Our Story

Founded in 2016, Octava Foundation supports children and youth from economically disadvantaged families to realise and achieve their aspirations, who are empowered to have sustainable livelihoods as adults. We do this by building their socio-emotional assets, nurturing talents and interests, and helping them to attain educational and vocational qualifications.

The Foundation is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered under the Charities Act as well as a registered Grantmaking Philanthropic Organisation (“Grantmaker”) with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).

Our Vision

To empower children and youth so they may be given equal opportunities to excel as citizens and contribute to a better world.

Our Goal

To build impactful and sustainable programmes that strengthen the pillars of home, school, and society; with the aim of nurturing the holistic development of underprivileged children and youth and help them reach their full potential.

Our Target Groups

To drive our goal, Octava Foundation currently focuses on empowering the following groups:

The problem:

Some children from economically disadvantaged families have limited access to learning opportunities and material resources – for example, due to a lack of financial resources, poor home environment, or lower self-esteem.

 

The solution:

Activities we fund include providing financial support for education and industry certification, mentorship, work experiences, out-of-classroom experiential learning, and soft skills development programmes. We also seek to strengthen and enable positive parenting for these families.

The problem:

There is a lack of affordable and high quality interventions for children and youth with ASD.

 

The solution:

Create and improve access to quality interventions and infrastructure to equip disability service providers to better cater to the ASD population.

Our Target Groups

To drive our goal, Octava Foundation currently focuses on empowering the following groups:

The problem:

Compared to their peers from higher income backgrounds, these students likely face a tougher time graduating with good grades, which are vital in building a strong foundation for future employment. Financial pressures, for instance, may hinder their ability to study. Access to internships and other resources also may be limited when these otherwise would have helped them gain the necessary qualifications and experiences to thrive.

 

The solution:

Create access to financial support for tuition and industry certification, and offer mentorship and work experiences so these students will possess both soft and hard skillsets.

The problem:

Children and youths in this group are at risk of disconnecting from their community or adopting anti-social behaviours. With poverty the underlying theme, these young citizens have to battle emotions and circumstances that often are complex such as low self-esteem, boredom, negative external influences, and the lack of positive guidance or opportunity.

 

The solution:

Fund non-profit organisations that provide programmes targeting such youths, including mentorship, after-school enrichment, and community service.

The problem:

These children and youths may not have access to quality therapy or support that will enable them to better manage themselves and lead meaningful lives.

 

The solution:

Fund non-profit organisations to improve the quality and/or reach of ASD therapy and support programmes.

*Note: Octava Foundation defines “lower income” as household per capita income of <$1,900.00. This definition covers around 40% of the population and is a relatively high threshold compared to e.g. the HDB rental eligibility (total household gross income must not exceed $1,500.00 per month) or ComCare Student Care subsidies (families with a gross household income of $4,000.00 or per capita income of $1,000.00).