DBS Foundation Bestari Festival 2024 awakens the spirit within individuals to create sustainable social impact | Bahasa

Indonesia.03 Oct 2024.3 min read
Indonesia, 03 Oct 2024 - Indonesia’s vast geographical area presents great potential as well as various social problems. According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), around 9.57% of Indonesia's population still lived below the poverty line in 2023. Access to basic services such as quality education and health remains a major challenge, especially in rural and remote areas. According to UNICEF, more than 4.2 million of primary school-aged children in Indonesia do not have access to formal education.

Similar problems were revealed in findings on financial literacy. According to the Financial Services Authority (OJK), in 2022, Indonesia's financial literacy index only stood at 49.68%, well below the index of several neighboring countries. This means that half of the population still does not have sufficient knowledge of basic financial management, hampering their efforts to achieve economic stability. In addition to social and financial issues, Indonesia also faces environmental issues such as water crisis, air pollution, waste, and flooding.

The rampant social issues sparked enthusiasm in Bestari Festival, an initiative group, and Bank DBS Indonesia for organizing the “Road to DBS Foundation Bestari Festival: Impact Beyond”. The event brought together several speakers representing different levels of society, including Okki Sutanto, a writer and content creator who often draws attention to social issues; Nadia Mulya, presenter and founder of the environmental activist community Langit Biru Pertiwi; and Head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications at Bank DBS Indonesia Mona Monika. The highlight of the “DBS Foundation Bestari Festival: Impact Beyond” event will be held on October 19 at Urban Forest Cipete.

Bestari Festival initiator Firdza Radiany said, “The Bestari Festival returns for the second time this year and will serve as a convenient platform for each individual to grow, make an impact on their surroundings and address problems in their community. We are proud to partner with Bank DBS Indonesia that has a shared mission and vision to create a positive impact on local communities.”

As a bank with a vision to be the 'Best Bank for A Better World', Bank DBS Indonesia is guided by three sustainability pillars, namely Responsible Banking, Responsible Business Practice and Impact Beyond Banking - highlighting the bank's commitment to delivering positive impact beyond the scope of banking services through DBS Foundation.

Head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications at Bank DBS Indonesia Mona Monika added that, “Since 2014, as a purpose-driven organization, DBS Foundation has been playing an active role in tackling various social and environmental issues. This festival is an extension of that commitment and aims to serve as a platform for discussion, showcase our social enterprises, and introduce DBS Foundation's programmes in Indonesia. Ultimately, we hope to contribute more to the country's economy, the community and society at large, as well as the environment. We also hope that this event can inspire 'From a Spark Within to Impact Beyond', a stepping stone that moves us all to join hands in taking steps to advance sustainability.”

Together with Bestari Festival Co-founder Firza Daud, these four figures not only reviewed the social problems in the country, but also focused on how each individual can be a driving force that has an impact on themselves and their immediate environment. In line with the life force of the Bestari Festival, the speakers emphasized harmony in the relationship between living things—humans, animals, and plants—as the main elements and actors of a sustainable and impactful lifestyle.

DBS Foundation Bestari Festival – Igniting the Spirit of Sustainability

The highlight of the DBS Foundation Bestari Festival: Impact Beyond event will feature a lineup of speakers and notable figures consisting of government representatives, academics, financial practitioners, parenting practitioners, actors in the social enterprise sector, and many more. The event will be held at the Urban Forest Cipete. Free tickets to the event are available at https://bestarifestival.com/.

Drawing on real-life experiences, the event will allow the audience to enjoy three key elements, namely:
  • Human Spark Area (education area) - an area to discuss and learn about each other's spark in sharing sessions and panel talk shows.
  • Sea Turtle Spark Area (art & culture area) - a safe space in the outdoor area that showcases the work of local social enterprises such as air quality sensors created by Nafas, woven products by local artisans curated by DuAnyam, food products made from food waste by FoodCycle, and animal feed made from food waste by Magalarva.
  • Leaf Spark Area (food and beverage area) - a mini food court with tenants that uphold local wisdom.

In addition to the talk shows, the event will also be enlivened by a bazaar of products produced by various social enterprises as well as a performance by Endah N Rhesa.

For more information about the DBS Foundation Bestari Festival, please click https://bestarifestival.com/.

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About Bestari Festival

Bestari Festival is an annual event that aims to foster personal growth and inspire individuals to create positive social impact. As a platform for collaboration and learning, the festival brings together leaders, innovators and change-makers from various fields to discuss pressing social issues in Indonesia, ranging from education and environmental sustainability to gender equality and social enterprise development.

About DBS Foundation

Established in 2014, DBS Foundation is committed to uplifting lives and livelihoods of those in need. It provides essential needs to the underprivileged, and fosters inclusion by equipping the underserved with financial and digital literacy skills. It also nurtures innovative social enterprises that create positive impact. It aims to bring hope to those with less today, so no one is left behind and we can all face the future with confidence.

In 2024, DBS committed up to SGD 1 billion dollars over the next decade to support vulnerable communities. It also pledged to contribute 1.5 million employee volunteer hours over the same period.

Together with an ecosystem of like-minded partners, DBS Foundation seeks to create impact that goes beyond banking, beyond borders, and beyond generations.


For more information, please visit: www.dbs.com/dbsfoundation.


About DBS

DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank’s “AA-” and “Aa1” credit ratings are among the highest in the world. 


Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Global Finance, “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney and “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney and the world’s “Most Innovative in Digital Banking” by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia“ award by Global Finance for 15 consecutive years from 2009 to 2023. DBS Indonesia is ranked second in the top as World’s Best Bank in Indonesia for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022.


Established in 1989 as part of the Singapore-based DBS Group, PT Bank DBS Indonesia (Bank DBS Indonesia) is one of the banks with the longest history in Asia. Currently operating 1 Head Office, 13 Branch Offices, 16 Assistant Offices and 4 Functional Offices and 3,011 active employees in 15 Major Cities in Indonesia, Bank DBS Indonesia provides comprehensive banking services in the corporate, SME and consumer banking segments that focuses on the customer experience to 'Live more, Bank less'. We also see a purpose beyond banking and are committed to supporting our customers, employees and the community towards a sustainable future. 


PT Bank DBS Indonesia is licensed and supervised by The Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK), and an insured member of Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS).

DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, as it banks the Asian way. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by supporting businesses for impact: enterprises with a double bottom-line of profit and social and/or environmental impact. DBS Foundation also gives back to society in various ways, including equipping underserved communities with future-ready skills and helping them to build food resilience.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.

DBS Foundation