Keppel Corporation announced today that it would donate 150 new laptops worth more than $160,000 to the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) Community Link (ComLink) initiative, to support home-based learning by students from lower-income families. The laptops will be distributed in phases over the next few weeks to the four pilot ComLink communities in Singapore. ComLink provides Comprehensive, Convenient and Coordinated support to empower families with children living in rental housing to improve their circumstances and build up resources for a brighter future. 

Keppel’s donation is part of the $4.2 million care package which the Company had announced in 2020 to support communities affected by COVID-19. The package comprises voluntary contributions made by directors, management and staff of the Keppel Group, with matching donations from Keppel Corporation. The laptops will be provided through M1’s ICT arm and wholly-owned subsidiary, AsiaPac Distribution, which provides intelligent digital transformation solutions in Mobility, End User Computing & Enterprise Hybrid Multi-Cloud. M1 is a subsidiary of Keppel Corporation.

The laptops are expected to benefit more than 240 students in Singapore. The majority of the laptops will be distributed through the ComLink initiative to students from lower-income families for use at home to support home-based learning, while others will be deployed to support ComLink community programmes, such as academic and enrichment classes for students.

Mr Ho Tong Yen, CEO of Keppel Care Foundation, the Keppel Group’s philanthropic arm, said, “COVID-19 has caused significant hardship around the world. It has also accelerated digitalisation and e-learning, which we believe are long-term trends that will continue post-pandemic. In providing access to digital learning tools and promoting digital literacy, we hope to support the education needs of students from lower-income families, especially during periods of home-based learning to curb the spread of the pandemic.” 

Mr Eric Chua, Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, said, “I want to thank Keppel Corporation for stepping forward to support those in need in spite of the economic uncertainty brought about by the pandemic. These efforts will go a long way in helping our students in need. Building an inclusive society is a collective effort. We encourage other corporates and donors to step forward to do the same, and journey with MSF and our community partners as we build a caring community where no one is left behind.” 

Beyond Keppel’s donation of laptops, staff volunteers from the Keppel Group will conduct digital literacy workshops for students at two ComLink communities. The workshops will cover topics such as laptop-operating skills, effective use of collaboration tools and cyber-hygiene habits, to facilitate effective home-based learning and enhance digital literacy among students. Keppel Volunteers will also organise educational activities to engage students at these ComLink communities. 

Since the start of the pandemic, the Keppel Group has contributed approximately $5 million to support global efforts to fight COVID-19. In March 2021, Keppel also donated $300,000 to the Digital for Life Fund, set up by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. Through the donation, Keppel aims to promote digital inclusion and help lower-income seniors, many of whom have become more isolated during the pandemic, to be more connected with their communities using digital tools.

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About Keppel Corporation

Keppel Corporation is one of Singapore’s flagship multinational companies with a global footprint in more than 20 countries. Keppel provides solutions for sustainable urbanisation, focusing on four key areas comprising energy & environment, urban development, connectivity and asset management. With sustainability at the core of its strategy, Keppel harnesses the strengths and expertise of its business units to develop, operate and maintain real assets, which provide diverse solutions that are good for the planet, for people and for the Company.