Singapore International Foundation

From 31 May 2001 to May 2004, SIF's Humanitarian Relief Programme (HRP) was a disaster-relief initiative that helped Singaporean volunteers bring hope and relief to the distressed in the early stages of a disaster, when the need to save lives and reduce suffering is greatest.

Partnering with governments, non-governmental organisations, corporations, and other groups, the HRP supported communities by organising/coordinating training for volunteers; providing teams with back-end support such as financing, administration and logisitics; gathering support for missions from relevant local and overseas parties; and by raising awareness in Singapore.

To accomplish all these tasks, SIF called for and coordinated the deployment of Operational Field Volunteers, Field Support Volunteers, and Home Support Volunteers from the outset until their return.

Here are just some of the missions the HRP carried out :

• Spin Boldak, Afghanistan (Mar – May 2002)
  Five teams of medical and non-medical volunteers provided relief to more than 4,700 Afghan refugees, treating cases from malnutrition to bomb-blast injuries
• Dong Thap, Vietnam (9 – 20 Dec 2001)
  A medical team brought help to nearly 4,000 victims of a major flood.
• Orissa, India (Aug 2001)
  A medical team provided aid to victims of Orissa’s worst flood in 40 years.
• Gujerat, India (2 – 14 Feb 2001)
  A medical relief team treated over 300 patients, victims of a massive earthquake that killed more than 20,000 people.
• Uvs, Mongolia (Jan 2001)
  Two medical specialists were dispatched within 48 hours to treat burn victims of a helicopter crash.
• Baray, Cambodia (9 – 17 Dec 2000)
  A team of volunteers that included engineers provided flood relief assistance by inspecting and disinfecting 130 polluted wells in 10 villages.