DBS Foundation awards IDR11.5 billion to 5 social impact companies in Indonesia to promote sustainability & prosperity for vulnerable communities
Indonesia, 13 Feb 2025 - DBS Foundation through DBS Foundation Grant Programme 2024 has selected 22 social entrepreneurs and business for impact companies out of a total of more than 1,500 applicants to receive SGD4.5 million (or approximately IDR55 billion) in grant funding. The grantees will use the funds to grow their businesses and expand their positive impact on vulnerable communities. Overall, the grants will enable the social impact enterprises to develop projects that will benefit more than 800,000 people for the next two years.
These grantees share the same ‘spark’ or mission with DBS Foundation in improving the welfare of vulnerable communities, especially through three focuses: providing essential needs, fostering inclusion, and enhancing people’s quality of life so that they can age with dignity. DBS Foundation not only awarded grants to the winners, but also equipped them with knowledge to develop their business, mentoring and assistance, networking, and others.
Head of DBS Foundation and DBS Group Strategic Marketing and Communications
Karen Ngui
said, “As a purpose-driven bank, we recognise that we have a social license to uphold, and a responsibility to uplift the communities that we live and work in. These DBS Foundation grantees share our desire to do well by doing good, and bring with them innovative solutions that benefit especially the vulnerable segments of society. We’re committed to supporting these businesses by equipping them with the capital, know-how and acumen to scale and achieve their full potential.”
Since its launch in 2015, the DBS Foundation Grant Programme has disbursed SGD21.5 million in grant funding to 160 grantees. Programme alumni have raised a further 10 times as much for their companies.
Five social enterprises and social impact companies from Indonesia that win the grants
Of the 22 social enterprises and business for impact companies that received grants, five are Indonesian companies, namely Komodo Water, Aliet Green, Adena Coffee, JAVA FRESH, and GandengTangan. They were able to compete with 155 Indonesian applicants and received a total grant of SGD950,000 or around IDR11.5 billion to scale their businesses and expand their social impact.
In Indonesia, the event held to celebrate DBS Foundation Grant Programme 2024 was attended by Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Mona Monika
representing DBS Foundation as well as Adena Coffee Co-Founder & COO
Joseph Juan
; Aliet Green Finance & Accounting Supervisor
Puruhita Prawaka
; GandengTangan Co-Founder & CEO
Jezzie Setiawan
; JAVA FRESH Co-Founder & CEO
Margareta Astaman
; and Komodo Water Founder & CEO
Shana Fatina
representing the grantees of the DBS Foundation Grant Programme.
Each of the five grantees has a unique focus, namely:
1. Adena Coffee:
empowers local communities in Gayo through sustainable coffee plantation practices and supports the livelihoods of the indigenous people. The company will use the grant to empower smallholders by optimising supply chain processes, facilitating standardisation, and expanding access to global markets.
2. Aliet Green:
produces regenerative organic food ingredients with a focus on women's empowerment and processing Fair Trade certified coconut sugar. The company will use the grant from DBS Foundation to develop applications and increase capacity for sustainable farming methods.
3. GandengTangan:
provides financing and financial education for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and promotes economic development. The company will use the grant to strengthen and expand strategic partnership. GandengTangan was also a 2018 grantee of the same programme.
4. JAVA FRESH:
connects marginalised smallholders and women in Indonesia to the global fruit market and promotes fair prices and job creation. The company will use the grant to support research and technology development, upgrade facilities, and empower farmers to meet global standards.
5. Komodo Water:
provides sustainable water access and management for coastal communities in Eastern Indonesia. The company will use the grant to add facilities in two new locations and increase production capacity.
President Director of PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Lim Chu Chong
said, “At Bank DBS Indonesia, we understand that banking is not only doing business but also about providing solutions that can address complex issues such as global warming, technological disruption, and economic challenges. It is our commitment to continuously supporting social impact companies to scale their businesses while expanding their positive impact in improving the welfare of vulnerable communities through innovative programmes. This commitment is based on one of our sustainability pillars, Impact Beyond Banking, to support our aspiration to be the
'Best Bank for a Better World'.
Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia
Mona Monika
said, “We are very proud to welcome Adena Coffee, Aliet Green, GandengTangan, JAVA FRESH, and Komodo Water into the DBS Foundation ecosystem through DBS Foundation Grant Programme 2024. Not only do they share DBS Foundation's passion for solving social challenges, they also have innovative, sustainable business models with the potential for expansion. With their participation, the programme is expected to benefit more than 64,000 people, promoting a more inclusive, empowered, and sustainable Indonesia.”
The grant programme is a continuation of DBS Foundation's other efforts, including the
Impact Beyond Award
launched in 2024 to seek out visionary businesses with solutions that can help people age with dignity, purpose and joy.
In addition to supporting social enterprises and social impact companies, DBS Foundation also works with like-minded partners in the private, public, and community sectors to drive various support programmes for vulnerable communities. In November 2024, DBS Foundation
deployed SG$88 million to launch 15 new programmes across its footprint
to help communities build better lives.
Specifically, in Indonesia DBS Foundation also recently announced a partnership with The Asia Foundation, the Foundation for Humanism & Social Innovation, and Dicoding. Through this collaboration, SGD9 million or more than IDR100 billion is channeled to improve the welfare of vulnerable communities in Indonesia such as women, small-scale farmers, youth, and people with disabilities, particularly in NTT and West Kalimantan, over the next 3 years.
These efforts are part of DBS Bank Ltd's (DBS Bank) commitment to
allocating up to SGD1 billion and 1.5 million hours of employee volunteering
over the next 10 years.
For more information on DBS Foundation’s activities and the DBS Foundation Grant Programme, please visit:
dbs.com/foundation/grants
.
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