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Giving back to society without fuss, the Singaporean way
You don’t have to be a glamorous, gala-attending philanthropist to make a difference to other people’s lives.
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Singapore is home to more than 2,000 registered charities, covering the traditional social and education sectors and including more contemporary causes.
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Christine Ong
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When people in Singapore hear the word “philanthropy”, I suspect the first picture that crosses their mind is a well-dressed person holding up a large mock cheque at a grand ceremony. Accompanying that mental picture is the thought that philanthropy is too lofty, and unattainable for them. This is understandable, given how the media tends to spotlight the big – and newsworthy – gifts to charities, and how beneficiaries want to recognise such generosity.
But the reality, certainly in the time that I have been involved at the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), focused on growing philanthropy, is far removed from this. The donors that the team and I have met over the years have been diverse. In many ways, this is a microcosm of Singaporean society.
