TransFingo Group of Companies has been awarded the contract to manage the payroll services of five Persons with Intellectual Disabilities as gardeners on 9th May 2022 under the North East CDC’s Community Employment Programme – Inclusive Employment in partnership with the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDs). TransFingo has also employed a Gardening Supervisor, Angie Tan to oversee the one-year programme. Apart from imparting gardening skills, Angie will also be coaching and training the PWIDs in soft skills. Charging only a nominal fee for its services, TransFingo is proud and committed to working with its clients and partners to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace.
Minister Masagos and Mayor Desmond with our employee, Mardianah
Minister for Social and Family Development, Mr Zulkifli Masagos who officiated at the launch of the programme on 20th June 2022 said the pilot programme will provide the participants with job experience to build confidence and skills for future long-term employment. He added that it will also connect them with employers in the vicinity and increase accessibility to job opportunities.
Mr Desmond Choo, Mayor of North East CDC is looking at more permanent employment for people with intellectual disabilities as well, and to go beyond jobs in the heartland with partnering companies. “We’re not precluding that they continue in this function for even longer and see it as something more permanent (beyond the year-long programme). We’re also exploring new areas we can go into. So we’re building up a portfolio of companies that are willing to take on some of our trainees for longer-term deployment.” He added that there was a need to find work that suited the different abilities of people with intellectual disabilities.
Conversation with Mayor Desmond Choo of North East CDC
Minister Masagos stressed the importance of public, private and people partnerships and encouraged more like minded partners to come together in rolling out similar initiatives. He added that the pilot programme will provide participants with job experiences to build confidence and skills for future long-term employment. North East CDC hopes to partner with more social service agencies and corporates and looks forward to engaging TransFingo in discussions on the employability of persons with disabilities in the near future.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development delivering his speech at the launch of the Community Employment Programme – Inclusive Employment.