Madam Liaw Lay Kian’s life came to a screeching halt in 2012 after her father-in-law, who she had been tending to for the past 16 years, passed away.

Having given up her own career dreams in her younger days to become the primary caregiver in the family, the 54-year-old widow lacked the basic skills and formal training to land a job. Thankfully, she turned to the then-Temasek Cares, which persuaded the Institute of Technical Education to enroll her into their basic nursing course.

Despite being the oldest in her cohort, Madam Liaw topped her class and graduated with a NITEC Certificate in Nursing. Today, she is a proud recipient of the Balaji Sadasivan study award, which is a study grant for exemplary individuals pursuing careers in the healthcare sector.

Madam Liaw is one of the many examples of how Temasek’s non-profit philanthropic organisations (NPPOs) constantly promote lifelong skills amongst its beneficiaries - all to make a genuine difference in people’s lives.

Speaking at the launch of the Temasek Philanthropic Platform earlier this week, Temasek Chairman Lim Boon Heng affirmed the importance of “providing our beneficiaries with a hand up, instead of a handout.”

“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, but teach him to fish and he eats for a life time. We strongly believe in this principle. It’s why building capabilities is such a strong component of what we do”, Mr Lim said. 

Mr Dhanabalan, Chairman, Temasek Trust and Mr Lim Boon Heng, Chairman, Temasek, launching Temasek Philanthropic Platform

During the launch event last Tuesday, which was attended by representatives from Temasek’s portfolio companies like DBS and Singtel, as well as members of the philanthropic sector, Temasek announced it was reorganising its existing 17 endowments into six key thrusts, each with its own distinct mandates and focus areas.

The six new foundations are:

• Temasek Foundation International, which will focus on building people and capabilities in Asia and beyond
• Temasek Foundation Cares, which will contribute to the well-being, dignity and livelihood of the needy in Singapore
• Temasek Foundation Connects, which will connect people and communities; promote dialogue for mutual understanding
• Temasek Foundation Nurtures, which will nurture our young through learning and skills growth
• Temasek Foundation Innovates, which will build knowledge and develop solutions for a better life through research and innovation
• Temasek Foundation Ecosperity, which will promote growth alongside environmental sustainability

Mr Goh Geok Khim, Chairman, Temasek Foundation International; Mr Richard Magnus, Chairman, Temasek Foundation Cares; Mr Dhanabalan; Mr Liew Mun Leong, Chairman, Temasek Foundation Nurtures; Professor Leo Tan, Chairman, Temasek Foundation Innovates

This new platform structure will allow the foundations to tap on one another’s resources more efficiently.

Citing the example of its Kids Integrated Development Service (KIDS 0-3) programme, Temasek Foundation Cares chairman Richard Magnus said they could work together with Temasek Foundation International to introduce this child development programme to other countries.

Since its inception in 1974, Temasek has committed over $2 billion for community initiatives, with its 17 endowments collectively touching more than 300,000 lives in Singapore and across Asia.

But even as Temasek enters a new phase of community investing, Mr Lim stressed that its philanthropic mission remains the same: Building people, building communities, building capabilities, and rebuilding lives.  

“Establishing Temasek Philanthropic Platform reinforces our commitment to the sustainable development of the wider community, for generations to come,” he said.