The singular boundary-value problem $(g(x'))'=\mu f(t,x,x')$, $x'(0)=0$, $x(T)=b>0$ is considered. Here $\mu$ is the parameter and $f(t,x,y)$, which satisfies local Carathéodory conditions on $[0,T]\times(\mathbb{R}\setminus\{b\})\times(\mathbb{R}\setminus\{0\})$, may be singular at the values $x=b$ and $y=0$ of the phase variables $x$ and $y$, respectively. Conditions guaranteeing the existence of a positive solution to the above problem for suitable positive values of $\mu$ are given. The proofs are based on regularization and sequential techniques and use the topological transversality theorem.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34B16; 34B18