DBS Foundation

Meet Miao Ting, an accountant turned data analyst who, inspired by her grandfather’s struggle with dementia, has dedicated herself to honouring his kindness. Discover how witnessing his cognitive decline motivated her to volunteer and champion financial inclusion for underserved communities in Singapore. --- “He might be getting older, but if he’s constantly forgetting details and unable to remember things, you might want to get it checked out,” a close friend said to Miao Ting. In 2020, Miao Ting’s grandfather brought home fried dough sticks for breakfast instead of his granddaughter’s favourite hawker dish. Puzzled, she asked what made him get her a snack he knew she didn’t like. “It was uncharacteristic of him because he knows me like the back of his hand,” said the 32-year-old, who was raised by her grandparents. Over time, Miao Ting grew more concerned. Her grandfather, whom she often relied on for advice, couldn’t recall information she had shared with him. She decided to bring him to a polyclinic where the doctor confirmed her fears: he was in the late stages of dementia. Feeling guilty for not recognising his condition sooner, Miao Ting began to meticulously record photos, videos, and voice notes of their time together. These small but precious keepsakes help her cope with his decline and provide him comfort in the moments of anxiety that often accompany memory loss. “If there’s one thing dementia hasn’t taken from him, it’s his kindness,” she said. “I want my life to be in memory of him, even though he no longer remembers the people he has touched.” In the years since her grandfather's diagnosis, Miao Ting has carried his kindness as a spark to guide her with important decisions in life. Since joining DBS in 2016, the accountant turned data analyst volunteers after work at financial literacy workshops and befriending programmes. She particularly finds tapping on her skills from work to teach children from low-income households financial literacy skills fulfilling. In one of the workshops Miao Ting volunteered for, she was paired with Sophie Arianny who had one-to-one guidance on key financial concepts such as budgeting, identifying needs and wants, and saving for the future. Sophie was one of 23 students who participated in the DBS Financial Literacy workshop co-organised with Big Heart Student Care, an after-school centre that equips students, including those from low-income households, with life skills. Sophie was initially too shy to even raise her hand in class. But with patience and kindness, Miao Ting drew her out, and the nine-year-old felt comfortable enough to share her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She even sets aside part of her savings each month to buy science comics. (...continued in comments)

In today’s fast-changing digital age, the need to adapt and stay competitive has become even more pressing. But for Hong Kong’s underserved youth, who already lack resources and suffer from low social mobility, what can they do? To support these youth, DBS Foundation and MakerBay Foundation joined hands to organise the DBS Foundation InnoFuture Youth Programme. This provided underserved youth aged 15 to 24 years with free education in mainstream technologies such as no-code and artificial intelligence, and hands-on work opportunities so they can build up their portfolios. Besides giving them access to new skills and thus, a chance at a better future, the programme also guided the youth to think about what changes they can bring to society. How they can use what they’ve learnt to pay it forward – for example, by conceptualising digital solutions for NGOs and social enterprises. By empowering them with a sense of accomplishment and the faith that they can do great, we hope to create a little spark that’ll encourage them to keep exploring, to keep trying. Watch the video to see how we’re supporting (and rooting for!) these youth. This video was produced in partnership with South China Morning Post SCMP. #DBSFoundation #DBSPeopleofPurpose #Impact #SocialImpact

Why change a business model that works, and works well? For second generation owner of 35-year textile company UKL Enterprise, Gary Hsieh, it was to leave a sustainable legacy for his children. And it started his journey to change both his company, and the textile industry. DBS has supported Gary through his journey — starting with a DBS Foundation Grant that kickstarted his pineapple waste-to-textile initiative. DBS Taiwan has also aided him with cash flow and financial management, while opening marketing and networking opportunities, including an invitation to showcase his innovations in Singapore. Apply now for the DBS Foundation Grant, before 31 Aug 2024: https://go.dbs.com/3XiKuTJ #TrustYourSpark

Food is more than just nutrition — it evokes memories, bringing up emotions through texture and taste. But what happens when health conditions prevent you from enjoying food like you used to? We had a heartfelt conversation around the importance of food beyond nutrition, at the launch of GentleFoods' new kitchen. GentleFoods®, produced by The Gentle Group, creates puréed food that is both visually appealing and nutritious for patients who cannot consume solids. Mostly targeting the elderly, their products revolutionise dishes for individuals with swallowing difficulties. Since 2021, DBS Foundation has proudly supported this Singapore-based social enterprise with the DBS Foundation Grant, mentorship, and networking opportunities. The Gentle Group has recently secured a SGD 2 million investment from the Asia Impact First Fund (AIFF), which is managed by Heritas Capital, with DBS Foundation as knowledge partner. With this funding, they plan to expand their production capacity and triple their reach! Listen in to what Heritas Capital’s Wai Chiew CHIK, The Gentle Group’s Yiru Shen, and DBS Foundation's Karen Ngui had to say. #DBSFoundation #SocialImpact

"Ever since I was a teenager, people have underestimated me because of my visual impairment". The road to mastering coding wasn't easy for Ase, whose limited sight made the upskilling journey especially challenging. But he was driven by his passion, grit and resilience to overcome the odds and complete the programme, under the DBS Foundation Coding Camp scholarship. Feeling empowered, Ase now aspires to building an inclusive startup that will hire without discrimination. It's his way of paying it forward, and further fostering financial inclusion for the less privileged, with his newfound skills. #TrustYourSpark

We are excited to announce our partnership with HKFYG to launch the LiveWELL programme in Hong Kong! The initiative spans three years, and aims to cultivate healthy eating habits and encourage active lifestyles for children and young people from lower-income families. Through nutrition education, sports programmes, and mental wellness workshops, we aim to boost the physical and mental resilience of approximately 60,000 participants, with the support of our dedicated DBS People of Purpose volunteers. We all have a spark within us to drive positive change. Let's keep our light shining and making a difference, together! #DBSFoundation #DBSPeopleofPurpose #Impact #SocialImpact #ProvidingEssentialNeeds

📣 Extended Deadline for the DBS Foundation Grant❗️ We heard you, and the DBS Foundation Grant is now open for applications till 31 Aug 2024. We're committed to uplifting the lives and livelihoods of those in need - be it by providing access to essential needs such as healthcare, basic education and shelter, or equipping them with the skills and opportunities to build towards better circumstances. If you’re a social enterprise or small-and-medium enterprise (SME) that: ✔️ Shares our vision of a more inclusive world where no one is left behind; ✔️ Has an innovative, impactful and scalable solution/ business that helps vulnerable communities; ✔️ Has minimally two years of experience in creating social impact, and; ✔️ Has clear plans to grow your business and impact moving forward; Apply now for the DBS Foundation Grant before 31 Aug 2024. Learn more: https://go.dbs.com/3WYPVHl Beyond providing grants of up to SGD 250,000, we also tap on the bank’s expertise, resources and network to help our grantees with capacity-building, mentorship, preferential banking solutions, and other support measures. You’d also get to connect, exchange ideas and explore synergies with our growing DBS Foundation community of impact makers 😊 #DBSFoundationGrant

“When we talk about inclusivity... it is about actions. It is about making sure we walk the talk and (that) the deeds speak louder than the words,” said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong in a fireside chat with DBS Singapore Country Head Han Kwee Juan at FutureForward Week. He went on to cite DBS Foundation’s partnership with SG Enable as an example of how employees can play a role in driving community impact while fostering a deeper sense of belonging in the workplace. FutureForward Week is the bank’s annual learning event aimed at empowering employees to build fulfilling careers. To further galvanise Team DBS towards this, DBS Foundation launched an internal hackathon with DBS Innovation team, seeking solutions to drive financial inclusion among seniors, low-income households and people with disabilities. We were heartened by the outpouring of ideas from our colleagues and look forward to realising these aspirations together. #DBSFoundation #LifeatDBS #sustainability #socialimpact #financialinclusion

If your business is helping vulnerable communities, apply for the DBS Foundation Grant now! We're looking for social enterprises and SMEs that: ✔ Share our vision of a more inclusive world where no one is left behind; ✔️ Have innovative, impactful and scalable solutions/ businesses that helps vulnerable communities; ✔️ Have minimally two years of experience in creating social impact, and; ✔️ Have clear plans to grow your business and impact moving forward; Such as DeafTawk, a 2023 grant recipient with a digital sign language interpretation solution that combines real-time human interpretation with artificial intelligence-driven technology. Be it providing access to essential needs such as healthcare, basic education and shelter, or equipping them with the skills and opportunities to build towards better circumstances – we seek to bring hope to those with less today, so they can face tomorrow with confidence. Apply for the DBS Foundation Grant today! Applications are open till 15 August 2024: https://go.dbs.com/3zNChh4

“That notion of giving them support in the shorter term, but always having a lens of how can you empower them towards better futures, is something where certainly from a business perspective, we think we can play a role in.” Monica Datta, Team Lead (Fostering Inclusion), DBS Foundation, was speaking as part of a panel discussion titled “How society can come together to help those in need access essential items for normal living” during the @Singapore Management University (SMU) x DBS Foundation Symposium on Essential Housing Needs in Singapore. The symposium also shared key findings from the latest Household Needs Study, aimed at understanding what the public considers as essential needs in Singapore and the extent of relative deprivation of these needs amongst different segments of society. Download the full study here: https://go.dbs.com/4fx66mj #DBSFoundation #Impact #Inclusion #FinancialInclusion