May 29, 2008--They were tired and a long way from home. Some wore their troubles on their faces while others were too young, perhaps, to understand what was really happening. They had little in common, other than they were among the world’s 20 million refugees, seeking sanctuary in a foreign land.

And, in this case at least, they were sharing a deeply appreciated moment away from their worries, thanks to a shipment of sportswear donated by athletes from Singapore through the “Giving is Winning” campaign by the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees. The refugees were at an asylum centre in Moldova in eastern Europe, opening boxes of clothing and bags from Singapore’s sporting community. As a partner in Giving is Winning, DHL Logistics had shipped the boxes at no charge.

Singapore shipped its first batch of 39 boxes of clothing and sports gear out in December to Moldova, aiming for a Christmas delivery. Now, the country’s sports community and schools are getting another shipment on the road in recognition of World Refugee Day on June 20th. Some 111 boxes were already filled with a whopping 6528 donated items as of late May, thanks to an all-out campaign by Singapore’s youngest humanitarians—the kids in school.

Students from Raffles Institution donate new sportswear
as part of local schools' support for for IOC-UNHCR
'Giving is Winning' programme.

Their hard work will be greatly appreciated. “Every single jacket, shirt or sports bag in the last shipment was received with gratitude and even relief by the refugees, some of whom fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” says Chris Chan, Secretary General of the Singapore National Olympic Council. One of the driving forces behind Singapore’s involvement in Giving is Winning. Mr. Chan is thrilled that Singaporeans have come out in full force to support the initiative.

The final destination for the new donations hasn’t been decided yet, but they will be well-received wherever they are sent, says Teo Chee Hean, Minister of Defence and President of SNOC. “We should never doubt the deep impact that the “Giving is Winning” campaign is having on the lives of these refugees,” says Mr. Teo.

“When the numbers are so large, it sometimes is easy to forget that the statistics actually represent real people who are in great need,” Mr. Teo says. The worst thing that can happen is for people to believe they can’t make a difference. Together, we can make the difference.”

Partners in
Giving is Winning
SNOC
Ministry of Education
DHL

Joining the campaign this time round were many enthusiastic students from several local schools, including Anderson Primary, Anglo Chinese Junior College, Balestier Hill Secondary School, Bedok South Secondary School, Canberra Secondary School, Cedar Girls Secondary School, Changkat Changi Secondary School, Hong Kah Secondary School, National Junior College, Pioneer Junior College, River Valley High School, Shuqun Secondary School, St. Anthony’s Canossian, St. Joseph’s Convent, St. Theresa’s Convent and Yuan Ching Secondary.

“Our students didn’t flinch at the statistics. They saw the human suffering and wanted to do something,” says Timothy D’Cruz, Specialist CCA (Sports) and Asst. Secretary, Singapore Schools Sports Council for the MOE. “The number of refugees in the world is almost five times Singapore’s population. We can’t solve all the problems, but we can still help in meaningful ways.”

The people at the asylum centre in Moldova would agree wholeheartedly. Speaking for a group of refugees from countries such as Armenia, Jordan, the Russian Federation, Sudan, Syria and Turkey, a 68 year-old woman thanked Singapore “for trying to make our life easier here in the Republic of Moldova…We express gratitude from the bottom of our heart to Singapore state because it has such kind people ready to help in difficult moments.

The IOC and UNHCR have jointly pledged to fill 10 20-foot containers with donated clothing and sports gear for refugees in time for the Beijing Olympic Games in August. The latest numbers from the IOC says that donations are already more than halfway to the target. If you want more information, please contact: esther@snoc.org.sg.