GMF#35 | Messi, Jordan, Beckham… and Dawn?
The Billionaires Are Giving—But So Are the Rest of Us
TL;DR:
A recent article spotlighted billionaires setting up charity foundations in Singapore. That’s great. But let’s not forget: giving doesn’t belong to the rich—it belongs to everyone. The everyday givers, the quiet champions, the ripple-makers. If we want a world full of change, we need stories that inspire everyone to play a part—even if it starts small.
💸 Billionaires giving is great—but giving belongs to all of us.
🤫 In Asia, many givers stay quiet—but stories matter to inspire action.
⚽ Just like sports needs heroes, giving needs role models too.
💖 Everyday champions like Dawn, Xian, and Scott show what leading with kindness looks like.
🌍 The dream? A world where everyone champions a cause they believe in.
This weekend, The Straits Times ran a feature on how billionaires are increasingly setting up foundations in Singapore for their charitable work. It’s a good thing. More people giving means more people can be helped.
But as I read through it, I couldn’t help thinking—
Are we falling into the trap of thinking giving is for “others”?
That generosity is something reserved for the ultra-wealthy?
It Starts with “Us,” Not “Them”
Sure, a billionaire giving $1 million makes for a great headline. But that doesn’t mean the responsibility of change should sit on their shoulders alone.
I still believe what we’ve always said at Give.Asia:
Kindness lives in everyone.
Giving is for all of us.
And yet, I get it. In our part of the world, it’s kind of an Asian thing to do good quietly. We don’t talk about it much. Humble bragging is still bragging, right?
But here’s the problem with that silence:
If we don’t hear the stories…
It’s harder to imagine doing the same.
And harder still to fall in love with the idea of giving.
Why Giving Needs Role Models Too
I grew up in a world where sports dominated my life.
Conversations with friends revolved around one question:
Who’s the GOAT?
Every day, there was a match to watch.
A league. A cup. A playoff.
And always a hero on screen.
Is it any wonder we fell in love with the game?
When we had Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, and David Beckham to look up to?
That’s what storytelling does.
It pulls you in.
It makes you care.
It makes you dream.
So why should giving be any different?
Celebrate the Quiet Champions
Over the years, we’ve met so many incredible people on Give.Asia—everyday folks who go above and beyond. But you’ll rarely hear about them.
So today, I want to give some love to a few of the quiet champions:
✨ Dawn, who never fails to rally friends for every cause she believes in.
✨ Xian, who leads with heart, always first to raise her hand and her voice for those who can't.
✨ Scott, who’s not afraid to experiment with ideas, time, and resources to push the boundaries of generosity.
These are the people who’ve inspired us, challenged us, and reminded us what it means to lead with kindness.
What If It Became the Norm?
Imagine this:
Everyone, in their own way, championing a cause.
Using their voice to drive action.
Making giving part of their everyday life—not an exception.
That’s not a billionaire’s dream.
That’s a world where everyone becomes the change they want to see.
Let’s make it normal. Let’s make it loud.
Let’s make giving… a movement.
P.S. If you’ll like to join or knows someone who is already part of the movement for good, please drop us a message (FB | IG | TT | X | support@give.asia) because we would love to team up with you