At Saturday Kids, we’re on a mission to democratise digital literacy and inspire every kid to create a better future with technology. Since 2012, we’ve impacted 6,000+ kids – but we won’t stop until no child is left behind.

That’s why we’re launching this Pay it Forward fundraiser. Between now and the end of February of 2022, we hope to raise funds for at least 18 year-long scholarships for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn to code through Saturday Kids’ structured year long programmes. The monetary value of each scholarship is $1180, and all donations are matched 1-1 (in-kind) by Saturday Kids.

Scholarships are awarded to Code in the Community (CITC) graduates who have demonstrated exceptional interest and/or abilities in creating with technology. CITC is Singapore’s largest free multi-level coding program for underprivileged children whose families are beneficiaries of national financial support schemes. (Learn more about eligibility for CITC here.)

What do kids really learn when they learn to code with us?

Here’s what we found after speaking to parents of previous Pay it Forward scholarship recipients:

1. Learning to code helps their kids to lean into the future: A strong foundation in digital literacy equips the kids with a deeper understanding of the times we live in.
2. Unlocking their happy place and discovering the joy of learning: The current educational system may not be designed for all kids to thrive, but we believe that all kids can find joy in learning by expressing themselves through different disciplines like coding and robotics.
3. Coding to learn: We adopt a creative programming approach that allows kids to take the driver’s seat and develop soft skills peripheral to just coding – cultivating creative confidence and kids as self-directed learners.

Here is a breakdown of our fundraising goals:

• $295 sponsors 16 hours of coding classes for 1 child over 3 months
• $1,180 sponsors 64 hours of coding classes for 1 child over a year

No donation is small enough to make a difference in someone else’s life. We are stronger than the sum of our parts, and having one child’s education crowdfunded by multiple donors reminds us of the beauty of that. If you agree, we would love to add you to our list of donors on our website. 

We might be optimists, but we know that together, we can leave no child behind from the possibilities of a tech-driven future. Let’s put our heads together to bridge the digital literacy gap for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.

To find out more, please contact us at hello@saturdaykids.com or +65 3159 0980. Find us on Facebook at SaturdayKidsSG or on Instagram @Saturday_Kids

Read more about our impact in our Social Impact Report 2020 or on our blog.

About Ray of Hope

100% of your donations through Ray of Hope go to people in need. We do not take a cut from the funds. We even cover 3rd party credit card charges, if you choose not to, that other crowdfunding platforms deduct from your donation for campaigns.

100% of all campaigns are also fully verified, so you know your funds goes to real people with real needs.

We take donor accountability very seriously – with yearly audited accounts and strong governance in place to ensure that your donations is properly channeled to the beneficiaries.

Ray of Hope is a registered charity and a member of the National Council of Social Services.