Sharing how to do philanthropy in China effectively at APC roundtable

by Tan Yu Ann APC hosted our first roundtable in Singapore on philanthropy in China on the 18 May 2017. Members and guests gathered to explore the fragmented Chinese philanthropy environment and the host of challenges that donors and non-profit organisations face. Philanthropy has become not only a social imperative but also an opportunity to bring private sector expertise and new perspectives into development. This opportunity for engagement certainly has not gone unnoticed by philanthropists and China’s philanthropic landscape is rapidly evolving. But this evolution in the sector has also attracted government scrutiny and will continue to attract more. Members…

Building up the next generation of Asian philanthropy professionals at APC

by Stacey Choe If you have been receiving emails from unfamiliar names at APC, you will realise that our team has grown! This year, we welcome a team of superstar interns and associates, all keen to contribute their diverse experience to our programmes. Mijail Santos Lujan and Noudhy Valdryno (Ryno) are both scholars at LKY School of Public Policy. Despite his young age, Ryno has unrivalled experience in the Indonesian political scene, having run 1 presidential and 1 governor digital media election campaigns. He has long aspired to do his part for social improvement and is currently learning the role…

Achieving the UN SDGs via Pyramid to Happiness

by Mijail Santos Lujan In 2016, 193 UN-member States came together to sign the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiative, acknowledging that the profound changes that societies are going through require efforts towards common goals. Since then, the 17 SDGs have become a tangible guide to mobilize private, public and civil society. Many organizations, including APC, have committed to this partnership for a collective good. Furthermore, exciting initiatives have arisen to promote them. Sharing APC’s belief that there is more that unites us than divides us, APC Co-founder and member, Cherie Nursalim, introduced an innovative approach to present the UN goals,…

APC supports launch of the ASEAN Social Impact Award with Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund, Ashoka and NUS

Guests at the ASEAN Social Impact Award Launch event: Sumitra (Ashoka, 7th from left), David Zuellig (APC member, 8th from left), Dr. Ann Wee (9th from left), Chairman Stanley Tan (7th from right), CEO Laurence Lien (3rd from right) by Aleithia Low The ASEAN Social Impact Award was launched on Monday 8 May 2017, by the NUS Department of Social Work in partnership with the Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund, Asia Philanthropy Circle and Ashoka Singapore. The Award aims to encourage creative and innovative ways of solving social issues by recognising initiatives from the citizen sector that have created positive social…

First APC Study Tour to Yunnan yields mutual learning, new projects and deeper understanding

Visited 10 Projects over 3 days! Covered livelihoods, WASH, education, eldercare, and community development. 4 members, 1 broken-down bus, new souvenirs and 1 birthday celebration Unlimited learning, lots of animals, and invaluable memories Follow-up: collaboration with Singapore Ministry of Social & Family Development and Tsao Foundation to replicate 995 model Mentoring and funding the farming entrepreneurs for scaling up impact: Stanley Tan by Stacey Choe APC’s first study tour brought us to Yunnan, China and turned out to be a wonderful time for member bonding and exchange across the 4-day trip. The theme of the learning journey was on rural…

Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute: The Game-Changing Brain Research Initiative

Asia Philanthropy Circle members Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen’s institute has just launched a new neuroscience initiative with the prestigious Caltech. With a funding gift of USD115 million, the programme kick starts the Chen’s venture into neuro research, treatment and discovery. However, it is also the culmination of a 2-year long journey of learning and finally deciding on their philanthropic strategy, goals and delivery methods. Like the thoughtful and decisive businessmen and investors that they are, the Chens have brought their acumen and precision into their philanthropy. From our conversation with Chrissy, we realised that what set them apart as enlightened…

Field Report: Improving Rural Education in Sumatra

There’s hope for children in rural Sumatra. One of the three axis of the Tanoto Foundation’s poverty alleviation mission is education, and for the foundation, it means improving access to education at all levels, and ensuring quality education. This is by no means easy. The statistics are stark: only 60% of children living in rural Indonesia are enrolled in primary school compared to almost all children in more affluent urban areas. A study in 2010 by the Tanoto Foundation concluded that two thirds of the rural schools it surveyed were inadequate on so many fronts. Poor infrastructure and facilities, lack…

Indonesia’s Top Radicalism Experts Highlight How Philanthropists Can Forge and Foster Bridges of Tolerance

by Zack Peterson Philanthropists face a formidable challenge when it comes to understanding where they can play a role in eradicating the roots of radicalisation and promoting tolerance. The conversation is complicated and uncovering clear-cut answers can prove daunting. Two of Indonesia’s most sought-after radicalism experts, Yenny Wahid and Sidney Jones, however, would argue that philanthropists might be some of the most well-equipped when it comes to contributing to the overall picture. Wahid and Jones joined Asia Philanthropy Circle, at Alun Alun Indonesia, in Jakarta, to provide an updated situational analysis on rising radicalism in Indonesia and the wider Southeast…

By Instilling a Sense of Community, Gerakan Kepedulian Indonesia Gives Jakarta’s Poorest a New Look on Life

by Zack Peterson Dignity, we can all agree, is as essential to life as water, food and oxygen. But for some underprivileged communities living in the slums of Jakarta, the idea of well-being empowerment and independence seemed out of reach. That was until those same marginalised communities met the passionate staff from Gerakan Kepedulian Indonesia (GKI), a local Indonesian NGO. GKI works side-by-side with 640 families at Rusunawa Daan Mogot (RDM) to build communities that foster cultured, productive and self-sustaining families to become the future of Indonesia, transforming the lives of those who have less through an integrated, sustainable and…

An Asian Philanthropist’s Journal – our journey with you

We have launched our first Annual Report! Since establishing in January 2015, APC has grown steadily with our membership and projects. The report comes as a functional journal for your safekeeping and use – An Asian Philanthropist’s Journal. Inside, we have “journal entries” from some of our members, so you can read about the motivations and aspirations of their philanthropy directly from them. We have also revamped our website, which now carries information on our current projects, media articles and will carry more resources in future as we ramp up our work. Learn more about our 8 projects on education,…