BY LAURENCE LIENCHAIRMAN, ASIA PHILANTHROPY CIRCLE I am always asked how Asian philanthropy is different from Western philanthropy. Now, I finally have an answer to hand out! At APC, we recently published a piece called ‘Observations on the Essence of Asia Philanthropy’. It has only 10 short points; so do read it and tell me what you think. These points are distilled from nearly 16 years of full-time philanthropy sector experience! Some of the points we make are around Asian giving being rooted in deep cultural values and beliefs, and believing in identity-based giving. Many in Asia are influenced by…
Journeying to Peace: A Travelogue
BY SUE TOOMEY, ASIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION In a journey to the heart of Bandung, we examine up close how to bring together communities from different race, religion, and culture to live in harmony. Earlier this year, we embarked on a journey to visit the non-profit organisation Peace Generation, whose mission is to promote peace, interracial and religious harmony in the region. Led by Ashoka Fellow Irfan Amalee, PeaceGen has been supported by The Silent Foundation and APC over the past few years under the ASEAN Peace Initiatives. As the project has come to a close, the question of What comes…
State of the Transition 2023 Report: Examining where decarbonisation challenges lie
BY LAVANYA PRAKASH Technology will play a critical role in achieving net-zero emissions globally. Climate-focused investment fund Breakthrough Energy Ventures, founded by Bill Gates, recently published a “State of the Transition 2023” report detailing advancement in decarbonisation across five major sectors described as “the grand challenges”. The report outlines several examples of startups BEV has invested in that fill critical gaps in climate tech, and have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases at scale by at least half a gigaton annually. While the report focuses on decarbonisation technologies, BEV makes the case that carbon storage and capture are essential to…
Reimagining Philanthropy for a New Asia
BY EE JEAN LAW, ASIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Given immense returns on social investment, how can strategic philanthropy address Asia’s education challenges? Insights from PAS2024. As Asia grapples with an evolving landscape marked by escalating geopolitical temperatures, rising temperatures, and social upheavals, the role of philanthropy in driving change has never been more crucial. This was at the heart of a recent dialogue organised by Asia Philanthropy Circle, Asia Community Foundation (ACF), Accelerate Indian Philanthropy (AIP), and the Gates Foundation. Hosted at APC member Anthonia Hui’s office against the stunning backdrop of the Marina Bay skyline, the dialogue gathered members from…
Education as the Great Leveller: How Philanthropy Can Bridge the Gap in Asia
BY JEROME ONG Given immense returns on social investment, how can strategic philanthropy address Asia’s education challenges? Insights from PAS2024. Education is often touted as the great leveller in society. Yet, it is not without challenges. Across Asia, pre-school enrolment rates in rural areas stand at just 40%—half that of urban areas—while the attainment gap between top- and bottom-performing students continues to widen. Conversely, the payoff for investing in education is immense. According to UNICEF, every $1 invested in pre-school education can yield $9 in returns for society. With such pressing needs and clear evidence of impact, why does education…
Timor-Leste: Where Philanthropy Packs A Punch
BY SIMON FLINT APC member Simon Flint shares his thoughts on APC’s recent site visit to Dili and Atauro Island in Timor-Leste–aka how all trip reports should look like! I seriously questioned Xanana Gusmao’s judgment when he punched me (hard), only to hug Stanley like a long-lost brother, plant a lingering kiss on Elaine’s hand, and lovingly rub Thomas’s scalp. Still, it was all of a piece with the Prime Minister’s enthusiasm for entrepreneurial philanthropists. Yet, despite Xanana’s sparkling charisma and drive, delivering development will be an immense challenge. Timor’s Human Development Index will be at the foot of the…
Our Ocean Conference: A Southeast Asian Funder’s Perspective
BY KATHLYN TAN, RUMAH GROUP Despite unpromising progress towards protecting 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030, APC member Kathlyn Tan shares her hopes as youth, innovators, philanthropists, and government leaders are standing up to take action behind the scenes. The global conference circuit is in full swing. In April, international delegates convened for not one, but two ocean conferences: the 2024 UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona and the 9th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) in Athens. Thomas and I had the opportunity to attend OOC for the first time, where our agenda included witnessing youth mobilisation in…
BRAC visit illuminates progress and challenges ahead
BY JASMINE KHIN APC’s recent visit to Dhaka highlighted progress in ethical recruitment, training, and support for Bangladeshi migrant workers. For over two years, APC has been working with BoP Hub and non-profit organisation BRAC on the Migrant Workers Project. In 2023, we received approval from the Singapore government to launch the BCA Sandbox Scheme, which enables employers to bring in Bangladeshi construction workers at low fees (~SGD 3,000) and alleviating the financial burden on workers–who often pay upwards of SGD 10,000 to migrate. In February this year, the APC team–Koon Peng Ooi, Carol Tan, and myself–together with Tony Tan…
Into the Blue: A World Ocean’s Day Celebration
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…