Drive on to help S'pore Muslims

Drive on to help S'pore Muslims

SINGAPORE: A major initiative to free needy Moslem families in
Singapore from the poverty trap goes into effect this year.

The S$1.5 million (US$877,000) set aside by the Islamic
Religious Council of Singapore will help community groups assess
and implement programs tailored to each family's needs, spur
mothers and fathers to pick up parenting skills and help groups
that run effective empowerment programmes, the council said on
Friday.

"Education is an important means to help lower-income families
break out of the poverty cycle," said Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim,
Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs.

The council, voluntary welfare groups and mosques will run a
range of programs to encourage families become more self-reliant.

-- DPA