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The Courage Fund was formed in April 2003 when
Singapore was hit by SARS. The Fund was named in honour of our healthcare
workers who were making tremendous self-sacrifice in the battle against SARS.
Many of them fell ill from SARS. Five died in the line of duty. Despite the
personal dangers, our healthcare workers continued to stay at their posts. This
was not always the case elsewhere in the world.
At the time, The Courage Fund became a national rallying point, wherein the
government and public gave generously towards the Fund as a show of sympathy
and solidarity.
The Board of Trustees knew that some donors donated with the intent of helping
the people stricken with SARS. Others donated to recognize and support the
healthcare workers.
At that time, people were fearful that SARS was here to stay, or that it could
return or mutate into something else. The crisis brought home the important
lesson that as a nation, we are very vulnerable to widespread infectious
diseases. We must therefore be well prepared to face another infectious disease
outbreak, be it SARS or the avian flu that has now emerged as a worldwide
health threat.
Therefore, in setting out the objectives of The Courage Fund, the Board of
Trustees wanted to ensure that it included all these donor intentions.
The 3 main objectives set out for The Courage Fund are:
Objective 1
To provide relief to SARS victims and healthcare workers and their
dependents, and any persons placed under quarantine orders as a result of SARS.
Under this objective, The Courage Fund disbursed financial aid to SARS victims
and healthcare workers through the following schemes:
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Relief Schemes for SARS victims; and
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Education Grants for children of deceased SARS victims.
Objective 2
To support any charitable purposes for the benefit of healthcare workers,
especially in relation to the advancement of education, the protection of
health and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness.
Under this objective, The Courage Fund introduced the following schemes:
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Bursary Awards scheme for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals (to provide
financial support for our healthcare workers who wish to upgrade their skills
and knowledge in healthcare)
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Healthcare Humanity Awards (to recognise outstanding healthcare workers who are
role models in being a caregiver to the sick and the infirmed)
Objective 3
To support any charitable purposes for the benefit of the general Singapore
community who may be affected by widespread infectious diseases.
Under this objective, The Courage Fund set up the Professorship/Fellowship in
Epidemiology and Infectious Disease, in collaboration with the National
University of Singapore to bring in international experts to conduct learning
programmes to share and impart knowledge to Singapore's healthcare
professionals in the area of epidemiology and infectious diseases.
The Board of Trustees is guided by the above 3 objectives of the Fund in all
its decisions regarding the use of funds.
The balance of the Fund has been put into an endowment fund, which can be drawn
upon in the event of a SARS resurgence or other public health emergencies. The
annual interest income of the endowment fund is used to support the Healthcare
Humanity Awards.
For more information on the various schemes, please see The Courage Fund Scheme
at www.couragefund.com.sg/schemes.htm
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