POWER AND PURPOSE

Honoured at Robb Report Singapore's gala awards for their transformative impact in business, philanthropy, the arts, and sustainability, these visionaries do more than raise the bar-they define excellence, gumption, and inspire generations to dream bigger.

- Words: Alvin Wong Photography: Eugene Lee and Franz Navarrete

SPIRIT OF PHILANTHROPY MELISSA KWEE

Melissa Kwee’s face lights up when she talks about her neighbours.

In Queenstown, where she and her community affectionately call themselves Queenstown Kakis, regular gatherings that span singing sessions, food parties, and crafting workshops held on a small grass patch at Stirling Road have become a source of joy and connection—and perhaps, a reminder of what led Kwee to be involved in community work in the first place.

A ground-up effort that was sparked after The Lovable Neighbourhood Boot Camp, an ideation initiative organised by DesignSingapore to foster loving neighbourhoods across the nation, Queenstown Kakis has since grown into a model of human connection and bonding.

“After I left NVPC (National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre) in much better hands, there was only one thing I felt convicted to pursue. And that was this question: would you learn how to be a good neighbour?” she explains.

A true multi-hyphenate in the philanthropic space, Kwee is no stranger to driving national change. As CEO of NVPC from 2014 to 2022, she was instrumental in shaping the Singapore: City of Good vision—a transformative strategy that encouraged philanthropy as participatory work across individuals, communities, and corporations. From it emerged enduring platforms such as Giving.sg, the national digital donation portal, and The Company of Good, launched in 2016 to galvanise businesses towards making a purposeful impact. Beyond NVPC, she founded Project Access, Singapore’s first leadership programme for young girls, and Beautiful People, a mentoring movement that connects women professionals with youth, among many other initiatives.