What happens when an ocean titan, caretaker, conservationist, innovator, and philanthropist walk into a museum with a dinosaur from 150 million years ago? BY SARAH TAM Nestled within Southeast Asia lies a vibrant marine biodiversity hotspot that serves as a lifeline for millions who rely on the oceans for food, livelihoods, and protection from natural disasters. However, oceans face multiple looming challenges: overfishing, pollution, and climate change cast large shadows over its overall health. Yet oceans, despite storing 30% of carbon emissions and absorbing 90% of global temperature rise, remain the most underfunded of all the UN Sustainable Development Goals,…
Addressing Ageing in Asia
How can we build systems that support and enable older people to live well with purpose and dignity, and remain relevant to society? BY THERESA CUA The world is greying. Asia-Pacific will likely see the fastest increase in older-populations—likely to triple between 2010 and 2050. Thus, there is a need to examine how this demographic shift will affect the very fabric of society, and whether our present structures enable people to live not just longer—but live well, with purpose and dignity. Along this thought, APC and the Tsao Foundation hosted APC members, social innovators from Ashoka, and experts who are…
Aligning win-win outcomes for social impact
In a breakfast hosted by new APC member Carl Thong, the Eagle Venture Fund shares perspectives behind their work in ESG– when more good is being done, more returns can also be made. BY YU KHING POH In a breakfast discussion hosted by new APC member Carl Thong, members heard from Wesley Lyons, Raimund Buhr, and Wade Myers from Eagle Venture Fund on their perspectives behind their focus on the “social” part of ESG, and how they champion “significant returns” with “significant impact”. They shared how older models of social entrepreneurship had inherent tensions. Creating better-quality products meant lowering profit margins,…
Scaling New Heights: Insights from the India Learning Journey
Key takeaways and highlights from APC’s India Learning Journey in April 2023. BY CAROL TAN About APC Learning Journeys APC Learning Journeys are study trips that facilitate knowledge, exchanges, and deep dives into specific issue areas, geographies and philanthropy-related themes for members. One big highlight at APC last quarter was our Learning Journey to India, led by the indefatigable Stacey Choe! India has a long and storied history in social impact, with a vibrant non-profit sector (over three million non-profit organisations!) and social innovations with impact even beyond India’s shores. Yet it remains a hidden gem, despite some pretty audacious…
What We’re Reading: The Philanthropy Transformation Initiative Report
This latest report from WINGS, a global network of philanthropy support and development organisations, focuses on enabling change, walking the talk and creating the future. BY SUE TOOMEY While APC members support a variety of social impact areas, our shared value in building inclusive and sustainable communities binds us together and drives forward the work of collaborative philanthropy to address Asia’s challenges. A June 2023 report from WINGS makes the case that not only a strategic, but a transformational approach is needed to tackle the polycrisis facing society—multiple, interconnected global threats, from the climate emergency and global pandemics to geopolitical…
Reflections for a Better Way Forward: 5 Lessons from venn 2022
BY RUNCHEN HUANG As the world reopens this borders this year, we were finally able to host our first overseas venn in three years! For venn2022, we headed over the causeway to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Earlier (as far back as 2020), we had plans for an island getaway to Pangkor Laut, the family estate of APC member Kathleen Chew; however, a trip to KL in May 2022 and seeing impressive operations by different organisations on the ground changed our minds, as we thought members would learn far more seeing things up close than from a video screen. In November, we…
The LEGO Foundation Announces Awardees for Global Challenge
by Vanessa Goeh The LEGO Foundation, in collaboration with Lever for Change, recently announced its five winners for the Build a World of Play Challenge, an open call grant competition for DKK 900 million (USD 117 million) seeking bold solutions promoting the well-being of children, their caregivers, and their communities, using culturally relevant and sustainable approaches. The social challenge seeks to address the early childhood crises aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to create a global movement to prioritise early childhood development (ECD). Ten finalists were earlier chosen from a pool of 627 applicants from 86 countries. Their…
Reopening borders, reopening minds
BY STACEY CHOECHIEF OPERATING OFFICER I hope things are going well for you as the world starts to open up. At APC, we are beginning to travel, too. In May, we will be visiting some of you in Vietnam, then Malaysia. We will also pop over to Thailand in June. It has been too long—yet none of you have felt very far away with the many online events that have brought us together. Our in-person events are also increasing, with international leaders like Mark Suzman (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) traveling through Singapore and keen to meet with the APC community….
Regional Early Childhood Research kicks off
The study will map the current ECD landscape in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China towards providing recommendations to improve outcomes in the region. BY THERESA CUA Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a challenge faced by many countries in Asia—with local priorities, challenges, and models varying across the region. Outcomes vary. APC is coordinating a Regional ECD Research, which recently kicked off in March. The research will map the current ECD landscape for children aged 0-6 in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China. In particular, the research will examine parenting and early learning programmes and policies, identify common measurement tools to…
Examining Philanthropy’s Role in Grantee Wellbeing
As burnout increases in the social change sector, what role can funders in Asia play in creating a culture of wellbeing for grantees? BY NANCY CHANG Leaders in the social change sector continuously advocate for important social issues and are drivers of progress in our world. However, in the pursuit of promoting wellbeing and improving the living quality of people in need, non-profit heroes oftentimes neglect their own. The pandemic has unveiled the widespread feeling of burnout in the social change sector, and along with it, a growing demand for wellbeing support. Thus, APC sought to examine the role of…