DBS Foundation (DBSF) supports the vulnerable and aims to foster inclusion & ensure that every person – regardless of age or circumstance – can live and age with dignity, purpose, & joy. Our commitment extends beyond supporting today’s seniors to also empowering seniors of tomorrow, i.e. equipping people of all ages to build towards a better future.
Youth unemployment remains above global averages in some markets, with women disproportionately affected. The underserved also face entrenched challenges (e.g., limited access to training, cultural/gender bias). These inequities undermine social mobility & economic resilience, particularly in fast-growing or densely populated parts of Asia.
To tackle this, DBSF committed >SGD3M to implement multi-year programmes in key markets to unlock employment opportunities for youth & women, with a goal to impact ~400K lives, creating tangible pathways to employment & improved financial health.
The impact of DBSF’s programmes is unique in its focus on long-term progress. By unlocking beneficiaries’ potential & improving employability, we uplift them today & empower them for tomorrow – so even as they age, they can continue to contribute meaningfully in their communities & thrive.
DBSF is committed to redefining ageing and building an inclusive future where everyone — regardless of age or circumstance — can live with dignity, purpose, and joy.
Recognising that today’s youth are tomorrow’s seniors, we focus not only on supporting current seniors but also empowering younger generations, especially underprivileged youth & women facing employment barriers.
By tackling the interconnected challenges of ageing and employment disparity, DBSF aims to create a stronger foundation where all can age well in future through a holistic plan of action:
Below are multi-year programme examples, implemented with strategic partners in key markets, where DBSF invested >SGD3M to unlock employment opportunities for underprivileged youth and women.
1. Dicoding (Indonesia): SGD350K to Upskill Youth with Coding Skills
Launched DBSF Coding Camp, a free programme equipping underserved youth with digital and coding skills, empowering them to access new career pathways in the tech sector; creating a bridge to meaningful employment in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries.
2. MakerBay Foundation (Hong Kong): SGD607K to Empower Youth with Digital Skills
No-code and AI are now mainstream technologies. To prepare underserved youth for tech-driven future workplaces, the DBSF InnoFuture Youth Programme provided them free tech education courses and hands-on working opportunities. The youth were encouraged to apply this to conceptualise and implement digital solutions for NGOs & social enterprises, urging them to think about how tech can drive change in society.
3.Haqdarshak (India): SGD2.05M to Provide Digital & Financial Literacy, & Social Welfare Access to beneficiaries
This initiative empowers low-income communities (70% women) by improving access to government welfare schemes and livelihood opportunities. It delivered on-the-ground support with >10K training sessions in Digital & Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Development for micro and nano-entrepreneurs—e.g. street vendors, tailors, small shop owners—and vulnerable workers like domestic helpers & farm labourers. This initiative acts as a catalyst for women-led change & financial resilience at the grassroots level.
As of Q12025, the 3 programmes supported ~500K beneficiaries (1.25x target), demonstrating how DBSF is building pathways to employability.
The programme received 4.71/5 satisfaction rating; 97% of students surveyed agreed it improved their problem-solving skills; 69% applying the knowledge & skill in real world. Following the success, DBSF committed additional SGD3.3M to scale in 2025, targeting another 130K youth, especially PWDs, women, educators, and low-income citizens.
This helps pave way towards more successful career prospects and drive digital transformation in the social sector. >36K sessions have been conducted, with >92% of students surveyed reporting improved knowledge and confidence to apply new skills.
350 Haqdarshak agents, mostly women, trained to serve as local welfare navigators, creating new income streams for them while directly uplifting their communities. The programme helped unlock >370K social welfare schemes (valued >SGD 240M) for its beneficiaries. Following the partnership success, DBSF committed another SGD5.1M in 2025 to scale the programme for another 2 years, targeting 500K beneficiaries (including 50K nano entrepreneurs).
By helping these youth & women to improve their financial health (employment, stable income & increased savings), it builds resilient ecosystems, empowering them with skills & mindsets to thrive in a multi-gen workforce and contribute meaningfully to the community, even as they age.
To scale our impact further – in 2024, DBS pledged up to SGD1B over ten years to this purpose, supported by 1.5 million employee volunteer hours.
