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