Former CEO’s Message
Building Faithfully for the Next Chapter
Calvin Ngo
Chief Executive Officer, MWS (till 31 July 2026)
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)
As Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) marks 45 years of service in 2026, I give thanks to God for His faithfulness, provision, and guidance through every season of our journey. Since our founding in 1981, MWS has remained anchored in the vision of being Christ-centred in enabling the disadvantaged and distressed to have life to the full. What began as a humble ministry rooted in Christian love has grown into a Methodist network of services that continues to serve communities across Singapore.
We do not take this journey for granted. The work of MWS has always been built by many hands and sustained by God’s grace. Indeed, we stand on the shoulders of earlier generations who responded faithfully to Christ’s call to love our neighbours, especially those who are vulnerable, distressed, or in need of hope.
SERVING MORE, SERVING BETTER
As we give thanks for this journey, we are also mindful that faithfulness must be seen in the lives we touch today.
MWS’ partnership with the Anglo-Chinese Schools (ACS) to establish ACS Academy – a special education school – came to fruition when the school welcomed its first cohort of students in January 2026.
In the financial year (FY) ended March 2026, MWS also connected more than 25,000 seniors, families and individuals, and children and youth to resources and support needed for better lives. We are especially encouraged by the growth in our outreach to seniors through our Active Ageing Centres, where we saw an increase of 28%. Adding a third Nursing Home in March 2025 also enabled us to care for 33% more residents battling chronic illness and frailty. Together, these developments affirm the importance of a strong continuum of care as Singapore prepares for the realities of a super aged society.
It also reminds us that our mission is not only to provide services, but to build relationships, strengthen social connectedness, and uphold the worth and dignity of every person we serve.
STRENGTHENING OUR MISSION AND CAPABILITY
In FY2025/26, MWS strengthened our services and extended our reach in several important ways. In August 2025, we launched the MWS Family Services Hub in Hougang, bringing together our Strengthening Families Programme, Families for Life@Community, and Family Service Centre to provide more coordinated support for families. In the same month, we opened a new Family Service Centre in Sengkang West, availing much needed support in a growing community.
In healthcare, together with the Home Nursing Foundation, we successfully tendered to operate new Active Ageing Centres and Senior Care Centres in Hougang and Serangoon. Together with our expanded family services footprint, this will strengthen MWS’ presence across the Hougang-Sengkang-Serangoon region, enabling us to better support Singaporeans across age groups and respond to their health and social needs in a more integrated and holistic way.
These developments also reflect our broader One MWS journey – strengthening connections across our social and healthcare services so that individuals and families can experience more coordinated and person-centred support.
At the national level, MWS spearheaded The Healing Nation to mobilise volunteers and resources in support of individuals and families served both within and outside MWS’ own programmes. More than the $1.42 million raised for critical social and healthcare services and the pledges of nearly 345,000 volunteer hours, the initiative was a powerful expression of what can happen when the Methodist community and fellow social service and community care partners, volunteers, and donors come together in unity and service to fellow Singaporeans.
The FY capped off with the launch of the MWS Endowment Fund that followed a generous $2 million donation from the estate of the late Dr Ong Yong Wan. The Fund will provide a sustainable source of support to help MWS meet the needs of beneficiaries in the years ahead. It is a meaningful reminder that stewardship is both a present responsibility and a legacy we pass on to future generations.
TRANSFORMATION WITH STEWARDSHIP
As we look ahead, our focus is clear. MWS must become even more connected and scalable, while ensuring sustainability. This calls for deeper integration, stronger practice standards, and greater collaboration with our partners and stakeholders.
To support this journey, we will set up a Transformation Office that will lead the integration of MWS’ healthcare and social services – bringing together shared capabilities, promoting learning across services, and supporting the adoption of evidence-informed practices.
Research and innovation will play a vital role in helping MWS achieve meaningful and sustainable transformation. We have therefore decommissioned the Research, Innovation & Training Academy and will be embedding research and innovation capabilities into our Healthcare and Family Services. This will allow the services to drive research and innovation based on the needs of the communities they serve, while encouraging closer collaboration and better solutions across MWS.
These strategic priorities are not ends in themselves. They are means by which we will better align service delivery, systems, processes, data, governance, and organisational capabilities for a more seamless MWS ecosystem of care.
Technology and artificial intelligence will be equally important enablers – to improve efficiency, strengthen decision making, and prepare for changing needs. Technology, however, can never replace human relationships, especially as the heart of our work remains deeply personal.
As we continue to grow, careful management of our finances remains important. In FY2025/26, disciplined spending and clear strategic focus helped strengthen MWS’ financial position.
Operating expenditure rose to $79.6 million, reflecting the expanding scale and complexity of our mission. We are thankful that donations continued to increase during this period, a sign of the enduring trust that donors place in MWS. Any surplus we build is not for comfort, but for resilience – to help us manage future uncertainties and sustain our mission for the long term.
WITH GRATITUDE AND CONFIDENCE
People remain at the heart of our mission, and I want to express my deepest appreciation to Team MWS for its professionalism, perseverance, and heart for those we serve. Any leader is strengthened by the team alongside them, and I am truly grateful for a committed, capable, and compassionate One MWS team that has carried this mission forward together.
I am also grateful to the MWS Board of Governance, Centre Governance Committees, Sub-committees, partner churches, donors, volunteers, community partners, and supporters. Your faithful partnership has enabled MWS to serve with greater reach, depth, and impact. Thank you for every act of generosity, hour volunteered, prayer offered, and partnership formed.
This will be my final Annual Report message as CEO of MWS. When I first came into this role, I was new to the sector. Over time, I have grown to deeply appreciate the work, its complexity and, most of all, the heart of all who serve in this space. I am grateful for the support, trust, and encouragement extended to me throughout this journey.
As I hand over to Albert Ching, a sector veteran with more than 30 years of experience, I do so with confidence and thanksgiving. I believe MWS will continue to grow from strength to strength and serve many more in the years ahead. Even as I move on, I will always regard myself as part of the MWS community.
May we continue to build faithfully, serve humbly, and steward well all that God has entrusted to us – for the flourishing of the communities we serve, and for His glory.
