salt_2005_05_06

MasterBuilder

Yong Teck Mengof HFH Digs In

Firm FoundationsGrantmaking in Singapore

VolunteerismFanning the Spirit Post-Tsunami

The Doctor Is InRaffles Medical’s

Dr Loo Choon Yong

LifetimePartnerships

UBS’ Social Mission

GimmeSome Lovin’

Yap Ching Wi of KMSPKS

For Volunteers, Donors and NonprofitsNo. 9May-Jun 2005

AD 1NTUC FAIRPRICE

May-Jun 2005 S A LT • 1

contents SALT No. 9 May-Jun 2005

DEPARTMENTS2 LETTER FROM SALT

4 MAILBAG

6 NEWS BRIEFS A wrap-up of events, programmes

and activities in the People Sector.

PEOPLE MOVEMENTS Appointments and new postings in the

People Sector.

11 VOLUNTEER PROFILEYong Teck Meng of Habitat for

Humanity Singapore is hands-on in

more ways than one.

13 PEOPLE SECTOR PEOPLEYap Ching Wi spreads her message

of loving-kindness.

22 WALK THE TALKFor banking giant UBS, corporate

social responsibility is all about

building lifetime partnerships.

23 NEW SALTMusic For Good does more than

play music.

26 SALT AND PEPPERCEO of Alexandra Hospital,

Liak Teng Lit, certainly receives

more than he gives.

27 SALT TALKSCEO of NVPC, Mrs Tan Chee Koon,

asks: Is a giving society necessarily

a mature society?

28 SCENE AND SEEN

30 CALENDAR

32 A DASH OF SALT

ON THE COVERHabitat for Humanity builds houses for those in need, but as its Singapore chapter Chairman Yong Teck Meng shares, it’s more than just about building houses. Story on page 11.

Photographed by Benson Goh.

SALT SHAKERS AND MOVERS

The Good Doctor

Guest writer CHEN HUIFEN discovers what spurs Dr Loo Choon Yong, Executive Chairman of Raffles Medical Group, on in his quest to pay back society.

24

14PILLARS OF GIVINGIn the final of three features on Singapore’s philanthropic landscape, KEVIN LEE examines the impact made by one of our main pillars of giving – grantmakers.

19 KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVEThousands of Singaporeans volunteered during the tsunami crisis, but is the spirit of volunteerism truly within us? HALIMAH CHEW and SUZANNE LIM ponder.

2 • S A LT May-Jun 2005

SALT is a nonprofit magazine with a managed circulation for members of nonprofit organisations, grantmakers

and companies in Singapore. Those interested in receiving a copy,

please email [email protected]. We regret that the print run prevents

fulfilling all requests.

International readers please email subscriber requests and mailing details.

There will be an annual postage and handling charge for all international subscribers.

EDITORSuzanne Lim

CONTRIBUTORSMichelle BongMervin Chua

Daven Wu

PUBLISHING CONSULTANT AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE

Epigram

SALT is published bi-monthly by the National Volunteer

& Philanthropy Centre7 Maxwell Road

#05-01 Annex B, MND Complex Singapore 069111

Tel: 6550 9595 Fax: 6221 0625

Website: www.nvpc.org.sgEmail: [email protected]

Copyright is held by the publisher. All rights reserved.

Production in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in SALT are those of the authors

and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Printed by Fabulous Printers

MITA (P) 027/11/2004

To advertise, please call Suzanne Lim at tel: 6550 9563 Email: [email protected]

orCynthia Tay at tel: 6292 4456

Email: [email protected]

L E T T E R F R O M S A L T

If there was one thing the tsunami disaster did unearth, it’s that there’s a volunteer inside all of us. Within a week of setting up our tsunami crisis volunteer hotline, we received hundreds of calls from people of all walks of life offering to help in

whatever way they could. The truth was that for many of these volunteers, their time to help was not during the immediate aftermath, but in the future. Our role was to keep their volunteering spirit alive and linking them to projects that fed them with some sense of fulfilment.

Recruiting volunteers is just the first step, managing their expectations is truly the harder task and a key component to successful volunteer management. This was a point that was highlighted repeatedly in Best Practices in Volunteer Management, a publication we launched at our NPO Forum in March, which showcased successful strategies adopted by eight nonprofits in their management and retention of their volunteers. It’s one thing to get volunteers on board; the challenge really is how do we keep them on board?

The retention of volunteers seems to be a perennial issue faced by nonprofits and our 2004 volunteerism survey figures bear this out – 24% of former volunteers cited “burn out” as their main reason for quitting volunteer work. How do we keep the volunteerism fire burning? At our NPO Forum, keynote speaker and volunteer management guru Susan Ellis shared her ideas. Find out what they were in our feature Keeping The Spirit Alive on page 19.

One volunteer who certainly has his passion still aflame is Yong Teck Meng, Chairman of Habitat for Humanity Singapore. A volunteer since his teens and three decades on, he still intends to keep going. Read about what feeds his volunteerism zeal in our Volunteer Profile on page 11.

In this issue, we also conclude our three-part series on the philanthropic landscape in Singapore. The spotlight is turned on a group that are publicity shy – Singapore-based foundations and grantmakers. NVPC’s Kevin Lee examines the impact that they have made on the giving scene in Pillars of Giving on page 14.

All this and more in this issue of SALT... enjoy the read!

Jennifer LimDirector, Marketing & Community PartnershipsNational Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

P.S. Nominations for the National Volunteerism & PhilanthropyAwards 2005 are now open. Visit www.nvpc.org.sg for more details!

Jennifer with a “copy” of Best Practices in Volunteer Management.

AD 2EXXONMOBILE


MAILBAGDO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE? We welcome your letters, news of upcoming events and pictures. Please send them to SALT, 7 Maxwell Road, #05-01 Annex B, MND Complex, Singapore 069111; or email [email protected]. Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters and articles may be edited for space and clarity.

To Give Or Not To Give

Dear Editor,

I refer to the above article in SALT Issue No. 8 (Mar-Apr 2005) and note that you had extracted a portion of Ms Saw Phaik Hwa’s comments on corporate giving that appeared in the

29 November 2004 edition of The Business Times. While we are pleased that SALT has taken note of Ms Saw’s views, we would appreciate that her views are presented in a manner that accurately reflects her sentiments.

In her comment to The Business Times, Ms Saw did mention that companies do not have a social responsibility but she acknowledges, “...being socially responsible or otherwise differentiates one company from another”. She is also of the view that “the goal of every initiative in the name of social responsibility must be altruistic”. In excluding her accompanying comments, your article inadvertently gave rise to negative views of Ms Saw and of the organisation that she helms.

Ms Saw firmly believes in and supports corporate giving, especially employee volunteerism. She also contributes her time for charitable causes, the most recent being a special volunteer for Mainly I Love Kids (MILK) first Share-A-Meal fundraiser. As an organisation, SMRT Corporation is committed to contrib-uting to the communities it serves, setting aside 1 per cent of our profit for worthy causes.

In light of this information, we would appreciate a clarification of Ms Saw’s views on corporate giving in the next issue of SALT.

Goh Chee Kong, Vice President, Corporate CommunicationsSMRT Corporation Ltd

Editor’s note: We apologise for any inconvenience that may have been caused to Ms Saw Phaik Hwa and SMRT Corporation by the use of her comment in SALT. For purposes of clarification, we reproduce here the full comment made by Ms Saw to The Business Times: “No. Companies do not have a social responsibility. A company is essentially an enterprise established for business and profit. However, being socially responsible or otherwise differentiates one company from another. Is it good for business? It certainly reflects well on a company, but whether it translates to new business or business growth remains to be quantified. After all, a profitable business must essentially be built on a sound strategy and good products. I am of the view that the goal of every initiative in the name of social responsibility must be altruistic. It cannot be about building the reputation of the company to reap financial gains, nor performed without any heart to the commitment and actions.”

SALT Shakers & Movers

Dear Editor,

Kudos for the article on Dr and Mrs Lee Seng Gee in the Jan-Feb 2005 issue of SALT! The writer gave us an interesting insight into one of the most generous families

in Singapore. I first got to know about the Lee Foundation when they supported a Raleigh International expedition to Chile I went on back in 1998. Now that I am working as a fundraiser with the Singapore After-Care Association, I can see that Dr and Mrs Lee hold a special place in the hearts of many individuals and organisations. It is certainly not easy to convince them to be interviewed because they give from the heart and not for the publicity. Well done, SALT team! With this and the many other articles featured, SALT is definitely a high quality magazine that provides a good read.

Dennis Chai, Singapore After-Care Association

Coming Soon... SALT Online

Dear Editor,

I enjoy reading SALT a lot. The stories are interesting and at times, inspiring as well. May I suggest you upload a PDF version of SALT onto your website? It’ll be great reading for

volunteers and would-be volunteers!

Peter Lye

Editor’s note: You will be glad to know that a PDF version of SALT will soon be available on our website www.nvpc.org.sg. Watch out for it!

Dear Editor,

I chanced upon a copy of SALT at my colleague’s desk. It’s good to have a magazine like SALT that focuses on the nonprofit sector. However, I would like to suggest that perhaps in the

future, SALT can collate and publish key volunteer activities that are going on for the months the particular issue covers, as that will be very useful for people like me who are on the lookout for volun-teering opportunities. Keep up the good work!

Carrie Koh

Editor’s note: Thank you for your suggestion. We will certainly keep it in mind for future issues. In the meantime, log onto www.nvpc.org.sg to find out the latest volunteering opportunities available on eMatch.

AD 3SPH


Woman On TopIn view of her personal

achievements, ex-national hockey player Annabel

Pennefather could well be dubbed ‘The First Lady’. The latest feather in her cap is being crowned Her World magazine’s Woman of the Year 2004, in addition to being Singapore’s first female chef de mission to last year’s Athens Olympics, the first female president of the Singapore Hockey Federation, and the first female member of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). Over the next five years, the vivacious 56-year-old intends to raise hockey’s standards, bring more women into sports admin-istration and even become the first Singaporean female to join the International Olympic Council!

B R I E F S

N E W SA W R A P - U P O F H A P P E N I N G S A R O U N D S I N G A P O R E

Watch where you swing that hockey stick, Annabel!

Pho

to c

ou

rtes

y o

f SPH

– T

he

Stra

its

Tim

es

TWO BECOME ONE

In the spirit of collaboration for the common greater

good, the Association of Fundraising Professionals

(AFP) and the Association of Fundraisers (AFS) have

merged to form the Association of Fundraising

Professionals (Singapore Chapter). The aims of AFP

are to foster the development and growth of fund-

raising professionals, while preserving and enhancing

philanthropy and volunteerism.

HELP ACROSS BORDERS

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has

opened its first kidney dialysis centre in

the Pacific island of Samoa. Located at the

Tupua Tamasese Meaole Memorial Hospital,

the centre boasts 12 dialysis machines and

10 dialysis stations. Previously, Samoans

suffering from severe kidney failure were

sent to New Zealand for treatment, a costly

exercise for the Samoan government. Said

Mr Richard Yong, Chairman of NKF, “We are

not only giving technical expertise, but we

will be taking charge of the operations of

the dialysis centre as well. With time, we will

be training the local staff in various areas,

and transferring our expertise to them.”

Samoa’s Health Minister Hon. Mulitalo Siafausa Vui (in orange) took guests on a tour of the new dialysis centre.

FREE LEGAL KNOW-HOW

The Law Society of Singapore is seeking more

applications from nonprofit organisations (NPOs)

for Project Law Help, an initiative started by a

group of lawyers, in-house counsels and academics

in September 2004 to pair up NPOs with law firms

willing to provide free non-litigation legal advice.

Help is available in areas like e-commerce contracts

and copyright issues. For more information,

call Gokul Haridas, Director of Community Relations

at the Law Society of Singapore at 65323105.

DEARLY MISSED

Bryan Davenport passed away suddenly in

February 2005, but he will be fondly remem-

bered as a driven man with great passion for his

work as President of the Eurasian Association (EA).

Davenport devoted much of his time to helping

the less fortunate, and spearheaded CareerLink,

a one-stop job centre for job seekers. “The needy

had a friend and champion in Bryan. He would

pull out his wallet and give $100 to the destitute

he met,” said EA’s Acting General Manager

Mr George Pasqual. “He’s a true son of Singapore.”

The late Bryan Davenport (second from left) having a blast at the National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards gala dinner at the Istana in November 2004.


Idol Support

Last year, he commandeered thousands of SMS votes to become the first Singapore Idol. Recently, local celebrity Taufik Batisah pulled off yet another heroic

victory – this time, for the Bukit Batok Community Club. His guest appearance at their youth recruitment drive attracted 420 registrations in one day, the equivalent of what would normally have taken two years to achieve. Said the Bukit Batok resident and the constituency’s youth ambassador, “I hope that will encourage the youth to take part in more grassroots activities.”

P E O P L E M O V E M E N T S

Christine Wong was appointed

Executive Director of Methodist

Welfare Services (MWS) in March

2005. Prior to her appointment,

she served as Deputy Director

(Programmes) for MWS for five years, working

closely with service centres and partner

churches to develop programmes to meet social

needs. She spearheaded the Bethany Homehelp

Service (formerly known as Wesley Homejoy

Service) and the Psychological Assessment &

Referral Service (PARS).

Methodist Welfare Services has 13 service

hubs, including family service centres, children

and youth centres located across the island

serving the sick and frail, the destitute,

the elderly, families in crisis, disadvantaged

youths and children, and the terminally ill.

Tel: 64784700; email: [email protected]

Ang Koo Peng, a trained accoun-

tant with over 25 years of experi-

ence, joined Heartware Network

as its General Manager in March

2005. Previously, he was the

Regional Financial Controller for Burberry’s and

Ossia International. A father of three, his career

switch to youth-related work is largely driven by

his desire to understand youths better and to see

them taking charge of their lives, learning the

right values and living their dreams. Tel: 63274414;

email: [email protected]

Prior to joining the Singapore

Heart Foundation (SHF) as its

Chief Operating Officer, Vernon Kang was the Executive Director

of the Methodist Welfare Services

(MWS). He was with MWS for eight years, the first

four as the Director of Finance & Administration,

and the last four as its ED. He will be focusing

on strengthening the administrative, HR and

finance procedures and processes at SHF.

The key activities of SHF are to promote heart

health, and to prevent and reduce disability and

death due to cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Tel: 62360631; email: [email protected]

Lee Poh Wah joined the Lien Foundation in

January 2005 as its Senior Programme Manager.

Prior to his appointment, he was the Business

Development Manager at the Ministry of

Community Development, Youth and Sports,

championing its Social Enterprise movement.

He has also previously held several executive

positions in the private sector.

The Lien Foundation was established in

1980 and supports nonprofit innovations in

the areas of education, family-at-risk, elderly

care, and the environment. Tel: 65356217;

email: [email protected]

All smiles: Taufik readily posed with fans who turned up at Bukit Batok Community Club’s youth recruitment drive.

Pho

to c

ou

rtes

y o

f Bu

kit

Bat

ok

You

th T

ask

Forc

e

CHAIRS FOR CHARITY

As part of homegrown Osim’s 25th anniversary celebra-

tions, five specially designed Osim massage chairs will

be auctioned off at the end of the year to raise money for

the Children’s Cancer Foundation. This unique effort has

garnered the support and creative talents of luminaries

like badminton player Ronald Susilo and entertainer

Kumar, who have put their artwork on the upholstery.

CALLING FOR NOMINATIONS

Nominations for the President’s

Social Service Awards 2005

are now open. The Awards are

conferred by the President’s

Office to honour and recognise

outstanding voluntary contribu-

tions made towards the social

service sector by an individual, an

informal group, a formal group/

nonprofit or public sector organi-

sation, and a corporation. The

closing date for nominations is 20

May 2005. For more information,

log onto www.ncss.org.sg/presi-

dents award or call 62102561.

Pho

to c

ou

rtes

y o

f SPH

– T

he

Stra

its

Tim

es

Ronald Susilo makes his mark.


MOVE FOR GOOD

Fundraising

efforts for

the St Andrew’s

Mission Hospital

got off to a flying

start on 12 March

as Anglican

bishop Dr John

Chew flagged

off more than 50

bikers and inline

skaters at the

hospital’s Simei site for its bike-and-blade fundraiser. The 478km

route took the participants across locations like Mersing, Desaru

and Tanjong Belungkor under difficult conditions which included

searing heat and hilly terrain. $90,000 was raised, with more activities

being planned to meet the target of $500,000.

MOVING ON

After 13 fruitful years during which she turned the relatively obscure sport of netball into

the number one women’s sport in Singapore, outspoken Ivy Singh-Lim has stepped down

as President of Netball Singapore (NS). Treasurer Tan Wee Khim has been appointed the new

president. “It feels great that I can finally step down and make way for a new leader. I know I

am leaving the sport in good hands. I now have time to do so many things which I have always

wanted to do. Also, I don’t have to deal with donkeys anymore!” said the irrepressible Singh-Lim.

She is disappointed that she has not been able to contribute more to sports in Singapore.

“After 20 years, I am still dealing with people who seem to be brain-dead. We built a

sports school that does not have a competition hall to host indoor matches for fans. We also built a new stadium and

indoor complex at Choa Chu Kang that cost more than $50 million, but it cannot host indoor sports events. I just don’t

understand why we are wasting money. It is unbelievable!”

Chance To LearnSix scholarships worth $22,000

were given out to children aged between eight and 18

from the Jamiyah Children’s Home as part of SembCorp Environmental Management’s (SembEnviro) Learning Scholarship Awards programme. Said SembEnviro’s President and CEO,

Ms Loh Wai Kiew, “Education is a very precious gift and every child should be granted an equal opportunity to pursue an education regardless of his or her background. I hope this contribution will spur them on to a brighter future.” The home also received a 12-seater passenger van that will be used to transport the children to and from school.

The kids from Jamiyah couldn’t hide their delight with their new van, courtesy of SembEnviro.

BUMPER SUPPORT

The National University of

Singapore (NUS) was the

recipient of three gifts amounting

to $159 million recently. The Lee

Foundation, founded by the

late Dr Lee Kong Chian in 1952,

presented NUS with a cheque

for $30 million, which will go

towards setting up a nursing

school as well as new scholar-

ships and professorships over

the next three years.

Former OCBC Chairman Tan

Chin Tuan gave $29 million to

fund four Tan Chin Tuan Centen-

nial Professorships, faculty and

student collaborations with the

University of Malaya in Kuala

Lumpur, and joint programmes

for architecture and arts and

social science students.

The largest amount of $100

million was made in memory of

Hong Kong-trained doctor and

business man Yong Loo Lin. The

money, from the Yong Loo Lin

Trust, will go towards the Yong

Loo Lin School of Medicine, where

research will be done in eight

areas including heart diseases,

infectious diseases and cancer.

Ready, set, go!

BABY LOVE

Teenagers facing unplanned pregnancies now have a new

avenue of help, thanks to seven agencies including Family Life

Society and Beyond Social Services who have banded together to

launch a new initiative called BABES. This nation-wide campaign

aims to offer shelter, counselling and medical services to these

troubled teens. Those who need assistance can call 1800-6868623

or SMS to 8111 3535.

Fists of power.

AD 4MOBILEONE

AD 5ARBINGER


“My friends preferred to play sports or pursue their own hobbies. I just chose to do

something different,” reflects Yong Teck Meng on his teenage years. That “some-thing different” was doing volunteer work. Almost three decades on, the 42-year-old general manager of a company dealing with creative learning in Chinese is still flying high the flag for volunteerism. In fact, a quarter of his week is devoted to it!

The affable Yong is Chairman of Habitat For Humanity Singapore (HFH), the local arm of Habitat For Humanity International, the Christian nonprofit that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, regardless of race or creed. Yong’s involvement with HFH started in 2002 when he was invited by one of its directors to start a branch in Singapore. Listening to him, it’s difficult not to be “infected” by his enthusiasm, something he is quick to credit mentors like the late Dr Ee Peng Liang for.

“I had the privilege of working with Dr Ee when I was fundraising for the Community Chest,” he recalls. “At one event, Dr Ee was to receive a cheque on behalf of Comm Chest from a local bank. Being a physically large man, he had difficulty getting up from the sofa to receive it. The president of the bank cracked a joke and asked if he really wanted the cheque. Dr Ee replied, ‘Even if you were to ask me to crawl on all fours to you to get it, I will do it!’ I was so choked with emotion, I couldn’t speak! His humility

and untiring effort on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised in Singapore is still a constant inspiration to me.”

During HFH’s various building missions, the hands-on Yong is often present, spreading cement, stacking bricks, and digging trenches with the other volunteers. From as near as Batam to as far away as Mongolia and Nepal, HFH volunteers – a motley crew of professionals, office workers and students from disparate backgrounds – have laid foundations in all these places.

And it’s not only those with big bulging muscles who qualify to join. Yong is quick to point out that their tasks are really not as daunting or backbreaking as they sound. “One of our best volunteer bricklayers is a gentle, fair-skinned lady executive working in the headhunting industry!” he exclaims.

HFH’s biggest task in the near future is the building of 4,800 homes in tsunami-affected countries, for which it has received an in-principle approval grant of US$8 million from the Singapore Red Cross’ Tsunami Reconstruction Committee to do so. Says Yong, the father of two girls aged seven and 14, “Our partners from the International office are already working with local authorities in Meulaboh to plan the build and come April, I will be leading a survey team there. Lots of challenges await us, but we are determined to make this a success.”

But it’s also much more than about building houses. “I believe we can transform Singapore into a more caring

community – one that’s less concerned about her own relatively minor complaints, and more concerned about the plight of millions around the world,” he says. “Bringing people of different backgrounds, faiths and races together for a good cause will help to foster harmony among the races in Singapore and make neighbouring coun-tries appreciate Singaporeans a lot more. It’s about promoting regional well-being.”

He adds, “I am driven by my Christian faith and the understanding that I live for a purpose. But that purpose cannot be entirely about myself or my family. The little that I can do goes a long way towards making an impact on the lives of others. That’s why I continue to do what I can, when I can.

“Volunteerism is not only for a specific group of people – it is a simple question of choice.”

For more information about Habitat For Humanity, visit www.habitat.org.sg.

Master BuilderHe’s been a volunteer since he was a teenager and more than two decades later,

he’s still building on those early foundations. Michelle Bong gets inspired by Habitat For Humanity Singapore’s Yong Teck Meng.

Hands-on: Yong Teck Meng demonstrates his cementing prowess.

“ Volunteerism is not only for a specific group of people – it is a simple question of choice.”

V O L U N T E E R P R O F I L E

AD 6SAMSUNG


The first impression one gets on first meeting Yap Ching Wi is her constant smile. The second is

of a very keen sense of self-awareness and empathy for others. And as one speaks to her, a clear picture of her social conscience and sympathies – threads that wind their way through her entire career as social activist, social worker and arts administrator – emerge.

These, at the end of the day, are the very personal qualities that make Yap so ideally suited to her role as Manager of the Youth Ministry at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.

By all accounts, it has been a long and often eventful journey. When she was an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore (NUS), she was actively involved in social work. And for several years, she was a social worker with the Tsao Foundation before she undertook a Masters in Social Policy and Planning at the eminent London School of Economics. “I had a lot of time to reflect during that time,” she says. On her return, she joined The Necessary Stage, attracted by the group’s strong social programmes for the youth and community as well as the opportunity to work from the ground-up.

But there was a gnawing suspicion that she was not performing at her poten-tial. She was tired all the time, her mind racing from one project to another. She eventually realised that “being equipped with technical skills is not enough. You also need compassion and wisdom. Otherwise, you can’t help people.”

Her constant search for “a better way to help others” eventually led her, first to meditation classes, then volunteer work

at the Youth Ministry and eventually to her present role. “I found a niche for myself,” says Yap simply. “I realised it was about me taking care of me. It’s about showing loving-kindness to myself. If I don’t fix myself and I don’t understand about showing loving-kindness to myself, how do I know if I’m sending loving-kindness out to the universe?”

This is a personal search that has brought Yap far, and in the process, it’s easy to understand why she herself eventually became a Buddhist. “From an observer with an intellectual mind, I had switched from an outside observer to an insider doing.”

More importantly, the work of the Youth Ministry dovetails seamlessly with

Yap’s personal philos-ophy of working from the ground-up in that it supports young adults by striving to impart positive influences to their career aspirations and spiritual growth. This is done through talks or workshops such as a weekly personal spiritual and personal development programme.

“We also provide meaningful and fun voluntary opportunities in areas such as environmental protection and charity,” Yap elaborates. “You have to work close to the source of the problem; otherwise, you’re just treating the symptoms. In this case, we have to develop the young.”

To that end, Yap works closely with the community to develop programmes that help create a nurturing environment for the young. Buddhism lies at the core of these programmes, though it is not a push factor.

“The common entry point,” explains Yap, “is that the people we work with are seeking personal development or the meaning of life. They’re trying to work out why they’re not fulfilled even though they have a great job, family and friends.”

By all accounts, Yap’s work today is an extraordinarily fulfilling one. “I am content and enjoying myself,” she says. “There are a lot of opportunities to learn and grow. It’s a brilliant job!”

Which might explain the constant smiles.

For more information on Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, visit www.kmspks.org.

First, Love Thy SelfAs Yap Ching Wi of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery tells Daven Wu, you’ve got to

show loving-kindness to yourself first, before spreading it to the world.

The search is over: Yap Ching Wi has found her niche with the Youth Ministry at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.

“ If I don’t fix myself and I don’t understand about showing loving-kindness to myself, how do I know if I’m sending loving-kindness out to the universe?”

P E O P L E S E C T O R P E O P L E


Foundations are often a major port of call for nonprofit organisations (NPOs) wanting to keep their operations afloat. This is not surprising, given the rich philanthropic tradition of foundations in Singapore. The Lee Foundation,

winner of the Special Recognition Award at the National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2004, was established over half a century ago in 1952, while the Shaw Foundation was set up in 1957.

The amounts donated by major Singapore grantmakers are impressive, whether taken individually or collectively. The Lee Foundation recently gave $60 million for the new National Library Board building and $50 million to the

Singapore Management University, while the Shaw Foundation has donated some $270 million since its inception.

“Foundations are very important. Without their help and support, many organisations and programmes would not survive,” remarks Mrs Tisa Ng, President of Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO). “The trouble is that there are not many of them in Singapore! It would be great if more of our elite families would set up foundations.”

SUM TOTALThere are currently about 143 trusts and foundations

in Singapore, based on the number of charities with the word “foundation” or “trust” in their names. Of these, 79 of them

NVPC’SNATIONALPHILANTHROPYSURVEY

As part of its study on the philanthropy scene,

the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

commissioned its first ever survey on grantmaking

in Singapore. In this final instalment of three SALT

features, KEVIN LEE examines the impact made by

one of our main pillars of giving – grantmakers.

GLVINGPillarsof


are grantmakers – those whose main activities are giving grants and who have given grants in at least one of the past two years.

According to the survey and based on data available, in 2003, grantmakers in Singapore gave away about $405 million. In contrast, the corporate sector gave away only about $111 million.

Interestingly enough, the biggest grantmaker isn’t a foundation as most of us would see it, and it certainly does not bear the word “foundation” in its name. It is the Singapore Totalisator Board (often known simply as the Tote Board), the parent of Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club. Singapore Totalisator Board acquired Singapore Pools from Temasek Holdings in 2004.

The Tote Board (including Singapore Pools) gives away about $300 million a year, based on information provided in the 2004 parliamentary debate on the Singapore Totalisator Board (Amendment) Bill. Singapore Pools itself has contributed over $1 billion to the community since it started operations in 1968, with over $176 million in financial year 2003/2004 alone.

Singapore Totalisator Board, Lee Foun-dation and Shaw Foundation, together with SingHealth Foundation and Lien Foundation, make up the “Big Five” grantmakers in Singapore.

The new kid on the block is SingHealth Foundation, which began life as SingHealth Endowment Fund in 2002. Its vision is to make lives better through improving healthcare, be it in medical research, education or patient care.

“The benefits of our efforts may not be immediate, but it will help to meet our nation’s healthcare needs in the future,” says Professor Tan Ser Kiat, Chairman of

SingHealth Foundation and Group CEO of SingHealth.But grantmakers need not be big, nor need they be

set up in Singapore, to benefit the Singapore community. The Ian Ferguson Foundation, for example, is relatively small but has made an impact on the community by “helping small and needy charities”, according to Mrs Peony Ferguson, the foundation’s Chairperson and wife of its late founder Ian Ferguson. Administered by trustees in Hong Kong, it has donated to charities in Singapore and elsewhere.

LEVERAGING THE AVERAGESGrantmakers in 2003 each gave on average over $5

million. But this average is highly skewed by the Big Five donors who collectively account for 92% of the total grants.

The survey revealed that 68% of 43 grantmakers each gave $1 million or less in 2003. The smallest known total grant made by a single grantmaker in that year was $8,000,

while the largest known grant (excluding Singapore Totalisator Board) was $49 million.

“Foundations are very important... The trouble is that there are not many of them in Singapore!”

Mrs Tisa Ng, President, SCWO

The Lee Foundation’s gift of $50 million to SMU was one of the largest ever given to a university in Singapore.

Picture courtesy of Singapore Management University

“Foundations... are private in the sense that they arise from private wealth. But once they have been granted tax exempt status, they exist solely for public benefit.” Mr Alan Pifer, former President, Carnegie Corporation (US grantmaker)

One of SingHealth Foundation's key initiatives is CUREto help find cures for diseases affecting humankind.


# Accumulated funds may not reflect total assets *Registered under the Ministry of Health Central Health Endowment Fund as the SingHealth Endowment Fund **Estimate Source: compiled by NVPC from annual reports and other public documents. All information correct at press time.

THE BIG FIVE

Top Five Grantmakers (2003)Singapore

Totalisator BoardLee Foundation Shaw Foundation

SingHealth Foundation

Lien Foundation

Date of Establishment 1988 1952 1957 2002 1980

Constitution Statute Company Limited Company Limited Rules and Company Limited by Guarantee by Guarantee Regulations* by Guarantee

Charity Status NA Yes Yes Yes Yes

IPC Status NA No No Yes No

Website www.singtote.gov.sg NA www.shaw.com.sg/ www.singhealth.com.sg/ NA shawstory/shawstory12.htm shfoundation

Founder(s) NA Dr Lee Kong Chian Sir Run Run Shaw, NA Dr Lien Ying Chow Tan Sri Runme Shaw

Chairperson Dr Yeo Ning Hong Dr Lee Seng Gee Dr Shaw Vee Meng Prof Tan Ser Kiat Mrs Margaret Lien (Council Member) (Governor)

Key Executive Mr Lim Teck Leong NA NA Dr Kwa Chong Teck Mr Lee Poh Wah, Chief Executive Director Senior Programme Manager

Accumulated Funds# (S$m) NA 48 78 17 8

Grants (S$m) 300** 49 13 9 3

Head and shoulders above the other

grantmakers is the Tote Board

(incorporating Singapore Pools and

Singapore Turf Club). In addition to offering

the hope of fulfilling its customers’ dreams,

it offers hope to nonprofit organisations and

their beneficiaries. With Singapore Pools and

Turf Club under one roof and the entry fees

from the upcoming casinos, the Tote Board is

likely to continue to top the grantmaking list

in the years to come.

The low-profile Lee Foundation has been

making headlines recently with its high profile

donations, such as the $30-million gift to the

National University of Singapore in April 2005.

Chairman Dr Lee Seng Gee said, “If you are

lucky enough to have excess wealth, there

is no point just locking up the money in the

bank. Give it away to help others who need it.”

The philanthropic work of the Shaw

brothers started even before the Shaw

Foundation was set up. In 1948, Sir Run Run

Shaw and Tan Sri Runme Shaw started the

tradition of giving parcels and cash personally

to the aged during Chinese New Year.

The Shaw Foundation was set up in 1957

“with the overriding principle that wealth

contributed by society should be returned

and in generous measures.”

The SingHealth Foundation is registered

under the Ministry of Health Central Health

Endowment Fund as the SingHealth

Endowment Fund. It is the only grantmaker

in the top five that has IPC status. It is also the

only one with a specific focus on health.

The foundation aims to fill the gaps in the

present healthcare delivery system by

supporting critical programmes that

otherwise might go un-funded.

The Lien Foundation was established in

1980 by Dr Lien Ying Chow, when he donated

almost half his wealth to start it. Dr Lien, at

various times of his life, was a banker, hotelier,

entrepreneur, diplomat, community leader

and philanthropist. Although the foundation

is 25 years old, it is “very much a work-in-

progress outfit with a start-up feel, ” says Mr

Lee Poh Wah, its Senior Programme Manager.

“We will evolve to stay relevant and

connected to the community and the causes

we aim to serve through our contributions.”

Of the grantmakers, 47% of them are family foundations, while 14% are corporate foundations. The others were set up mostly by “special interest” groups, such as religious organisations and societies.

Beyond corporate donations, some companies have preferred to show their sustained commitment to corporate philanthropy by setting up their own corporate foundations. CFO Asia magazine describes such a move as helpful, because “funds for philanthropy and those for business are clearly separated”.

The Hong Leong Foundation, established in 1980, is an example. Through the foundation, the Hong Leong

Group is better able to focus attention, resources and commitment towards philanthropy, and also enable it to reach out to more charitable organisations and community-related programmes.

WHO’S WHO?The truth of the matter is that relatively little is known

about most grantmakers in Singapore. Even among the Big Five, information about them usually only surfaces when they make major donations that attract media attention. The Lee Foundation, for instance, has served the community for over half a century. Yet, it has no website


to speak of, and its Chairman, Dr Lee Seng Gee, has given only three interviews in all of his 83 years. (Catch his third one in SALT Jan/Feb 2005 issue).

In Singapore, some grantmakers don’t even list their telephone numbers, much less make their financial information easily available to the public. Some are also created through wills and trusts, and their existence is not publicly known unless they register as charities.

This is in contrast to developed countries like the USA, where there is greater visibility and transparency of founda-tions. It is what Carnegie Corporation, a major US grantmaker calls operating with “glass pockets”. Mr Alan Pifer, a former President of Carnegie Corporation said foundations have a “dual private and public nature”. They are private in the sense that they arise from private wealth. However, they are also public in the sense that “once they have been granted tax exempt status, they exist solely for public benefit.”

The legal environment in the two countries is however different. In Singapore, there is no specific legislation to govern foundations, unlike that for charities and institutions of a public character (IPCs). If a foundation is a charity or IPC, then it is governed by the relevant legislation. Many foundations here do register as charities to enjoy tax exemption under the Income Tax Act.

One of the income tax requirements is that a charity’s income is exempt from tax if 80% of its donations and income (less the allowable deductions) for Year One are spent on charities/charitable objectives within Singapore by Year Two.

This 80% rule certainly encourages grantmakers with charitable status to make donations. In its 2003 annual report, the Lee Foundation stated that it needed to donate about $29 million to meet this requirement.

While the encouragement to donate on a yearly basis has its merits, income could vary from year to year, and grantmakers who wish to fund multi-year programmes over a longer term, rather than process requests from year to year, may find difficulty doing so.

NOT TAKEN FOR GRANTEDThe 80% rule also implicitly assumes that there are

causes worthy to receive grants each year. If, in a grantmaker’s opinion, there are insufficient worthy causes for that year, it has to decide whether to donate the money anyway to what it may deem to be less worthy causes, or to donate less than 80% and pay tax.

The survey findings show that the quality of applications is an issue. When asked for the main reason why grant applications were unsuccessful, 21 out of 25 grantmakers responded that the applications did not meet their grant making guidelines.

The survey also showed that by and large, grant applica-tions were assessed by the grantmakers’ board members or

trustees (19 out of 29 respondents), followed by staff members (9 out of 29 respondents). Having professionals on a grant maker’s payroll, however, seems to be a recent development.

As they say, it takes money to make (or raise) money. For grantmakers, it also takes money to spend money. Due diligence needs to be conducted by grantmakers to search and assess which causes are worthy, which applicants can execute and deliver outcomes, and then to monitor whether grants are used as intended. This is where experienced staff can help.

“A foundation is a vehicle for giving back to society and it requires exceptional effort to be an effective one,” notes Mr Lee Poh Wah, Senior Programme Manager at the Lien Foundation. “To move from ‘feel good’ philanthropy to ‘high impact’ philanthropy, we need to sharpen the who, what and why of grantmaking. Professional staff can devote more time to follow developments and grapple with issues in the community.”

He continues, “To hunt for good projects, you’ve got to pound the pavement, kick many tyres, and build relationships that foster trust and innovation. A written proposal cannot convey the passion and personalities of the grant applicants, their organisational capacity or give a feel of the physical setting where the project would play out.”

Indeed, grantmakers are an essential part of the giving landscape. They help to foster informed and sustained giving, and grantmaking as an industry can be developed further. This could range from legislation that specifically promotes and supports grantmaking, to developing a network of grantmakers that embraces industry global best practices.

“To move from ‘feel good’ philanthropy to ‘high impact’ philanthropy, we need to sharpen the who, what and why of grantmaking.”

Mr Lee Poh Wah, Senior Programme Manager, Lien Foundation

Dr Lien Ying Chow (left) donated almost half his wealth to start the Lien Foundation in 1980.

Picture courtesy of Lien Foundation


GRANTMAKERS AT A GLANCE

1 Study conducted by NVPC in December 2004 – March 2005, based on 79 grantmakers.

2 Survey conducted by ACNielsen Research (Singapore) Pte Ltd, based on responses of 30 grantmakers. Survey covered the period between May and August 2004.

The Grantmaking Pie 1 Grantmakers’ Behaviour 2

Country Comparisons

Total Grant Amount made as % of GDP

Number of Grantmakers per Million Population

* 0.06% if Singapore Totalisator Board is excluded

No. of Grantmakers: 79

Total GrantsMade: S$405m


he effects of the tsunami crisis touched many of us more than the actual waves ever did. It certainly tugged at the heartstrings (and loosened the purse strings) of Singaporeans, with a record level of aid – financial and in-kind – pouring in. Thousands of people jammed the hotlines of relief agencies,

volunteering their time and services to help the tsunami victims. This spontaneous response on the part of individuals and organisa-tions towards the same cause showed that Singapore is, as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put it, “a small nation with a big heart”.

By now, the giant waves of the tsunami have receded and the numerous accolades have been bestowed, but some

Thousands of Singaporeans volunteered during the tsunami crisis, but is the spirit of volunteerism truly within us? HALIMAH CHEW and SUZANNE LIM ponder.


A sponsored Christmas party does little to change one’s life. Which is why UBS’ approach to corporate

responsibility strays from the mundane visiting of homes. Instead, its goals are more pervasive and permanent.

“We wanted a relationship and we wanted partnerships with organisations we could work with in the long term,” explains Christina Ong, Managing Director, UBS Wealth Management, and Chairman of UBS’ South Asian Community Affairs Committee.

UBS found one such partner in the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA), an organisation that shares its guiding principles of education and community regeneration. AWWA’s Teach Me programme works on integrating disabled children and youths into society by educating the schools and families, as well as providing therapy and emotional support. One way of getting involved for UBS was through planned outings that were recreational activities for both the staff and children.

“We bring the children into our environment; they go to the cinemas and family days together with our staff,” explains Ong. “This closes the disparity between the giver and the receiver, so that over time, these kids will not feel like just a charity case,” she adds. Another upside is that employee volunteerism then

becomes a source of recreation rather than (charity) work.

This familial approach also works to encourage disabled youths to feel economically independent and confi-dent, so that they can play a role despite their disabilities. To do this, UBS drew on their core competency – training. UBS’ large training department is well versed in teaching their own staff how to interview, communicate and team build. Along with a programme manager from AWWA, a team of HR volunteers from UBS created the ‘I Can!’ series which trains youths on the skills needed to secure a job, like resume writing. UBS also set up an intern-ship programme, giving AWWA clients real world perspectives and on-the-job training. The Teach Me programmes of AWWA have been running for two years, with UBS contributing over $300,000 so far.

Between the family day outings and the HR volunteers in the “I Can!” series, UBS also boasts a staff volunteerism rate of 11 per cent. There are also policies in place for when staff want to take volun-teerism to a higher level, such as the company’s one-for-one policy when it comes to disaster relief trips. This became especially significant in the light of the recent tsunami disaster.

“Essentially, the company will match

half the duration of the trip. That means that for a 10-day trip, only five days will be deducted from the employee’s leave alloca-tion,” elaborates Ong.

Beyond Singapore, UBS works with the Singapore International Foundation, following the same principles of education and commu-

nity regeneration. In Indonesia, the Yayasan Bhakti Luhur is the only charitable organisation in East Java that serves the disabled community. UBS has been funding a full-time social worker there for two years. An estimated US$70,000 has been spent on training primary care-givers of disabled children, as well as the teaching of carpentry, handicraft and computer skills to disabled individuals.

UBS has also initiated charity events like a golf tournament in 2003 that raised over $62,000. On top of that, it has become a conduit for other charitable endeavours, such as providing free philanthropy advice to clients who are keen to initiate charity events of their own. The UBS Optimus Foundation invests donations from UBS clients into a number of programmes and organisations that focus particularly on children. The costs of managing and administering the Foundation are borne in full by UBS, so that the entirety of their clients’ contributions reaches the projects.

Says Ong, “At the end of the day, it’s really about building lasting partnerships, whether it’s between us and our clients, us and charities, or encouraging partnerships between our clients and the charities.”

Not Just Another Charity CaseAt private banking institution UBS, corporate responsibility is all about building

relationships and partnerships that will last a lifetime, learns MERVIN CHUA.

“ We bring the children into our environment, so that over time, these kids will not feel like just a charity case.”

W A L K T H E T A L K

Big day out: UBS volunteers and the kids from AWWA get up close with the dolphins at Dolphin Lodge in Batam.


It is an undisputable fact that music is one of the most powerful commu-nications tools today. And local

nonprofit group Music For Good (MFG), set up in May 2004, is blazing a trail in Singapore by using it to help spread the giving message.

Says MFG’s President Patrick Chng, “We were inspired by how musicians from the UK and the USA give back to the community through benefit gigs and CDs, various outreach programmes, as well as helping to bring awareness to worthy causes through their music.”

MFG seeks to encourage the spirit of giving among musicians by providing a platform for them to help the commu-nity through fundraising performances and charity events, or by conducting free music education programmes, working in partnership with charities and other nonprofit organisations. It is also committed to harnessing the power of music and the process of music making to help bring individuals and communi-ties of different backgrounds together.

To date, MFG comprises of some 30 volunteers aged between 18 and 42, the bulk of whom are working profes-sionals in their 20s. The members hail from all walks of life – from students to marketing executives to local musi-cians, including band members of local music groups TypeWriter, Ugly In The Morning, Electrico and Eugene’s Moment Of Truth. Chng, a web editor at MTV Networks, heads a panel of committee members, some of whom are involved with the local music industry.

Most of the work for MFG is conducted via phone calls and emails – actual meetings don’t occur that

often simply because its committee members have busy day jobs with demanding (and often conflicting) sched-ules. But all this could change soon. At press time, MFG was working on setting up an office they can call their very own.

Chng is buoyed by the impact of the organisation’s efforts to date. “It wasn’t difficult to set up Music For Good. I’m not doing this for personal satisfaction; it’s just something you do because you can do it,” he remarks.

“The response has been very positive. We are very encouraged by the fact that a lot of organisations want us to work with

them, although we’re still finding our feet and learning as we go along. I believe the secret behind our success is love, passion, drive, vision and an able management committee. The challenging part is sustaining the organisation.”

So far, events organ-ised include Hip Hop For Hope, Busking For Relief and Concert For Op Res to raise funds for the Boxing Day Asian tsunami victims. There

have also been several workshops held.“A blind old woman wept after she

took part in a percussion workshop we did at a local hospital. She was just so grateful that she had the opportunity to play music, and it was an overwhelming experience for her and for us,” Chng remembers.

There are lots of initiatives in the pipe-line for MFG, although Chng declines to elaborate at this point in time. However, he is quick to reiterate that music is an excep-tional tool when it comes to spreading the message about giving.

“Most people enjoy music through a CD or a ‘live’ performances. So what better way to raise funds and highlight aware-ness to various causes than through it? We believe in the inherent good of music. It is a creative activity that brings joy, confidence and self-esteem to millions of people across all age groups.”

Interested in joining Music For Good? Email [email protected] or visit www.musicforgood.org. Membership is free.

The Gift of SongLocal nonprofit Music For Good is showing musicians they can do their part to give back to

the community – in the best way they know how. Michelle Bong listens in.

“ A blind old woman wept after she took part in a percussion workshop we did at a local hospital. She was just so grateful that she had the oppor-tunity to play music.”

A rockin’ good time: Music For Good performed at the Suntec Singapore G-Force Concert last year in celebration of International Volunteer Day 2004.

N E W S A L T


S A L T S H A K E R S & M O V E R S

The Good DoctorHis humble childhood during the political turbulence of 1950s Singapore taught Dr Loo Choon Yong, Executive Chairman of Raffles Medical Group,

the importance of paying back to society. Guest writer CHEN HUIFEN of The Business Times discovers what spurs him on in his social mission.

Even after almost a decade, Dr Loo Choon Yong remembers his early days at Singapore Anti-

Narcotics Association (SANA) vividly still.“When I first started this work, I was

very depressed because eight out of 10 drug (heroin) addicts never recover. That was what our statistics showed. Even when you counseled them, six out of 10 still relapsed.”

Fortunately, his faith in making a difference made him persevere. The Executive Chairman and co-founder of Raffles Medical Group held the belief that going by what statistics indicated then, he could at the very least help keep 20 per cent more of the offenders off drugs.

“You really learn to see the glass of water as half-filled, not half-empty,” says the 56-year-old, who is also a Vice-Chairman of the National Council Against Drug Abuse.

Of course, with more refined meth-odologies and improved counselling programmes over the years, SANA has reduced the drug relapse cases to around 30 to 40 per cent today. Having played his part in adding value to the organisation, Dr Loo has recently decided to step down

as its President, a position he has held for the past nine years.

“Every organisation needs new blood to look at it differently,” he says. “The drug scene is also evolving from one of heroin to more designer drugs. And I think the approach needs to be reviewed, so it’s good from time to time for a social organisation to have injection of new people and leadership.”

That is not to say that he will be stop-ping his volunteer work. As a matter of fact, the nonprofit Asian Medical Foundation (AMF), an offspring of his hospital group and a registered charity, looks set to occupy him for some time to come.

Registered in late 2003, AMF was

started by a group of doctors and nurses at Raffles Medical who wanted to offer their expertise to the underprivileged in Singapore and to poorer countries in the region that have little or no access to proper healthcare.

“Every year, we (Raffles Medical) adopt a charity. Usually, we try to look at those where they have special needs and we can try and leverage on our medical expertise. Then one day, the professionals working here – the doctors, the nurses, the health-care managers – said ‘Singapore is one of the better-off countries in the region. Why don’t we use our skills, expertise, experience and a little bit of our money to help the less fortunate in the region?’ They were

“Could we be another Medecins Sans Frontieres? Well, if we could be the Asian version, that would be something.”

Art

hu

r Lee

/ T

he

Bu

sin

ess

Tim

es


referring to those who are poor, who suffer from diseases, who have got ailments that even their own doctors can’t treat because of lack of experience, training or resources.”

The initial idea was to have an entity to organise medical volunteer work in Southeast Asia. He reckons that most Singaporeans are well looked after and have access to healthcare services, whether rich or poor.

“But this is not the case in many countries, and then you count disasters. Every now and then, you have disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, and floods that will suddenly strain the medical infrastructure of any country. If you are able to mobilise people quickly, you can bring help quickly to where it’s needed most,” he observes.

Then, about the time when AMF was being realised, a request arrived from Iran to separate twins Laleh and Ladan Bijani. So the scope was expanded to cover more of Asia.

“We know that there are many healthcare professionals, doctors, and nurses who are very willing to serve, not only from Singapore but also from the region. And you can see that from the recent tsunami disaster and Nias earth-quake – many people stepped forward.”

Following the December 26 tsunami, AMF, collaborating with Raffles Medical and Munich Re, sent a team of two doctors and two nurses to Banda Aceh. They were joined by four doctors and three nurses under the AMF umbrella. It also dispatched $25,000 worth of medical supplies and medication to Aceh. More recently, the foundation also sent a team to Nias to extend emergency medical assistance to the victims of the March 28 earthquake. The medical mission was once again joined by some Indonesian doctors in Nias.

“The professionals can do so much, but they also need an organisation to quickly get the money, get the logistics organised, liaise with people and all that. And this is what AMF seeks to do. While we started in Singapore, we hope that it

will truly be a regional organisation.”AMF now has about 50 volunteers,

drawn largely from the pool of medical practitioners in Singapore, with a small list of partners and contacts from Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. It constantly receives requests for medical assistance from East Timor, Papua New Guinea and pockets of communities in developing countries around the region. For such cases, the AMF board will have to evaluate and verify the information before deciding on the undertaking.

AMF is also planning to send ad-hoc missions overseas to train the locals in specific healthcare tasks, such as vaccinations, childcare, and even the proper delivery of babies. Long-term, Dr Loo sees potential in turning AMF into another Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), a private non-government international network which provides medical aid to populations suffering from disease and neglect.

“If we can be very effective in Asia, I think the founders would be well satisfied. And beyond that, could we be another Medecins Sans Frontieres? Well, if we could be the Asian version, that would be something,” he notes.

His deep involvement in social work stems from a personal belief in paying back to society. Growing up in the 1950s of Singapore, Dr Loo experienced first-hand what it was like to be poor and living in a chaotic, politically unstable environment. Peace and security should not be taken for granted and whatever ways he can contribute to make that sustainable, he will.

“If I can be of assistance to my neighbours, to my fellow Singaporeans in whatever way, I will do so,” he declares. “As the good book says, it’s more fortunate to give than to receive, isn’t it?”

If you are thinking that the man is pretty much swamped with his professional and social duties, you’ll be even more amazed at the other hats he wears. Dr Loo is also the Deputy Chairman of the Action Community for Entrepreneurship, a public-private collaboration to promote entrepreneurship in Singapore. And while he may have stepped down as the President of SANA, he remains on the board and participates in its monthly meetings.

In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Singapore Management University and the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC). He also sits on the Board of Governors for Raffles Junior College, and early this year, became a Nominated Member of Parliament. In March, he triggered a debate when he called for the casino decision to be put to a referendum. While he personally takes a neutral stance on the issue, he thought that putting it to a people’s vote would be a step towards political maturation.

“Then we will learn to accept that we are a plural society, that we can persuade. But if the rest don’t come along, we must learn to accept and live peacefully with our neighbours. I think this is something that people who are vocal must also under-stand. That’s the reason why I thought the government should be prepared to consider (a referendum),” he recalls.

As the interview draws to a close, one can’t help but be inspired by his can-do spirit.

Despite being a corporate bigwig, he exudes none of the airs of someone at the top of the hierarchy. Even with three consecutive meetings in a row, he remains energetic and unruffled.

“We have only one life. We might as well make the most of it!”

“If I can be of assistance in whatever way, I will do so. As the good book says, it’s more fortunate to give than to receive, isn’t it?”

Specialists in Philanthropy ManagementSTRUCTURING • FINANCING • TRUST AND CORPORATE SERVICES • INVESTMENTS • INSURANCE • REAL ESTATE


We often think of volunteering as GIVING AWAY our time and effort. But in my experi-

ence as a volunteer, I find that very often, I RECEIVE much more than I give!

Free T-ShirtsMy son once asked me “Why don’t you

wear normal T-shirts?” My wardrobe is practically overflowing with free T-shirts printed with all sorts of logos and messages – my reward for helping. Add to that an endless supply of umbrellas, mugs, water bottles, writing pads etc...

New LensesI have been involved with the health-

care sector for almost 30 years, but as a volunteer, I have learnt to see things from the different perspectives of professionals in fields as diverse as education, enter-tainment, sports, and the environment. Applying a fresh perspective or a mix of perspectives from other fields has some-times led to some interesting innovations in my own work!

Free TuitionAs a volunteer, I have been lucky

enough to work closely with and learn from individuals who can motivate and mobilise people to “move mountains” – not with authoritative power, but with their positive energy, EQ, moral authority and personal credibility. I have attended

hundreds of management lectures, but nothing can match watching these “masters” at work.

Often times, those we help can help us learn much about life. I have met individuals in nursing homes and one-room HDB rental flats who have so little by way of material wealth, and yet they live life with great dignity and are much happier than many who are better off materially. They have taught me the importance of distinguishing between my needs and my wants.

No Pain, No GainEven the “pain” of voluntary work can

be a good learning opportunity. I have encountered many rejections (some delivered rather unpleasantly) when solic-iting help, but these rejections serve as a reminder to be more understanding of others’ efforts and to be even more helpful.

I have also sharpened my “people reading” skills. When I call on people wearing my hat as a “beggar” for the Community Chest, that’s when I find out many a friendly backslapping “I will be happy to help” person is really less than

willing. On the other hand, many low profile individuals have come forward to help in a big way without any fanfare.

Personal Super GoogleThanks to my work as a volunteer,

I have established a wide network of friends and acquaintances in many different fields. It has become my personal “Super Google”, and I can often access expert resources and ask for help with just a telephone call or an email. It has also allowed me to contribute in areas beyond my (little) station in life.

Happiness PillSome of the nicest people I know

I met while volunteering. They are full of life, positive in outlook and selfless. These individuals are a great antidote to the “Me, me, me!” people I come into contact with daily. It is simply impossible not to be happy around people with an abundance of positive energy.

I’ve also discovered that I don’t always have to play a leadership role when I volunteer. Simply gardening and helping to set up and maintain an aquarium at a nursing home turned out to be great fun and it did wonders for my stress levels!

Finally, life is all about having a positive impact. As a volunteer, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I have contributed in my own small way to make things a little better for others. And that’s reward enough.

Liak Teng Lit is a volunteer with the Community Chest, Southwest Community Development Council, Singa-pore Tourism Board, Promote Mandarin Council and Victoria School/Junior College Advisory Committee.

Getting More Than You GiveCEO of Alexandra Hospital, Liak Teng Lit, shares in his candid commentary why when it

comes to volunteering, it really is a case of receiving more than giving.

CEOALEX ANDRA HOSPITAL

LIAK TENG LIT

BY

“ I have encountered many rejections when soliciting help, but they serve as a reminder to be more understanding of others’ efforts and to be even more helpful.”

S A L T A N D P E P P E R


Singapore:Kid, Teenager or Adult?

How mature are we as a nation? The CEO of NVPC ponders.

Recent spirited debate on two issues in the local media caused me to think about what makes a

mature society, and this has nothing to do with economic indicators.

The first was the great casino debate, when the focus shifted for a while from ideology to asking whether as a society, we were mature enough for individuals to make their own lifestyle choices. The second was on the advisability of separating conjoined Nepalese twins Ganga and Jamuna, given the state that they are in now, post-surgery. Both girls are likely to grow up severely handicapped, potentially placing an onerous burden on their primary care givers as well as on society at large. Was the decision to separate them a wise one?

The discussions around these issues got me thinking about Singapore’s maturity as a society. I would argue that a mature society is a giving society, characterised by a “giving back” rather than a “gimme” philosophy. It is moving away from a “What is the government doing about it?” to a “What am I going to do about it?” mindset when confronted with societal problems, and coupled with the readiness to act to address a social need.

My chairman Willie Cheng has said that in a mature civic society, there is

healthy contention of causes, so if there’s a group of people wanting to cull crows, there will likely be another anti-crow shooting coalition. Civil society in the USA started because their founding fathers were staunchly against govern-ment involvement in the setting up of their local communities, having escaped from England for precisely that reason.

Here in Singapore, we are only beginning to grow out of that look-to-the-government-for-the-answers syndrome. When we have an active citizenry that is weaned off its dependency on the government to provide solutions to everything, when the “nanny state” label cannot stick anymore, when there are people driven with a passion for something beyond and larger than themselves, perhaps that is where a truly mature and giving society resides.

But for that to happen, people have to willingly give of their time and money to society’s causes. So, how giving are we?

Well, if you have been diligently following SALT, you would have a sense. The outpouring of help around the tsunami and earlier SARS crisis demonstrated that our spontaneous giving can be over-whelming. Yet, the philanthropic surveys we have shown in this and previous issues indicate that we lag considerably behind other developed nations, with USA arguably leading the pack.

In individual philanthropic giving, as a percentage of per capita gross national

income, Americans donate nearly six times more than we do (1.64% vs 0.28%). For corporates, measured as a percentage of pre-tax net profit, American companies give almost eight times more (1.6% vs 0.21%). Our grantmakers are also few and far in between. We have 20 grantmakers per million of population; the USA has 11 times more at 221.

And while 97% of Singaporeans give to charity (albeit because they get asked on street corners on flag days etc), only 15.2% do volunteer work. In the USA, it’s 44%.

And this, ultimately, is the acid test of a giving society: how its people are willing to take up arms, cudgels, or plow-shares (as the case may be) to address a need, right a wrong and fill a gap, even if the need was not of their creation in the first place.

So, if we define a mature society as a giving society, how do we fare using the casino and the Nepalese twins as proxy indicators? I say if as a community, we get involved in civil society groups to educate, counsel and help in gambling recovery programmes whether we have anything to do with the casino or not, and if we are concerned enough to care for the differently abled amongst us such that their primary caregivers need not have to worry about their welfare even after they have gone, then we have “arrived”.

We’re not quite there yet, but if indications are anything to go by, we are coming of age.

S A L T T A L K S

CEONVPC

TAN CHEE KOON

BY


Tee Off For Charity10 March, The Boys’ Brigade 75th Anniversary Charity Golf 2005, Tanah Merah Country Club

A perfect sunshine-filled day greeted BB Old Boys

and their guests as they descended on the greens

of Tanah Merah Country Club for BB’s annual charity

golf event, in aid of the BB21 Development Plan.

The target of $100,000 was met even before a single

golf ball had been struck, thanks to the generosity

of those present at the event which included BB Old

Boys Mr Khoo Boon Hui, Lt-Gen Winston Choo (Retd)

and Mr Sim Kee Boon. A post-golf dinner and auction

rounded off the day’s programme.

A Kind of Magic10 March, Disney Royal Tea Party

11 March, Disney On Ice Princess Classics Opening Night, Singapore Expo

About 100 children

and their families

from Club Rainbow spent a magical after-

noon with characters from Disney On Ice

Princess Classics, courtesy of NTUC FairPrice.

Not only did characters like Aladdin and

Cinderella drop by for tea, they also enter-

tained with songs and dances. The magic

continued the next day for the kids, as along

with 1,000 children from other charities,

they were FairPrice’s special guests at the

opening night performance of Disney On

Ice Princess Classics at the Singapore Expo.

SCENE&SEEN

Popiah Power8 March, OCBC Adoption of Singapore Children’s Society Ceremony, Singapore Children’s Society Convalescent Home

OCBC Bank CEO David Conner and other OCBC executives sat down to make popiah with

more than 40 children at the Singapore Children’s Society’s Convalescent Home, marking the

bank’s adoption of the society. OCBC has pledged $2.5 million to the society over the next

five years to help the nine centres of the society, which takes care of about 12,000 children

and their families. With this pledge, OCBC is now the society’s largest corporate sponsor.

Yummy!

Aladdin and the Genie made the kids’ day at the tea party.

Getting up close with Mickey and Minnie on opening night.

In preparation:BB Old Boy Lt-Gen Winston Choo (Retd).

Pho

to c

ou

rtse

y o

f SPH

– T

he

Stra

its

Tim

es


Thank You, Volunteers!27 January, Tsunami Volunteer Appreciation Reception, MND Auditorium, MND Complex

In recognition of their efforts during a relief

mission to Meulaboh from 10 – 14 January 2005,

the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre

(NVPC) organised a simple thank you reception

for some 60 tsunami volunteers and their families.

Much camaraderie had obviously been forged

among the volunteers during their mission as

laughter and the continuous clicking of cameras

pervaded the evening. The volunteers also took

home with them certificates of appreciation

and a small gift courtesy of NVPC.

Let’s Hear It For the Ladies!8 March, SCWO 25th Anniversary Dinner, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel

The Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) marked

its 25th anniversary on International Women’s Day with a gala

fundraising dinner. It was indeed an occasion to celebrate as the

organising committee, headed by Dr Jennifer Lee, had been hard at

work for many months to help make the event a rousing success.

Be The Best You Can Be4 February, ABN AMRO Thank You Party

ABN AMRO held a thank you party for its

volunteers as well as caregivers from its

seven adopted charities to mark the bank’s

efforts in furthering the giving cause.

Volunteers shared their experiences with

those present, reinforcing the message

that by being the best that you can be,

you also contribute in your own way. ABN

AMRO’s seven adopted charities are Tamp-

ines Family Service Centre, Student Care

Service, Pertapis Girls’ Home, Spastic Chil-

dren’s Association of Singapore, School for

the Visually Handicapped, MINDS Towner

Gardens School and MINDS Lee Kong

Chian Gardens School.

David Wong, Managing Director, ABN AMRO Singapore presents a token of appreciation to Dr Saba Iqbal of Pertapis Girls’ Home.

One for the album: CEO of NVPC, Mrs Tan Chee Koon, poses with volunteer Edward John Langton.

Lunch With A Lion16 March, MILK Share-A-Meal, Shangri-La Hotel

Nine children from disadvantaged homes got to join national footballer Lionel Lewis for a

buffet lunch at the Shangri-La Hotel, thanks to the Share-A-Meal programme initiated by

Mainly I Love Kids (MILK), a charity that helps underprivileged kids and their families who

are ineligible for aid from existing channels. The nine children, aged between nine and 13

years, were from Beyond Social Services, and their lunch treat was made possible by an

anonymous donor who contributed $5,000 for the opportunity.National footballer Lionel Lewis was all smiles as he obliged the kids with numerous autographs.

Cheers!

Guests that night included veteran volunteer Elizabeth Choy and MP Halimah Yacob.

We’re all blowing out the candles on the birthday cake?

30 • S A LT Mar-Apr 2005

D A T E S T O N O T E

CALENDARDO YOU HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICISE? We welcome your news of upcoming events and pictures. Please send them to SALT, 7 Maxwell Road, #05-01 Annex B MND Complex, Singapore 069111; or email [email protected]. Please include your name, the name of your organisation, address and telephone number. SALT reserves the right to edit submissions for space and clarity.

21 May – 11 JuneActive Retirement – You Can Do It TooTime: 9am – 12noonVenue: Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE), 19 Toa Payoh WestFee: $180 nett for four modules; $50 nett for each module (inclusive of course materials and refreshments)

The Singapore Action Group of

Elders (SAGE) is organising a four-

week long seminar to help prepare

mid-lifers for retirement and retirees

for a more fulfilling retirement.

The seminar will address issues

such as the process of ageing and

deal with the social, psychological,

health and financial aspects of

ageing. This seminar is also recom-

mended for companies who want

to provide value-added benefit for

their employees who are retiring and

retirees. Closing date for registration

is 13 May 2005 and the seminar is

limited to 25 participants.

To register, please contact Seema

or Zubee at 62588789 or email

[email protected].

27 MayGrowing Donor RelationshipsTime: 9am – 5pmVenue: National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, 7 Maxwell Road, MND Complex Annex B, #05-01Fee: $420 (inclusive of 5% GST and course materials)

Charles Bernard

Maclean, PhD, the

Founder, Donor

Advocate and Coach

for PhilanthropyNew

in Portland, Oregon (USA) will be

conducting a one-day training seminar

on growing donor relationships,

aimed at helping organisations to

understand and retain donors as

life-long valued customers. This

seminar is designed for executive

and management staff, board

members and key volunteers.

The Nonprofit Sector Training

Grant subsidy is applicable for this

seminar. For more information, please

visit www.nvpc.org.sg.

27 MayEat With Your Family Day

Organised by the Centre for

Fathering in collaboration with the

Ministry of Community Develop-

ment, Youth and Sports, Eat With

Your Family Day aims to encourage

multi-generation families to dine

together to reinforce the importance

of building healthy and resilient

families. Thousands of corporations,

organisations, schools and govern-

ment bodies across Singapore will

be urged to stop work or end their

activities by 5pm on that day so that

employees can get home in time to

dine with their families.

For more information, visit

www.fathers.com.sg.

2 – 6 JuneGlobal Youth Summit

This six-day summit organised

by The Boys Brigade Singapore will

bring together youth leaders from

the Global Fellowship of Christian

Youth and Boys Brigade Asia to

exchange ideas pertaining to global

changes and youth trends directly

affecting the membership of youth

organisations, and to promote

cultural sharing with respect to

youth work, family and community

cohesion. Participants from the

respective countries will exhibit their

work and ideas, which will be open

to the public.

For more details, log on to

www.bb.org.sg or contact Mr. Daniel

Chong at 67370377 Ext 108 or email

[email protected].

JuneAmazing Chopsticks Car RallyFee: $250 per car (maximum of four persons), inclusive of all materials, goodie bags and the satay/durian feast

Methodist Welfare Services

(MWS) will be organising a car rally

with Wheels for Fun on a Saturday

afternoon after the June school

holidays. This car rally will take food

lovers through a half day “foodie trail”

around Singapore. The event will end

with a delicious satay and durian feast.

For more details and to register

for the car rally, please contact

Ms Clara Lick at 64784723 or email

[email protected].

3 JulyThe MILK Run 2005

As part of its annual Youth Day

celebrations, Beyond Social Services

will be organising a charity run in aid

of the Mainly I Love Kids (MILK) Fund.

Previously known as the Streetwise

Run, the MILK Run has been held on

every National Youth Day since 2001.

The fundraising target of this year’s

run is $1 million.

For more information and to sign up

for the run, visit www.milkrun.com.sg.

25 – 26 MayThe National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Conference 2005 – The Reality of GivingTime: 9am – 6pmVenue: Raffles City Convention Centre, Canning & Padang BallroomFee: S$350 (inclusive of 5% GST)

This two-day annual conference organised by the National Volunteer

& Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) will examine new emerging attitudes,

trends and insights in giving from the perspective of donors as well as

beneficiaries. The keynote speaker is Senator Richard J Gordon, widely

considered as the “Father of Volunteerism” in the Philippines, who will

share his vast experience in mobilising the private and the people sectors

to partner the government in rebuilding communities. Panel discussion

topics include Sustainable Fundraising, The Harsh Reality of Giving Away

Money, New Realities of Giving in Singapore, and Disaster Relief Giving.

This conference is the perfect forum to discuss the new realities in giving

and receiving, and offers invaluable networking opportunities for those

involved in the nonprofit and corporate giving sectors.

Nonprofit organisations and government organisations can apply for the

Nonprofit Sector Training Grant (NTG) to enjoy a 70% and 50% subsidy respec-

tively on the conference fee. For more details of the conference and to download

the conference registration form, visit www.nvpc.org.sg/conference05/.

AD #AD 9NVPC

CONFERENCE


“I look forward to the day when I can be a ‘normal’ volunteer minus the celebrity status because I believe it will be a most enriching and fulfilling experience.”Kit Chan, pop star and World Vision International volunteer

“It’s like the Olympics. You have a burning torch, and a burning desire to help. You try to keep it burning. But it’s pointless to just keep it burning and burning. Pass on the burning torch to each person who comes along the way.”Elim Chew, entrepreneur and volunteer, on keeping the volunteerism spirit alive.

A D A S H O F S A L T

A study by the University of Michigan involving 2,700 people and spanning 10 years found that people who did no volunteer work

were two-and-a-half times more likely to die than those who volun-

teered at least once a week.

DID YOU KNOW?

“Having a heart has nothing to do with how big your bank account is. Everyone has something to give.”Barbara Bush, former USA First Lady

“Who set the fire on them?”Sister Teresa Hsu of Heart to Heart Services when she heard that former volunteers cited “burn-out” as one factor that led them to cease volunteering.

“If you haven’t got charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.”Bob Hope (1903 – 2003), comedian and volunteer

“When you help others in need or in trouble, happiness will come to you.”Elizabeth Choy, 94, veteran volunteer

“We reward good volunteer work with more volunteer work!”Susan Ellis, volunteer management guru

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965), UK Prime Minister during World War II

“Volunteering requires a belief that something is worth doing and you go ahead to do that something. My belief is that toilets can be better!”Jack Sim, Founder, World Toilet Organisation

Pho

tog

rap

hy

by

Skye

Tan

. Pic

ture

co

urt

esy

of N

ewM

an.

AD 10NTUC INCOME

salt_2005_05_06

Documents

humanity singapore

salt shakers

contents salt

singapore volunteerismfanning

salt talksceo of nvpc

giving society

mnd complex singapore

people movements appointments