Love Aid Singapore launches orphan sponsorship program for Gaza relief

Singaporean activist Gilbert Goh, founder of Love Aid Singapore, is actively engaged in ongoing humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza.

Love Aid Singapore recently shared details of a positive sponsorship program on its Instagram account (19 Feb), underscoring the organization’s commitment to making a meaningful impact in alleviating the challenges faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

In a prior initiative, Goh personally visited Palestinian refugees, extending support by donating US$50 to each needy refugee family.

Furthermore, he initiated a one-year pilot project aimed at assisting cancer fighters among Palestinian refugees, providing US$100 donations to each beneficiary.

In his most recent update, Goh highlighted the Orphans Sponsorship Program, a new initiative designed to provide assistance to families caring for orphans.

Under this program, Goh has pledged to contribute US$60 or S$80 monthly to families undertaking the responsibility of caring for these vulnerable children.

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A post shared by Gilbert Goh (@loveaidsg)

Love Aid Singapore launches Orphan Sponsorship Program

In his voice-over video, Goh stated that the number of orphans is estimated to be close to four to five thousand.

However, he acknowledged that the figures in the video voice-over are incorrect, as the actual numbers are evidently much higher.

Goh highlighted information from UNICEF, the UN agency for the protection of children, indicating that they estimate at least 17,000 children in the Gaza Strip are unaccompanied or have been separated from their immediate relatives since the conflict began on 7 October 2023.

This represents about 1 percent of the overall displaced population of 1.7 million people.

Goh also noticed that the use of the acronym WCNSP (wounded child no surviving parent) is becoming increasingly common in the news, depicting the heart-wrenching scenes of lost children desperately searching for their deceased parents inside hospitals after bomb raids.

The devastating impact of the Gaza war on children is evident, as they bear the brunt of the conflict, suffering from trauma and losing their entire childhood in the process.

Many have also lost limbs due to bombing raids, with Goh witnessing several children recovering in Cairo hospitals.

In response to these challenges, Love Aid Singapore is launching an Orphan Sponsorship Program.

The initiative involves providing US$60 or S$80 monthly to families who have undertaken the responsibility of caring for orphans.

Typically, these caregivers are aunts or uncles who have chosen to care for their nephews or nieces who have lost both parents.

“It’s the kampung spirit which we all know about and adorn, though more adopted by our own Malay community back home,” said Goh.

The sponsorship program will entail the monthly transfer of US$60 to the designated accounts.

Goh provided the paynow number 87745281 and DBS Savings account 074-0-009474 for this purpose, with the initiative set to commence in March for a one-year program.

Love Aid Singapore has already donated US$20,000 to the NGO in Gaza, initiating the distribution of the sum to over 300 orphans cared for by their relatives.

Goh said that the NGO will share photos and videos of the distribution process.

He expresses gratitude to Singaporeans for standing on the right side of humanity, emphasizing the collective impact that can be achieved when working together.