About Kairos Asia Outreach
Kairos Asia Outreach is a not-for-profit Singapore entity approved by the Ministry of Finance to develop pioneering “greenfield” community projects and to build sustainable international bridges to foster closer friendships and cooperation.
Kairos Asia Outreach also champions the “Business of Trust” values as espoused by Sir Charles Bowman when he was the Lord Mayor of London in 2018. It seeks to connect vetted CEOs and Leaders from across Asia and Commonwealth countries who share C.I.V.I.C values, connect them to do deals and raise funds for youth charity Heartware Network as companies do not exist to do charity.
Singapore’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and 2nd Minister for Finance and National Development is the Patron with the former Chief of Staff of the former President of Indonesia as the founding International Advisor (till Dec 22). The former Lord Mayor of London and Singapore’s former Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are the other International Advisors.
About the Founder
Kairos Asia Outreach’s Founder is a retired Superintendent of Police (NS) who holds the record of consecutively winning 4 Best Land Division (NS) titles when he was the NS Commander of the busiest division of Singapore – Tanglin Police Division and retired as the inaugural Chief Mentor of the NS Police’s Sword of Honour winners and outstanding officers.
Raymond received award from former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
He is also the “non-salaried” Singapore Strategic Advisor for the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and was an alternate Director for the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs (Asia-Pacific). CWEIC is the Commonwealth’s accredited trusted business network to facilitate trade and investment throughout the 56 member nations.
Raymond presenting his Commonwealth appointment to then HRH Prince of Wales
A youth developer at heart, Raymond also founded a 25-year-old youth charity, Heartware Network, whose Chief Patron is Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat with Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam as her Patron. Heartware now counts Ministry of Education, Singapore Armed Forces (National Day Parades) and Temasek Foundation as strategic partners.
Internationally, Raymond also established partnerships with All-China Youth Federation, City of London, Laos, Young Indians, Princess Shaikha Jawaher Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Agung of Bali, wife of the former Secretary-General of the China State Council and prominent families in Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines and Brunei.
MOU with then Saudi Arabia’s The Centennial Fund witnessed by then King of Saudi Arabia’s second son and then Minister-Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. (Jan 2008)
Hosted then Secretary – General of Laos Youth Federation in Singapore who is now a Province Governor in Laos.
Appreciation from Commissioner, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Mr Marvin Sim for helping them set up a fund with prominent Singapore philanthropic organisation for the welfare of their officers like giving bursaries to their children and families of their fallen officers (25 Aug 2020).
What We Do
Police Vessel turned Youth Hub
A 30-yr old decommissioned 1st generation Police Coast Guard PT Boat was converted into a ‘Nexus Youth Hub’ on land and situated at Pasir Ris Town Park, supported by then Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. Designed by ITE College Central design students, this new iconic hub create space for youth meetings, training and befriending. The hub will host community partners like schools and Singapore Police Force to curate projects and uplift needy children. The Della Suantio Nexus Youth Hub was launched by the President of Singapore on 30 Oct 2019.
With then President of Singapore, Mdm Halimah Yacob
Introduced by Commander of Bedok Police Division, we hosted the officers from Pasir Ris Neighbourhood Police Centre’s (NPC) Community Policing Unit. As a retired NS Police Commander and founder of 25-yr-old Heartware youth charity, Mr Raymond shared his experiences on sustainable youth development and got a better understanding about their “A Better Shot” programme aimed at assisting underprivileged children from low-income families. (16 Feb 23)
Am glad that since 2024, Heartware Network has partnered with the NPC to provide holistic support, focusing on both academic development and character growth. Conducted at the primary schools in Pasir Ris, Heartware youths dedicate time each week to mentor these children, offering guidance on homework and essential life skills. Meanwhile, NPC officers engage the children in engaging police-theme activities every two months, fostering a sense of responsibility and community awareness.
Host a group of postgraduate students from Leopold-Franzens Universitat Innsbruck led by their professors. They were in Singapore to study urban planning, sustainability, and to have a better understanding of youth engagement and Singapore’s People, Private, Public (3P) partnerships.
All the students have not been to Singapore previously and we treated them to our Chinese New Year hospitality, including prosperity salad tossing, BBQ pork, chilled pomelo slices, and our different CNY goodies. Leopold-Franzens Universitat Innsbruck is the 3rd oldest university in Austria, with her roots dating back to over 460 years ago.
Kairos aims to foster international bridges and broaden our youths’ global perspectives while also strengthening their ties to Singapore. (3 Feb 23)
Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of National Development, Mr Tan Kiat How also hosted a visit to his Meet-the-People session and had an engaging dialogue with these postgraduate students on Singapore’s urban planning and how we lived as a community. (6 Feb 23)
(Inside the former engine room of the Coastal Patrol Craft)
Engaging Secondary school youth leaders from mainstream school to brainstorm the problems faced by their friends and them. These include mental health, domestic violence and gangsterism. Solutions will be shared with other youths from the different schools across Singapore. (1 Feb 20)
Organising the Asia – Commonwealth Business Summit to champion values like “Integrity” and “Trust”
Kairos Asia Outreach curated the inaugural Asia – Commonwealth Business Summit on 28 – 29 Nov 2019 during Singapore’s Bicentennial celebrations. As one of the key business hubs at the heart of Asia and a member of the Commonwealth, Singapore was uniquely positioned to bridge both entities. Supported by Ministry of Education’s Principals Academy Inc., City of London and the London Institute of Banking and Finance, the keynote was “The Business of Trust.”
KAO’s purpose of organising this was to bring together like-minded CEOs across Commonwealth countries to champion character-building and emphasise the importance of having “trust” and C.I.V.I.C principles. This culture of honesty and integrity was what the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his fellow founding fathers created for Singapore’s legacy.
What it meant to have C.I.V.I.C principles:
C – Competency of the business
I – Integrity of the business owners
V – Value of the business to society like supporting youth development
I – Interest of the business to help others
C – Clear communications / transparency of the company
Shared about the Asia – Commonwealth opportunities at the 9th Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ Meeting @ Uganda 2017 at the invitation of Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland (far right)
Establishing Asia – Commonwealth Innovation Networks / Hubs
From the success of the inaugural Asia – Commonwealth Business Summit, there was a demand from many of the delegates for more sustainable engagements. As such, Kairos will be working with a network of vetted CEOs to set up Asia – Commonwealth Business Innovation Networks / hubs in Australia, China, Indonesia, Singapore and UK.
Member CEOs will have to subscribe to the “Business of Trust” and C.I.V.I.C principles, apportion part of their profits when they connect to do business deals to support Heartware youth development. This is our effort to champion capacity-building in raising funds instead of depending on donations as companies do not exist for charity especially during challenging times.
Signing of US $100 million MOU to launch AAA Impact Fund
On 21 Feb 24, we were honoured to have Minister of State (Trade and Industry) Mr Alvin Tan witness a US $100 million MOU signing to launch Singapore-based AAA Impact Fund between Africa, Asia and eventually Arabia. According to Enterprise Singapore who invited Minister, such a multilateral partnership was a first in Singapore. Also present was Lord Marland, Chairman of Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.
* The Singapore’s partner has since been replaced.
Welcomed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Ameenah of Brunei (middle) as our Regional Partner for Brunei. We share common values upholding Integrity and Trust. Will also connect partner of HLR Law Lenny Rahman (left) (28 Nov 24)
Launch of Lord Mayor of London’s Forum:
Transforming Public Safety and Security through Science and Technology
On 28 May 24, we were also the first organisation outside of British Chamber to host the Lord Mayor of London, Prof Michael Mainelli to engage our “Business of Trust’ leaders during his visit to Singapore.
Raymond recognising Princess of Bahrain, Her Highness Shaikha Jawaher Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa in the presence of Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan, then Chairman of Middle East Institute (May 23)
With wife of the late Secretary – General of the China State Council during her 1st visit to Singapore in July 23
Agung of Blahbatuh, Bali is our partner (from 2024). He is seen here recognising Ms Anita Fam, President of National Council of Social Service at his Palace in Bali.
With retired Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian Defence Forces, Admiral (ADM)(Ret) Yudo Margono at his home (Dec 23)
Introduced and organised meeting with then Lord Mayor of London, Sir Charles Bowman with then founding Chairman of Enterprise Singapore, Mr Peter Ong (left). Former Executive Director of youth charity Heartware Network, Ms Tan See Leng was also present. (8 May 18)
Developing Curriculum Focusing On Character and Servant-Leadership
With our extensive experience in youth development and leadership, there is an overwhelming demand for the development of the “heart” of a youth beyond the academic head knowledge. As such, Kairos Asia Outreach will be working with a former President Scholar who was a founding Provost of a Singapore university, a Dean and MIT PhD alumnus in this area.
For a start, the module will focus on character-building, leadership by service and giving back to society through volunteerism. We will be partnering with the overseas campus of 544-year old Magdalen College School of Oxford University.
In August 2018, we also connected Raffles Girls’ Primary School through Ministry of Education with a mainstream primary school in Tianjin, China for their first batch of P5 student exchanges to China. This allowed both teachers and children to learn from one another and share best practices.
In August 2019, at the invitation of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (SG), we conducted a 3-hour Leadership and Character – building module to 100 visiting undergraduate scholars from Xiamen, Zhejiang and Fudan universities in China. The module was very well-received and we have been asked by the Deputy Secretary-General of the All-China Youth Federation to reach out to more of their young graduates to touch their hearts.
Training & Uplifting Those In Need
Kairos Asia Outreach works with former addicts from halfway houses and different agencies to uplift those in need to find meaningful employment, apprenticeship opportunities and scholarships to achieve their potential.
With ex-addicts from different halfway houses and giving them jobs
The below family has an average monthly income of $500. At the onset of Covid-19, we helped the wife secure the funds to successfully operate on her golf ball-sized brain tumour which had already affected her hearing and one side of her face.
Also worked with local NGO and then First Gentleman, Mr Mohamed to see how the donations raised were used on the ground to provide free meals to needy families staying in 1-room flats.
Lastly, we are partnering with top UK TalentsStrength psychometrics company to annually sponsor 1500 tests to better equip our youths with more bespoke internship and traineeship opportunities. These customised tests profiling behaviours and attitudes will be more accurate than just CVs and window dressing.
Supporting Heartware Network
A youth developer at heart, Raymond also founded a 25-year-old youth charity, Heartware Network, whose Chief Patron is Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat with Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam as her Patron. Heartware now counts Ministry of Education, Singapore Armed Forces (National Day Parades) and Temasek Foundation as strategic partners.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore and First Lady Jane Ittogi with some of our Heartware youth leaders from the different programmes in Oct 24
Called on Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka, Dr. Haji Mohd Ali Bin Mohd Rustam on 17 March 25 and invited His Excellency to Heartware’s 25th Anniversary gala dinner.
MOU with Shandong Youth Federation on 9 Oct 24 witnessed by Chairman of Shandong Youth Federation and Chairman of Heartware Network.
Kairos also fully sponsored $10,000 in course fees for the Heartware delegation of 16 youth leaders to visit Jiangxi and Fujian to have a better understanding of China’s founding history and insightful dialogue with some of the senior civil servants.
Kairos’s business associate Pak Hasim donated $50,000 to Heartware’s 2023 Gala Dinner graced by then President of Singapore, Mdm Halimah Yacob.
Heartware has been involved in National Day Parades since our founding in 2000. Also got Pak Hasim to sponsor $50,000 and recognised by Chief of Defence Force, Vice-Admiral Aaron Beng (2023)
As the pro-bono Singapore Country Director for Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council then, Raymond connected CEO of Trussco Pte Ltd to a UK partner during Commonwealth Business Summit @ London in 2018 and eventually invited then British High Commissioner to Singapore for their product launch in Singapore.
Trussco Pte Ltd also donated $30,000 to Heartware. (Mar 19)
Kairos’s associate donated over $120,000 at Heartware Gala Dinner’s watch auction graced by then President of Singapore, Dr Tony Tan. Her daughter (in photo) now plans to pursue her university study in Singapore. (3 July 17)