Former nurse Ronita Paul and volunteer coordinator Geraldine Lee named The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2023
Singapore, 13 March 2024 – Ms Ronita Paul and Ms Geraldine Lee have been named The Straits Times (ST) Singaporean of the Year, for their kind deed which has made a significant positive impact on society.
Ms Paul, 72, and Ms Lee, 66, founded Singapore’s only daycare centre for children battling cancer and other critical illnesses, Arc Children’s Centre, in 2011. The Centre offers not only emotional and moral support to the children, but also educational and developmental activities in a bright and cheerful environment. It allows children with difficult experiences to play with and care for one another, and ultimately, enjoy a normal childhood.
Despite the challenges of caring for vulnerable children and running a charity reliant on public funding, Ms Paul and Ms Lee persisted and continued to introduce new initiatives over the years, including much-loved overnight camps, a speech therapist to help children who are behind in their developmental milestones, and a child psychologist to help children facing trauma. Above all, the Centre is a place where children with cancer, their siblings, and cancer survivors can call home.
Ms Paul and Ms Lee were recognised at the ST Singaporean of the Year 2023 Award Ceremony held at UBS Singapore, where President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Patron of the Award, was the Guest-of-Honour.
Currently in its ninth edition, the ST Singaporean of the Year award recognises the positive impact made by Singaporeans in the past year and celebrates their contributions to society. It is presented to an individual or group of Singaporeans who have made a significant contribution to society through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community. It also pays tribute to Singaporeans who have persevered to overcome great adversity. The full list of finalists can be found in Annex A.
The winner and finalists of the ST Singaporean of the Year 2023 were selected by a judging panel following public nominations from 1 November to 31 December 2023 and a rigorous selection process. More information on the judging panel can be found in Annex B.
The duo, Ms Paul and Ms Lee, were presented with a trophy and $20,000 cash prize, a five-night stay each at any of the Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ global properties, and a pair of Singapore Airlines (SIA) business class tickets each. Other finalists each received a certificate and $5,000 cash prize, a three-night stay at any of the Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ global properties, and a pair of SIA economy class tickets.
Mr Jaime Ho, Editor of The Straits Times, said, “Today, as we honour these finalists, I hope we leave inspired by all their stories, and see the impact they’ve had in making us a better community; not just for now, but well into the future as well.”
Mr Edmund Koh, President of UBS Asia-Pacific, said, “UBS is proud to be the founding sponsor of the Singaporean of the Year award for the last nine years as it celebrates the triumph of the human spirit, and acts as a voice that amplifies the issues of today that Singaporeans have actively taken the step forward to address. Our Singaporean of the Year 2023 winners – Ronita Paul and Geraldine Lee – courageously took up the challenge of founding Arc Children’s Centre in their golden years, without prior experience in the field. They are inspiring role models for many of us and their story is a great example of how everyday Singaporeans can make a positive impact – regardless of age or area of expertise, as long as we are willing to take the first step.”
The Singaporean of the Year 2023 award is organised by The Straits Times and presented by UBS Singapore. The official airline partner is Singapore Airlines and the global hotel partner is Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
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