Muslim couples in Singapore to get support for parenthood journey
Called Achieving Resilient and Inspiring Families, program focuses on issues relating to pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, parenting and childhood
SINGAPORE (MNTV) – A pilot program in Singapore that prepares Muslim couples for parenthood and family life will become a permanent fixture in a broader program that supports such couples from before their marriage to two years after their solemnization, reports The Straits Times.
Called Achieving Resilient and Inspiring Families (ARIF), the program focuses on issues relating to pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, parenting and early childhood, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim at an ARIF event at Yusof Ishak Mosque recently.
The ARIF program was started as a pilot in September 2020, and it will now come under Bersamamu, an initiative under the Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) that was launched in 2019.
Associate Professor Faishal said that by bringing ARIF under Bersamamu, couples will get support earlier, and also be able to access resources more easily. “The aim is simple: to better prepare parents, and give every child the strongest possible start in life,” he said.
Prof Faishal also said that AMP Singapore, otherwise known as the Association of Muslim Professionals, will be appointed to lead the ARIF programme from June 2026.
He said AMP Singapore brings deep expertise in strengthening families and providing community-based support, and will work with other partners, including MUIS, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, ROMM, mosques and KKH, to deliver the program.
He said that since the start of Project ARIF, 12,000 people have been supported through public education talks. Among them were 5,175 couples.
Nurashima Kamal, 34, attended a Project ARIF Ramadan breastfeeding event just weeks before she delivered her first child in February 2025.
She said she appreciates being able to seek advice that blends Muslim beliefs with medical knowledge. For instance, she was able to get medical advice on Muslim rituals, such as the timing of circumcision for her son.
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