Singapore launches SG for Humanity network in bid to strengthen Gaza humanitarian aid efforts
The network aims to improve aid delivery and create more opportunities for Singaporeans to support relief efforts in Gaza by bringing together the government and four humanitarian organisations.
A deployment of Singapore Red Cross volunteers to Egypt in Apr 2024, as they pack relief items for humanitarian efforts in Gaza alongside the Egyptian Red Crescent. (Photo: Singapore Red Cross)
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SINGAPORE: A new network will bring together the government, humanitarian organisations and the community in Singapore to strengthen the country's humanitarian assistance for people affected by the crisis in Gaza.
Called SG for Humanity, the network was launched on Thursday (Nov 5) and will focus on strengthening humanitarian partnerships and improving the delivery of aid on the ground, said the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).
"It will also broaden opportunities for Singaporeans across communities to contribute to this whole-of-nation effort," said MCCY in a press release.
The network was launched by Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, as well as Mr Baey Yam Keng, who is minister of state at MCCY and the Ministry of Transport.
MCCY said it would facilitate the network by bringing together four established organisations as its initial partners – Humanity Matters, Mercy Relief, Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, and Singapore Red Cross.
Speaking to the media at an event at the headquarters of Humanity Matters in Geylang on Thursday, Mr Zaqy said that his involvement in four humanitarian missions for Gaza had convinced him that more could be done to help people affected by the crisis.
He said many Singaporeans he had spoken to shared that sentiment.
“So, to me, the willingness to help is there. We need to create more ways for Singaporeans to act,” he added.
Mr Zaqy said one gap the network hoped to address was the “last-mile delivery” of getting aid to people who needed it most.
“It’s not just about raising funds or collecting supplies. We want to work closely with our partners overseas to ensure that families and children who need it most get the help they need,” he said.
He said the network would also give Singaporeans more ways to contribute beyond donations, including by volunteering their time and expertise.
Medical professionals had approached him about taking part in humanitarian missions, but there had not been a government-run Singapore platform through which they could do so, he said.
“There’s more assurance when they feel that (the) government is supporting and this is a government initiative or government platform that they can rely on,” he said.
While the four partner organisations had developed their own fundraising efforts and overseas networks, there was scope to better connect their work with Singaporeans who wanted to help, he said.
Mr Zhulkarnain said the four organisations brought different strengths to the network, including experience in medical treatment, water treatment, food assistance and mobile clinics.
Pooling their resources and capabilities would allow them to build on one another's strengths, he added.
Mr Zhulkarnain said the government would play a coordinating role, including helping the organisations work with recognised overseas partners and navigate regulatory and security requirements in the countries where they operate.
“We want to make sure that our Singaporean contributions and donations are channelled in the right way, and would be received by the communities that would benefit directly from those contributions,” he said.
LEADING THEIR OWN
MCCY said the participating organisations would continue to lead their own humanitarian programmes, while the network would facilitate joint initiatives, strengthen overseas partnerships and create more opportunities for Singaporeans to contribute through fundraising and volunteering.
The government would complement these efforts by facilitating engagement with overseas authorities and humanitarian partners.
Mr Zaqy said this could include coordinating partnerships and initiatives in countries such as Egypt.
He said Singaporeans based in the region could also be involved, while those at home could contribute through fundraising, packing supplies and awareness campaigns.
Medical support could also be provided through clinics and hospitals in the region by drawing on existing links with organisations such as the Egyptian Red Crescent and Palestinian Red Crescent Society, he added.
Mr Zaqy said humanitarian operations have to contend not only with access restrictions around Gaza but also with the wider security situation in the Middle East.
Government facilitation could help humanitarian organisations coordinate when and where they could operate safely, including by sharing information on security conditions, he said.
Despite the challenges, he said there was scope to do more from countries surrounding Gaza even when opportunities to deliver assistance directly into the territory were limited.
Singapore had previously taken part in humanitarian airdrops, but such operations depended on available access windows, he said.
Who are the four humanitarian organisations in the network?
Humanity Matters, is a ground-up Singapore humanitarian non-profit organisation that has undertaken two fundraising campaigns and launched 10 overseas humanitarian deployments through Egypt and Jordan between Nov 2023 and October this year, facilitating over 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid to affected communities in Gaza.
Mercy Relief, an independent disaster agency in Singapore, has held two fundraising campaigns for Gaza since Nov 2023.
These efforts have helped some 326,370 beneficiaries to date, providing them with essential relief supplies, including food, clean water, medical supplies, hygiene kits and emergency shelter.
Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, which was established by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) in 2009, has undertaken five fundraising campaigns in the past three years, helping at least 260,000 beneficiaries in Gaza through partnerships with organisations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
Meanwhile, Singapore Red Cross has partnered with wider relief efforts through organisations like the Egyptian Red Crescent and Palestine Red Crescent Society, reaching 158,900 individuals in Gaza through its four fundraising campaigns.
The Singapore government, humanitarian organisations and the community have contributed over S$25 million in humanitarian aid to those affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza since Oct 2023, supporting essential needs such as food, healthcare, clean water, shelter and education.
The network's four initial partners have made "substantial contributions" to affected civilians through fundraising, the provision of relief supplies and their work on the ground with international and regional partners such as the Egyptian Red Crescent and Palestinian Red Crescent Society to channel assistance, said MCCY.
In 2025, the government also provided S$1 million in seed funding, distributed across these four organisations, to support their public fundraising and humanitarian assistance efforts in Gaza, the ministry said.
Mr Zaqy said the organisations would continue to run their own fundraising efforts, while the network could also support broader collective campaigns.
There would be a “concerted effort” to raise funds and distribute them across initiatives considered meaningful, he said, adding that more details would be announced later.
"The humanitarian needs of those affected remain significant. There is scope for Singapore to strengthen how our collective contributions translate into effective assistance on the ground," said MCCY.
Mr Zaqy is expected to make a working visit to Egypt in the coming weeks, where he said he would explore ways to strengthen Singapore's links with organisations such as the Egyptian Red Crescent, Palestinian Red Crescent Society and United Nations agencies.
Part of the visit would be to look at how the government could facilitate more reliable platforms for Singapore humanitarian organisations to operate through, he said.
He also pointed to possible future campaigns involving winter supplies, Ramadan fundraising and other donation drives, as well as support from companies offering logistics assistance.
Security and safety would remain paramount in carrying out humanitarian work in the region, he added.
At the event, Mr Zhulkarnain also said SG for Humanity could expand to include more organisations and eventually be used for humanitarian efforts beyond Gaza.
“While we are starting in Gaza, if this is a platform that works … then it can be replicated for any other parts of humanitarian efforts all across the world,” he said.
WHAT THE HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS SAY
Speaking to CNA at the sidelines of the event, Singapore Red Cross assistant head of international affairs Nur Hafiza AB welcomed the opportunity for organisations to pool resources and expertise and raise awareness about conditions on the ground.
“The scale of the conflict is quite huge, so I think it’s always good to come together. It’s a challenge for all humanitarian organisations on the ground, having access to the affected communities and protecting humanitarian personnel,” she said.
Humanity Matters humanitarian special adviser Hassan Ahmad said government support could help the organisations engage overseas authorities, secure clearances and open up pathways for aid to reach Gaza.
Mr Hassan said he was not concerned about potential overlaps between the organisations, as their different strengths could complement one another.
He said other organisations brought international networks, fundraising expertise and links in the region, while Humanity Matters had established networks on the ground.
“The fact (is) that there are 2.2 million people that require assistance, even if we put the four non-governmental organisations from Singapore together, the scale of needs is huge,” said Mr Hassan.
