DBS Foundation Cultivating Hope in Villages, Clinics, and Inclusive Workplaces Expanding Its Impact to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Bahasa
Indonesia, 07 Jul 2026 - Business growth is often measured by profits, the number of customers, or company valuation. However, for three female founders who received grants from the DBS Foundation Grant Programme, success means something else. They opted to build businesses that grow by creating lasting value for communities, from smallholder farmers and patients in remote areas to persons with disabilities seeking employment opportunities.
As a purpose-driven bank, Bank DBS Indonesia goes beyond its role as a financial partner. Through the sustainability pillar Impact Beyond Banking, Bank DBS Indonesia is committed to promoting broader inclusivity by empowering impact businesses to reach more communities. Through DBS Foundation, the commitment is translated into tangible action, creating solutions that benefit thousands of people across Indonesia.
In 2024, DBS Group reinforced its commitment by allocating an additional SGD1 billion to DBS Foundation over the next 10 years across its six markets, including Indonesia. Under the 2025 DBS Foundation Grant Programme, five social enterprises in Indonesia were selected as grant recipients, receiving a total of SGD850,000 in grants.
DoctorTool and KONEKIN were recipients of the 2025 DBS Foundation Grant Programme, while Java Fresh was among the grant recipients in 2024. All three were selected from hundreds of proposals submitted by social enterprises across multiple countries. While each addresses a different challenge, they share a common thread: ideas born from real-world experiences that have evolved into solutions to empower communities.
From Village Farms to Global Markets
For Margareta Astaman, co-founder & CEO of Java Fresh, the journey began with a simple question: Why is Indonesia, one of the world's largest fruit producers, still lagging behind in fresh fruit exports?
“In fact, Indonesia has no lack of production. What we lack is quality. And why do we fall short of quality? Because our farmers have not received the incentives that motivate them to meet export standards,” said Margareta during a recent Focus Group Discussion (FGD) organised by DBS Foundation.
Since 2014, Java Fresh has supported smallholder farmers through training, international certification, grading system, and fairer payment mechanism, given that around 93% of Indonesia’s farmers are smallholders with average land size of less than one hectare. Today, Java Fresh works with approximately 3,400 farmers across Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Lombok, exporting mangosteens to more than 25 countries.
For Margareta, the challenges in rural communities extend beyond farmers. Many rural women have limited life opportunities and marry at a young age due to a lack of employment prospects. To address this issue, Java Fresh has established six packing houses in rural areas, employing mostly women, many of whom have no prior formal employment.
“It is safe to say that 99% of our employees are women with no prior work experience, some of them are even in their 40s. Java Fresh has become a place where many first-time job seekers are given the opportunity to start their careers,” she said.
Support from DBS Foundation has enabled Java Fresh to advance research on extending the shelf life of mangosteens and improving post-harvest technology, including trials of shipment using sea containers that have the potential to reduce logistics costs and connect more farmers to global markets.
Technology for More Equitable Healthcare
The same spirit of change is also transforming healthcare. Elisa Yoshigoe Wijaya, CCO & co-founder of DoctorTool, witnessed firsthand the gaps in Indonesia’s healthcare system, from disparities between urban and rural areas and the uneven distribution of medical specialists to the heavy administrative burden faced by healthcare professionals.
“Before we can become economically empowered, the first thing we need is good health. When people are healthy, they have the opportunity to achieve anything,” said Elisa.
DoctorTool has developed a digital medical records system integrated with BPJS and SATUSEHAT, enabling doctors to access patients’ medical histories within seconds, reducing waiting times, accelerating pharmacy services, and leveraging AI-powered Clinical Decision Support to assist clinical decision-making, including in efforts to address stunting. The technology is now operating across all 37 provinces in Indonesia, reaching approximately 15 million healthcare service beneficiaries.
“We believe AI is not here to replace doctors but to support them by giving them more time to focus on what matters most: interacting with patients and making informed clinical decisions,” said Elisa.
With support from DBS Foundation, DoctorTool has strengthened the development of its AI capabilities, technology infrastructure, and engineering team to further enhance its Clinical Decision Support feature.
Opening Doors to Equal Opportunities
Another story began with the personal experience of Marthella Sirait, CEO of KONEKIN Indonesia, while teaching in a remote village in the Tanimbar Islands, Maluku. There, she met three students with disabilities who had little to no access to education or opportunities for a better future.
“I made a promise to myself. If I cannot solve all of Indonesia’s education challenges, I can at least help make these three students believe that they, too, can pursue an education, find meaningful work, and build a future,” said Marthella.
That promise eventually evolved into KONEKIN, a platform that connects persons with disabilities to employment opportunities. According to Marthella, the biggest challenge is not simply the availability of jobs but also access to information and employers’ readiness to recruit persons with disabilities.
With support from DBS Foundation, KONEKIN developed an AI-powered platform that helps persons with disabilities create ATS-friendly CVs, provides a candidate verification system for employers, expands Bersiap Academy to improve job readiness, and delivers disability awareness programmes for companies. Through the Bersiap Academy programme, KONEKIN has collaborated with industrial estates such as the Karawang International Industrial City, with a goal of increasing the number of training participants from 150 to 500.
“We want to make employment opportunities more equitable and accessible for the 17 million persons with disabilities of working age in Indonesia,” said Marthella.
When Business Becomes a Force for Change
For DBS Foundation, the stories of these three women demonstrate how impact beyond banking can be brought to life by empowering businesses that dare to think differently and become a force for addressing pressing social challenges. Mona Monika, Head of Group Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia and representative of DBS Foundation, said the Foundation aims to multiply positive impact that brings hope to communities.
“Despite the many challenges we face today, there are still countless social entrepreneurs driving meaningful change. We want more people to see that doing good is real, that it can create lasting impact, and that it can deliver sustainable solutions to society’s most pressing challenges,” Mona concluded.
DBS Foundation is inviting more social enterprises to join the 2026 DBS Foundation Business for Impact (BFI) Grant Programme. With up to SGD250,000 in grant funding per recipient, the programme supports social enterprises with sustainable business models and proven track records of measurable social impact.
Social enterprises seeking to strengthen their capabilities and scale their sustainably imapct are invited to apply for the DBS Foundation Grant Program 2026. Applications remain open until 13 July 2026, with detailed information at go.dbs.com/Grant2026.
[END]
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 17 consecutive years from 2009 to 2025.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets.
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 Operational Head Office, 13 Branch Offices, 14 Sub-Branch Offices, 32 ATMs spread across major cities and 2.861 active employees in 15 major cities in Indonesia, Bank DBS Indonesia provides comprehensive banking services that focus 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 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.
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.
As a purpose-driven bank, Bank DBS Indonesia goes beyond its role as a financial partner. Through the sustainability pillar Impact Beyond Banking, Bank DBS Indonesia is committed to promoting broader inclusivity by empowering impact businesses to reach more communities. Through DBS Foundation, the commitment is translated into tangible action, creating solutions that benefit thousands of people across Indonesia.
In 2024, DBS Group reinforced its commitment by allocating an additional SGD1 billion to DBS Foundation over the next 10 years across its six markets, including Indonesia. Under the 2025 DBS Foundation Grant Programme, five social enterprises in Indonesia were selected as grant recipients, receiving a total of SGD850,000 in grants.
DoctorTool and KONEKIN were recipients of the 2025 DBS Foundation Grant Programme, while Java Fresh was among the grant recipients in 2024. All three were selected from hundreds of proposals submitted by social enterprises across multiple countries. While each addresses a different challenge, they share a common thread: ideas born from real-world experiences that have evolved into solutions to empower communities.
From Village Farms to Global Markets
For Margareta Astaman, co-founder & CEO of Java Fresh, the journey began with a simple question: Why is Indonesia, one of the world's largest fruit producers, still lagging behind in fresh fruit exports?
“In fact, Indonesia has no lack of production. What we lack is quality. And why do we fall short of quality? Because our farmers have not received the incentives that motivate them to meet export standards,” said Margareta during a recent Focus Group Discussion (FGD) organised by DBS Foundation.
Since 2014, Java Fresh has supported smallholder farmers through training, international certification, grading system, and fairer payment mechanism, given that around 93% of Indonesia’s farmers are smallholders with average land size of less than one hectare. Today, Java Fresh works with approximately 3,400 farmers across Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Lombok, exporting mangosteens to more than 25 countries.
For Margareta, the challenges in rural communities extend beyond farmers. Many rural women have limited life opportunities and marry at a young age due to a lack of employment prospects. To address this issue, Java Fresh has established six packing houses in rural areas, employing mostly women, many of whom have no prior formal employment.
“It is safe to say that 99% of our employees are women with no prior work experience, some of them are even in their 40s. Java Fresh has become a place where many first-time job seekers are given the opportunity to start their careers,” she said.
Support from DBS Foundation has enabled Java Fresh to advance research on extending the shelf life of mangosteens and improving post-harvest technology, including trials of shipment using sea containers that have the potential to reduce logistics costs and connect more farmers to global markets.
Technology for More Equitable Healthcare
The same spirit of change is also transforming healthcare. Elisa Yoshigoe Wijaya, CCO & co-founder of DoctorTool, witnessed firsthand the gaps in Indonesia’s healthcare system, from disparities between urban and rural areas and the uneven distribution of medical specialists to the heavy administrative burden faced by healthcare professionals.
“Before we can become economically empowered, the first thing we need is good health. When people are healthy, they have the opportunity to achieve anything,” said Elisa.
DoctorTool has developed a digital medical records system integrated with BPJS and SATUSEHAT, enabling doctors to access patients’ medical histories within seconds, reducing waiting times, accelerating pharmacy services, and leveraging AI-powered Clinical Decision Support to assist clinical decision-making, including in efforts to address stunting. The technology is now operating across all 37 provinces in Indonesia, reaching approximately 15 million healthcare service beneficiaries.
“We believe AI is not here to replace doctors but to support them by giving them more time to focus on what matters most: interacting with patients and making informed clinical decisions,” said Elisa.
With support from DBS Foundation, DoctorTool has strengthened the development of its AI capabilities, technology infrastructure, and engineering team to further enhance its Clinical Decision Support feature.
Opening Doors to Equal Opportunities
Another story began with the personal experience of Marthella Sirait, CEO of KONEKIN Indonesia, while teaching in a remote village in the Tanimbar Islands, Maluku. There, she met three students with disabilities who had little to no access to education or opportunities for a better future.
“I made a promise to myself. If I cannot solve all of Indonesia’s education challenges, I can at least help make these three students believe that they, too, can pursue an education, find meaningful work, and build a future,” said Marthella.
That promise eventually evolved into KONEKIN, a platform that connects persons with disabilities to employment opportunities. According to Marthella, the biggest challenge is not simply the availability of jobs but also access to information and employers’ readiness to recruit persons with disabilities.
With support from DBS Foundation, KONEKIN developed an AI-powered platform that helps persons with disabilities create ATS-friendly CVs, provides a candidate verification system for employers, expands Bersiap Academy to improve job readiness, and delivers disability awareness programmes for companies. Through the Bersiap Academy programme, KONEKIN has collaborated with industrial estates such as the Karawang International Industrial City, with a goal of increasing the number of training participants from 150 to 500.
“We want to make employment opportunities more equitable and accessible for the 17 million persons with disabilities of working age in Indonesia,” said Marthella.
When Business Becomes a Force for Change
For DBS Foundation, the stories of these three women demonstrate how impact beyond banking can be brought to life by empowering businesses that dare to think differently and become a force for addressing pressing social challenges. Mona Monika, Head of Group Marketing & Communications at PT Bank DBS Indonesia and representative of DBS Foundation, said the Foundation aims to multiply positive impact that brings hope to communities.
“Despite the many challenges we face today, there are still countless social entrepreneurs driving meaningful change. We want more people to see that doing good is real, that it can create lasting impact, and that it can deliver sustainable solutions to society’s most pressing challenges,” Mona concluded.
DBS Foundation is inviting more social enterprises to join the 2026 DBS Foundation Business for Impact (BFI) Grant Programme. With up to SGD250,000 in grant funding per recipient, the programme supports social enterprises with sustainable business models and proven track records of measurable social impact.
Social enterprises seeking to strengthen their capabilities and scale their sustainably imapct are invited to apply for the DBS Foundation Grant Program 2026. Applications remain open until 13 July 2026, with detailed information at go.dbs.com/Grant2026.
[END]
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 17 consecutive years from 2009 to 2025.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets.
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 Operational Head Office, 13 Branch Offices, 14 Sub-Branch Offices, 32 ATMs spread across major cities and 2.861 active employees in 15 major cities in Indonesia, Bank DBS Indonesia provides comprehensive banking services that focus 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 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.
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.
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Awards
World's Best Bank 2025, 2018 - 2022
Euromoney, Global Finance, The Banker
Asia’s Safest Bank, 2009 – 2025
Global Finance
