Unlike many of his peers from school, Mr David Pong did not find a salaried job related to his field of study after graduating from the National University of Singapore. Instead, the business graduate started a social enterprise with two other co-founders to provide clean and affordable drinking water to rural and disaster-hit communities. 

They named their water sanitation company WateROAM, and developed highly portable water filtration systems which could be rapidly deployed and set up. 

It operates out of a box, requires no electricity and takes at most 30 minutes to be up and flowing. The device, which can filter bacteria and viruses from water sources such as ponds and shallow wells, produces 300 litres of clean water per hour, making it a critical generator of water in disaster-hit zones. 

In 2016, when the Philippines was battered by Typhoon Haima, WateROAM sent units of its filtration system to helpvictims gain access to clean, drinkable water quickly. 

“Water sanitation is a prevalent problem in the region, especially in the rural, non-touristy areas,” he explained. “When an area doesn’t have clean water, its people are exposed to water-borne diseases such as dysentery.” 

The career choice is fairly noble, but friends and family members are often sceptical about its sustainability. “They tell me I should get a job instead and pursue WateROAM later when my career is more stable,” said the 28-year-old.

So when he was invited to participate in the inaugural Singapore Summit Young Societal Leaders Programme (SSYSL) in 2017, he was heartened to meet like-minded youngsters championing for progress in different communities. 

The by-invitation-only SSYSL programme is part of the Singapore Summit. It brings together business and thought leaders from Asia and the world to discuss regional and global growth, prosperity and stability. 

Temasek Foundation Connects, which seeks to build links and promote mutual understanding across international communities, is the secretariat for the Summit.

The SSYSL programme gathered in Singapore 18 prominent young leaders, aged 40 and below, from ten countries in Asia and beyond, including Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Laos, and the Philippines. Participants work in fields such as sustainable tourism, special education needs and poverty eradication efforts. They had dialogues with leaders from public, private and social sectors, shared ideas on global issues, and also discussed their visions of the world. 

“At the SSYSL programme, I met so many young leaders who are passionately working to improve societies, who are so willing to try even if they don’t have the answers. I was very encouraged,” Mr Pong shared. 

Fellow participant, Indonesian Andar Nubowo, shared the same sentiments. The 37-year-old is the president of Muhammadiyah Philanthropy Institute (LAZISMU), the biggest Islamic philanthropic organisation in Indonesia. 

To him, philanthropy work is as much about improving human welfare, as it is about making connections with people and building lasting relationships. Often times, it is these partnerships that help to move communities. 

“It was a great experience. We got to share ideas and most importantly, build meaningful relationships,” he said. 

LAZISMU runs various projects in the region; it is working on conflict conciliation in South Thailand, and providing healthcare to the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh. From the interactions with other leaders at the SSYSL programme, Mr Andar learnt more about the crisis and found local partners who could help him. 

“Networking is a big part of humanitarian work. When you run a philanthropic organisation, you need to make connections with people and organisations, especially if you are working in another country. Everything is easier when you have a local partner to guide you,” he added. 

The Singapore Summit is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, GIC, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Temasek.