Singapore Non-Profit Receives $40,000 Research Grant For Study on Women Migrant Workers in Asia
September 10, 2007
Sep 10, 2007 -- /prbuzz/ --FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SINGAPORE NPO AIDHA RECEIVES $40,000 RESEARCH GRANT FOR STUDY ON WOMEN MIGRANT WORKERS IN ASIA

Aidha’s Vice President Also Awarded 2007 NUS Social Entrepreneur Award

SINGAPORE, 10 September 2007—aidha, a Singapore-based not-for-profit organization, announces the receipt of a S$40,000 research grant from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The study, to be titled “Migrant Women, Economic Security & the Challenges of Reintegration”, was formally launched at a joint reception in Singapore on Sunday, 9 September 2007 by IDRC President Maureen O’Neil and aidha President Dr. Sarah Mavrinac.

This one-year research project will allow aidha to examine the socio-economic challenges facing migrant women who return to their home countries, and determine the role of financial education during their re-entry process. aidha will partner with CARD Bank, the Philippines’ largest microfinance institution, and faculty from Singapore Management University (SMU) to collect and analyze the research data. Findings from the study will be used toward creating educational programming and networks that better serve returning migrant women.

“We’re very excited to partner with IDRC on this groundbreaking project,” says Dr. Mavrinac. “By understanding critical issues facing women workers who return home after many years of work abroad, organizations such as aidha can better help them achieve success during the reintegration process.”

Also announced this week, aidha’s Vice President Michael Ewing-Chow has been awarded the 2007 Best Social Entrepreneur Award by the National University of Singapore Business Incubation of Global Organisations (NUS BINGO). Ewing-Chow, an Assistant Professor in the NUS Faculty of Law, was recognized for his role in founding and promoting aidha’s mission.

“Singapore has been blessed by the numbers of foreign workers who come here to build our homes and take care of our families,” said Ewing-Chow. “It is only right that we should also contribute to their success by providing them with education and empowerment during their time here, so they can build their own dreams and futures.” For more information on NUS BINGO, visit: http://nusea.nusbingo.org

Since its launch in 2006, aidha has enrolled more than 200 students across nine courses including Effective Communications, Business Computing and Entrepreneurship, a 14-session capstone course. Students are comprised of domestic workers mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia. According to an informal study done by UNIFEM Singapore, these women are considered to be “economically fragile” with limited savings and skills in personal finance, resulting in economic insecurity.

For more information on aidha, please contact our office: (65) 6732 5434 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

About aidha
aidha is a Singapore-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to enriching lives through financial education. Inspired by a UNIFEM Singapore project, aidha works with women migrant workers to build confidence, financial skills and entrepreneurial capabilities. Through our training and micro-credit services, we help women build brighter futures for themselves and their families. For more information, please visit: www.aidha.org.

Media Contact:
Christina Liew
T: (65) 8161 7001
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About the Press Release
Singapore NPO aidha is awarded S$40,000 for research project on Asian migrant women workers by Canada-based IDRC.


 
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