President Tony Tan Keng Yam graced The Ultimate Telematch organised by Microsoft Singapore this morning at Nanyang Polytechnic. The Ultimate Telematch is Microsoft’s finale fundraising event for the year as well as its seventh major event organised in support of the President’s Challenge.The President’s Challenge 2013 was launched by President Tony Tan on 22 March this year with the aim to build on the momentum of two new initiatives which was started last year – the President’s Challenge Volunteer Drive and the President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Award.
Present at the event were also Microsoft staff, partners, their families and more than 29 beneficiaries from SPD and RSVP. Five teams of 12 to 16 members consisting of SPD and RSVP beneficiaries, sponsors and Microsoft employees and their families took on four different games demonstrating strong teamwork as they competed against each other. The teams put together a mascot that represents the spirit of the President’s Challenge in their final challenge.
Microsoft has raised over S$330,500 in cash and software for the President’s Challenge 2013. The employees and business partners of Microsoft have been actively contributing towards enabling technology training of people with disabilities through the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD), a President’s Challenge beneficiary since 2006. The total contribution to SPD has reached more than S$1.9 million in cash and software. Microsoft also topped up an additional contribution of S$30,000 to RSVP Singapore, the Organisation of Senior Volunteers, to train seniors in technology skills. RSVP has received over S$730,000 in cash and software donations from Microsoft.
Through Microsoft’s partnership with SPD and RSVP, close to 1,900 people with disabilities and over 15,476 seniors have been equipped with basic technology skills. More than 250 people with disabilities have undergone vocational training and 37 trainees with disabilities have found employment so far. More than 116 seniors have also found job opportunities in IT-related fields as a result of their training.
