Singapore, 14 September 2016 – For the past three years, 72-year-old Mr. Abdul Mohmin Bin Mohd. Hassin has been receiving rice from FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East, a campaign jointly organised by South East Community Development Council (CDC) and NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice). With his wife as the sole breadwinner, the rice has helped the family to offset a financial load off their shoulders. Mohmin decided to be a part of the FairPrice Walk For Rice @ South East launch when he got to know this year’s campaign period. Mohmin will be joined by other 38 like-minded rice recipients in the walk and 38 seniors from the THK Bedok Radiance Senior Activity Centre.

Mr Mohmin, who has encouraged his friends to join him for the walk, is also encouraging the community to do the same as a form of healthy lifestyle. “I’m very happy to be able to join this walk. Walking is a healthy and easy activity, and even though I may not be able to walk very far, I want to do whatever I can for the community. Other people have helped me before, and it is now my turn to help others and myself,” he shared.

FairPrice Walk For Rice @ South East will run from 14 September to 20 November 2016. Currently in its eighth year, FairPrice Walk For Rice @ South East 2016 was launched on the morning of 14 September 2016 by Distinguished Guest, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Chief Executive Officer of NTUC FairPrice, and hosted by Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, Mayor of South East District, Grassroots Adviser to East Coast GRC GROs, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For every 200 metres of walking completed at various community activities or each participating product sold between 15 to 28 September, FairPrice Foundation will be donating one bowl of brown rice and one bowl of white rice towards the campaign. This year, the aim is to clock a total of 50,000km by the community, and  raise 500,000 bowls of white rice & brown rice. 7,000 under privileged families in South East district will benefit from this campaign.

CEO of NTUC FairPrice, Mr Seah Kian Peng said, “In our eighth year of this meaningful initiative, FairPrice is delighted to work with our long-time partner South East CDC to make lives better for all, having raised 3.5 million bowls of rice to date. Apart from caring for the needy through donations and bringing the community together to do good, we are also advocating healthy eating through the inclusion of brown rice in our donation to beneficiaries.”

FairPrice Walk For Rice @ South East is conceptualised under the South East 5E Approach. 5E involves using an Easy and Enjoyable activity that Encourages widespread participation within the community which Earns sponsorships for the needy. In doing so, South East CDC also Enlarges the value of the giving and thus enabling us to Enhance the community ownership and spirit.

Dr Maliki Osman, Mayor of South East District, said, “We are happy to continue this collaboration with FairPrice for this very meaningful project which has a very simple message: We can help others in the community with the simplest of acts, which is, in this case, walking. We are heartened that FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East continues to continues to receive support from members of South East community from all walks of life, including our corporate citizens. We hope more will come forward and stay fit by walking while at the same time collecting rice for low income families in the South East District.”

A total of 1,190 km was completed at the launch, with 850 participants from 17 community and corporate partners joining the event. Some of these partners include PCF Sparklestots Preschools, Singapore Association of the Deaf, and THK Bedok Radiance Senior Activity Centre, etc.

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