Supporting ASSMDA in the Philippines
CNCo provides ongoing assistance for the monthly operating costs of ASSM Dependents Association (ASSMDA), through joint funding with our sister company, Swire Pacific Offshore. ASSMDA is an independent, not-for-profit association in the Philippines formed by the partners and relatives of our Filipino seafarers. ASSMDA provides voluntary assistance and social support to the seafarers' families in times of need and aims to improve their livelihoods through organising value-added social activities.
Swire Shipping Talent ID Programme in PNG
Cricket Papua New Guinea (CPNG) is the sole organisational body that is a member of the International Cricket Council, covering participation in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from school children to their two international sides for both men and women.
CPNG, in association with Swire Shipping / CNCo has been running the Swire Shipping Talent ID Programme since September 2015, with the aim to find the next Barramundi and Lewas players from around PNG. The programme is conducted by CPNG's High Performance Department tasked with managing PNG's 4,000 cricket talent across the country.
In 2019, 2,368 men, women, boys and girls participated in cricket ID Programme, with 47% of these participants being females.
The 2019 Talent ID Team covered 11 regions which are different culturally and with different geographical locations. Community groups and families that we have come across during the programme have been supportive, and thankful for the opportunities the programme has given to the children and youth in PNG.
Programme support is ongoing till December 2020.
Supporting Charitable organisations
CNCo has been supporting various charitable organisations through pro bono (free of charge) shipments, donations of food and clothing, volunteering events to support their causes. We have established long-term partnerships with a number of charitable and not-for-profit organisations in the countries and regions in which we operate.
We continued to support HEAPS International Foundation Ltd in their educational initiative for remote village children in the Sepik River region, a part of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Support comes in the form of providing subsidised shipments of donated furniture and equipment from Australia to PNG.
Assistance to the Family Support Centre in Honiara, Solomon Islands
CNCo is providing assistance to the Family Support Centre (FSC) in Honiara, Solomon Islands, for the Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls in Solomon Islands (RVAW) programme which is managed by the International Women's Development Agency (IWDA). FSC also collaborates with the Oxfam Safe Family Project to ensure complementarity of work.
Project goal: To enhance organisational capacity of a local NGO that aims to address gender-based violence, including sexual abuse and child abuse in the Solomon Islands. CNCo is sponsoring the position of FSC Deputy Centre Manager for three years and is also providing office rental assistance.
During the reporting period FSC provided services to 1,244 new clients comprising of women, men, boys and girls. The majority of these services (90%) were provided by Honiara-based counsellors, with the remaining services provided by the Provincial Committees throughout the Solomon Islands.
IWDA commissioned a Solomon Islands film production company to produce a short film to raise awareness of gender-based violence as well as to promote support services provided by FSC.
The video can be accessed here.
CNCo has boosted support for the Solomon Islands' Family Support Centre (FSC), an indigenous organisation offering counselling and support services to victims / survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. In addition to funding the position of the FSC Deputy Centre Manager, CNCo also provides additional financial support to meet the existing gap in rent at the new Centre.
"FSC does very meaningful work in delivering quality services to women and girls who have experienced violence. That is why CNCo's Corporate Philanthropic Committee did not hesitate to accede to FSC's request for additional funds," said Lydia Pavlova, CNCo's Sustainable Development Manager.
"CNCo has two Joint Venture businesses in Honiara: Tradco Shipping and Guadalcanal Travel Services. We are therefore invested in the lives of local communities," said Lydia. "The position of FSC Deputy Centre Manager, which CNCo is funding, was created to build and strengthen governance functions so that FSC can effectively manage the range of programmes in Honiara and across the provinces."
FSC runs educational programmes, maintains a resource library and raises awareness of women and children's rights. FSC also works closely with support agencies (police, health and other service providers).
Swire Shipping is supporting Australian charity HEAPS International Foundation Ltd in the latter's educational initiative for remote village children in the Sepik River region, a part of Papua New Guinea (PNG). This initiative is also supported by East Sepik Provincial Education Department, in collaboration with Australian and Sepik River schools.
According to Susan Laird, HEAPS Director, "The outpouring of support by Australians in donating school furnishings, classroom equipment, primary level reading books, stationery goods and bandages has meant that we needed help in shipping these in a cost-effective and sustainable way. We are very grateful for the generosity of Swire Shipping in providing the free use of their containers and in defraying a significant percentage of the costs from Australia and Lae."
Said Alistair Skingley, General Manager Liner Operations and Country Manager of PNG, "We are honoured to partner with HEAPS in this very meaningful project. Education and enabling the success of future generations is always something we are keen on. In the long term, we want the real beneficiaries of our strong partnership to be the children and people we serve. Together, we help make a brighter future."
In January 2019, Swire Shipping Fiji Office donated food items to the Hilton House Hostel, a non-profit organisation which caters to children with special needs. There are currently seven residents; of which four are in the high support unit, and one is an eight-month-old baby.
In Singapore, Earth Day is celebrated annually on 22nd April to support environmental protection. CNCo's Head Office, together with our sister company, Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO), held a two-day textile collection drive to encourage employees to practise the 3Rs – Reuse, Reduce and Recycle.
Textile waste is an unintended consequence of fast-moving fashion trends as people buy more clothes, but do not keep them for as long as they used to. In 2016, Singapore generated more than 150,000 tonnes of textile and leather waste, but only 7% of textile waste is recycled. The most effective way to reduce textile waste is to buy used clothing from thrift stores and donate or reuse clothes instead of throwing them away.
Employees donated clothes, bed sheets, towels and accessories, weighing more than 60 kilogrammes. These were collected by Greensquare. It works with their partners to keep textiles in a closed recycling loop to help conserve natural resources, reduce environmental pollution and facilitate economical pricing for clothes and footwear for use in developing countries.
The management and employees of Swire Shipping Fiji, their families and members of the Swire Shipping Fiji Warriors team gathered at My Suva Park in Nasese on Saturday morning for their first community project for this year.
Ashika Chand, Swire Shipping Human Resource Manager said the community engagement was part of Swire Shipping's plan to develop a spirit of common interest within their employees.
Together with their families and five members of the Swire Shipping Fiji Warriors team, they collected rubbish at My Suva Park.
Ashika said, "We started with a clean up of the environment. We will then move to schools, hospitals and old age homes. We are really encouraged by the strong response from our colleagues and this has spurred all of us to go the extra mile."
