Akhileswaran Ramaswamy (Volunteer Cooperation)
A consultant in Geriatric Medicine from the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Dr Akhileswaran Ramaswamy is a specialist Singapore International Volunteer (SIV) who has helped develop and enhance palliative care services in Indonesia through two SIF projects in 2009 and 2014. To date, the team of Singapore volunteers under his charge has trained more than 225 clinical staff from 13 public hospitals and two host agencies, who have in turn gone on to share their knowledge with over 1,000 of their Indonesian peers. Today, Dr Akhileswaran continues to exchange medical ideas and advice with his Indonesian friends and counterparts on a regular basis.
Esther Joosa (Arts and Culture)
Dr Esther Joosa has been partnering the SIF to bridge communities through the arts since 2011. As a specialist volunteer and arts educator, she worked with Tamil Nadu-based Indian social welfare organisation, Buds of Christ, to empower social workers through the SIF’s Arts for Good programme. Through this initiative, Dr Joosa worked with her Indian counterparts to incorporate art into care-giving practices for communities affected by AIDS. Over 2011, 2014 and 2016, more than 100 children and parents affected by the condition attended her workshops where she used masks to help them connect with their emotions and heal. Her work in the arts for good space has undoubtedly lifted these communities.
Keith Chua (Good Business)
A strong advocate of the SIF’s Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) programme, Keith Chua, who is Chairman of Asia Philanthropic Ventures, has always had a passion for giving back to the community. Not only is he one of the first funders of the SIF’s YSE programme, he has also been a veteran judge for the annual programme since 2012. He has appraised and mentored many aspiring social entrepreneurs, many of whom have gone on to start businesses with a heart.
Kevin Teo (Good Business)
As managing director of Asian Venture Philanthropy Network’s Knowledge Centre, Kevin Teo has been a firm believer and strong supporter of the SIF’s YSE programme since its early inception. His passion for mentoring youth shines through in his work with the programme’s international participants, be it through mentoring or judging. Many of Kevin’s young mentees have gone on to create their own impactful connections for ‘good’.