Edugrant

EDUGRANT

EDUCATION GRANT

Managed by the Community Foundation of Singapore, the grant seeks to support young women from financially challenged backgrounds through their tertiary education.

Established in 2014, the International Women’s Forum (IWF) Singapore Education Grant has disbursed over $620,000 to 220 young women from 13 local institutions of higher learning over the years, including the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts. This allows us to support young women pursuing diverse career paths, including the arts.

APPLICATION

Please apply through your respective local institutions of higher learning.

GRANTS

Diploma – $2,200 per award
Degree – $4,500 per award

ELIGIBILITY

  • Deserving female students from low-income backgrounds (Tier 1 PCI) 
  • Who have attained at least 75% of the maximum CGPA, and 
  • Are actively engaged in co-curricular activities and community involvement

ELIGIBILITY

  • Deserving female students from low-income backgrounds (Tier 1 PCI) 
  • Who have attained at least 75% of the maximum CGPA, and 
  • Are actively engaged in co-curricular activities and community involvement

HEAR FROM PAST EDUGRANT HOLDERS

From Adversity to Advocacy: A Journey of Empowerment

Building Bridges: The Lifelong Impact of Mentorship

New Project

Charis Chow

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New Project (1)

Keerthana

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Support The Mission

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Donate to Edugrant

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enquiries@iwfsg.com

From Adversity to Advocacy: A Journey of Empowerment

Fueled by a profound desire to support victims of crime – especially women and children – Charis Chow, an undergraduate student, is on a mission to make a difference. Her commitment is deeply personal, rooted in her own family experiences where she witnessed the devastating effects of crime on the most vulnerable in her family. This journey has ignited her determination to advocate for those in need and create a safer, more compassionate world.  

“Growing up, I saw how crime so deeply affected the lives of the women in my family,” Charis shares. “It made me realise early on that I wanted to help those often overlooked and silenced.”

However, the path to fulfilling her dreams was not without challenges. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Charis’ family faced financial strain as her father was retrenched. Thankfully, she found financial aid from the IWF Singapore Education Grant. 

“The EduGrant not only subsidised my university tuition fees but also allowed funded my participation in a conference to which I was invited, where I had the chance to connect with senior thought leaders from various industries,” Charis recalls. “I felt completely out of my depth but incredibly challenged. It was a turning point for me.”

This pivotal experience at the conference expanded her perspective beyond the immediate impact of on-the-ground therapeutic work. Charis began to see the broader picture—the need for social, private, and public partnerships to accelerate and bolster the effectiveness of initiatives, especially those emerging from non-governmental or non-profit organisations.

Driven by a newfound vision, Charis sought to maximize the opportunities she was given, recognizing the privilege of being born in Singapore and receiving a quality education. She channelled her energy to uplift vulnerable children through research. She is currently working on her psychology honours thesis, which focuses on the social and emotional development of refugee children in Malaysia. Her thesis explores strategies to enhance the resilience of these refugee children in the face of crisis, reflecting her commitment to using her knowledge and resources to uplift those less fortunate.

Having been exposed to both ends of the spectrum – from working with refugees to engaging with accomplished women in the International Women’s Forum Singapore – Charis recognises the vital role of building connections that can drive meaningful change. “There’s so much more work to be done to bridge the top 1% and the bottom 1%,” she emphasises. 

As she looks to the future, Charis aspires to continue her work at the intersection of advocacy and business to gain insights into best practices from the private sector. She plans to leverage this experience to drive meaningful change and promote a more just and compassionate society. Her journey is a testament to the power of resilience, education, and the desire to make a difference.

In offering advice to others who may face similar challenges, Charis encourages them to persevere and seek out opportunities that align with their passions. Charis’ story is a shining example of what can be achieved when passion meets purpose. Through the support of the IWF Singapore Education Grant, she has not only overcome personal adversity but also set herself on a path to becoming a leader and advocate for those in need.

Building Bridges: The Lifelong Impact of Mentorship

In the complex journey of personal and professional growth, mentorship often emerges as a pivotal influence. For Keerthana Janmugam, a participant in the fourth run of the Young Women’s Leadership Connection (YWLC) Pay It Forward Mentorship Programme, the experience was more than just guidance—it was a transformative relationship that bridged the gap between her academic life and the working world.

Mentorship is sometimes seen as a simple and personal gesture, but it also has a powerful butterfly effect in shaping and influencing the lives of both the mentor and mentee. In a world where women face diverse demands both personally and professionally, the importance of building each other up, supporting career development, and sharing knowledge and skills cannot be overstated.

As Keerthana reflects on her time in the mentorship program, she describes it as a two-way street, where it takes the effort of both mentor and mentee. Navigating the challenges of the circuit breaker period, which limited in-person interactions, Keerthana and her mentor, Casherine, maintained a strong connection through constant communication. The mentor-mentee pair kept in touch via WhatsApp, and if necessary, arranged for Zoom calls. This unwavering support proved to be invaluable as Keerthana transitioned from university to the working world. “Everyone needs a Casherine in their life to motivate them and push them forward when things don’t seem to fall right,” she says with gratitude. “She played a very big role in helping me make that transition.”

For Keerthana, the mentorship program not only provided her with professional guidance but also forged a deep, lasting bond. As she sums up her experience, “Aside from gaining a mentor, I have also gained a big sister and a lifelong friend.” Even after the program ended, Casherine continued to check on Keerthana, sending opportunities she believed would be useful for her personal growth. 

Keerthana’s story is a powerful reminder of the enduring impact that mentorship can have, not only in shaping careers but also in building meaningful relationships that last a lifetime. As women continue to navigate the challenges of balancing personal and professional demands, mentorship remains a vital tool for growth, empowerment, and connection.

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Add Your Heading Text Here

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s
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