships, vocational exploitation and human trafficking. union leaders. training, after-school tutoring, nutritional Ti-Ratana Welfare Society Singapore Action Group of Elders medical care, the sponsorship of prosthetic (SAGE) devices and wheelchairs for children, and Children of Vietnam Photo by Sidney Snoeck support, agricultural support, modern Project Pearls Volunteers Nonprofits Advocating the Care of Children or Seniors S outheast Asia is home to a good abuse prevention, disaster readiness, and the care and assistance to children mitigation of risks. The group provides dental and seniors. Some of them are international and medical care, life skills and leadership organizations while some are locally trainings, as well as educational support. independent nonprofit organization in Kuala SAGE is a non-religious and multi-ethnic Lumpur. It runs three children’s homes for voluntary welfare organization in Singapore. more than 250 children, a women’s shelter, The nonprofit was established in 1991 to be and two Old Folks’ homes that house around a sounding board for elderly people who are 50 seniors. The society also operates mobile housing for destitute youth. troubled or lonely. Their Helpline grew and nutrition, education, infrastructure building, number of nonprofits that provide Ti-Ratana Welfare Society is the biggest established nonprofits advocating the care of needy and displaced children and seniors. Project PEARLS They may have different focuses but the core A mother and daughter tandem created mission is to help, serve the needs, and to Project PEARLS. It is involved in outreach uplift the lives of lonely, troubled, neglected efforts in a dumpsite community called and abandoned children and elderly people. Ulingan (charcoal factories) and Helping Land in Tondo, Manila. The organization provides Children International weekly feeding programs, scholarships, and Children International operates in the medical missions. Project PEARLS aims to United States, South America, Mexico, put an end to poverty by reaching out to the Philippines and Zambia. It aims to address the poorest of the poor Filipino children through a problem of poverty through various programs variety of outreach programs. PEARLS stands that center on youth development, health and There are many nonprofit organizations that seek to help communities, families or individuals in different parts of the Southeast Asian region. Almost all ASEAN countries are recipients of nonprofit support or are beneficiaries of nonprofit advocacies. Some of the biggest and well