SINGAPORE – Lower-income families in Bukit Merah will benefit from enrichment activites and learning support, with the expansion of a community support initiative to help children from such backgrounds.

Property developer UOL and its hotel subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) announced on Jan 10 that it would donate $50,000 towards the scheme.

The amount is part of a wider $150,000 donation to fund the UOL-PPHG Community Uplift Programme, which was launched in Jurong West in 2023 to support children from lower-income families.

UOL said on Jan 10 that participation has more than doubled since the programme began, from 57 beneficiaries in 2023 to 120 in 2025.

With the expansion, more than 35 families under the ComLink+ scheme in Bukit Merah will receive support through the programme.

ComLink+ is a national initiative led by the Ministry of Social and Family Development, bringing together government agencies, social service offices and community partners to support families with children under 21.

It helps families build stability, improve self-reliance, and enhance social mobility through coordinated, longer-term support.

The programme by UOL and PPHG is run in partnership with the social service offices at Boon Lay and Taman Jurong.

In Bukit Merah, the programme will provide support, including weekly mathematics tuition for secondary school students, talent grants for arts and sports enrichment, regular family outings, and a rewards system featuring experiences such as staycations and buffet meals.

Outcomes from Jurong West show positive impact. Feedback from 36 participating families in Boon Lay indicated that 96 per cent of children made new friends, while 63 per cent of parents felt closer to neighbours.

About 80 per cent of children said rewards motivated them to study harder, and 77 per cent said organised outings strengthened family bonding.

Academic impro...