From Executive Director

We read in press reports of fractured relationships which led to violence in families. Even today, as I write this message, I saw through the drawing by a 10-year old child who witnessed domestic violence of his misconception of “love”. He pens in a drawing of a man hitting a woman – “ My mummy beats me because she loves me. I think Daddy loves Mummy ‘mostest’ in the whole world” (The Straits Times, 2008). The title of the article was “Abusing spouse – kids hurt too”. How heartbreaking.

We are also aware of many parents in despair over their teens who rebel because they feel that their freedom and space are violated. The elderly are also more and more isolated as no one, including their children, bother to visit them. As I survey this dismal landscape, I am so blessed to be involved in the work of EMCC and to be able to explore avenues of how to give hope to relationships.

EMCC, through its suite of conflict management programmes, has the explicit objective of empowering individuals to manage conflicts in their lives. The train-the-trainer programme equips supervisors, parents and those in supervisory positions to train those under their charge to maintain healthy work and family relationships.

Counselling and mediation will continue to be EMCC’s core business. EMCC is committed to reaching out to those in emotional need. Special provisions are also in place to help those who cannot afford to pay for such services. We sincerely hope to engage and involve like-minded people and organisations to work in partnership with us in such a worthwhile mission.

Inspire hope through serving our community – There is hope!

Benjamin Chan
Executive Director