The next philanthropist or social entrepreneur to change the world could be a product of Good Soil Foundation

Every summer, a new batch of starry-eyed youth are shaped into leaders through Good Soil Foundation’s Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Programme.

The inaugural five-day summer camp of 2024, held at the classrooms of NUS Business School, was organised by Good Soil Foundation and co-hosted with the support of the Dean of NUS Business School, Andy Rose.

It brought together 57 of the brightest high school students from Asia, referred to as “Student Fellows”.

This designation highlights their active role both as learners and contributors, emphasising their potential to emerge as future leaders in philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, while fostering a sense of belonging to an impactful community.

“This camp is about more than just learning leadership skills—it’s about planting seeds of change. I believe that Singapore, with its unique position as a global hub, is the perfect place to foster future leaders who will drive real social progress,” said Faye Lo, founder of the Good Soil Foundation.

5-day programme

For five days, student fellows, aged 15 to 17 engaged with mentors, including Richard Buttrey from the University of Cambridge, former Nominated Member of Parliament Viswa Sadasivan, and TikTok’s Social Impact Manager (APAC), Jerry Lewis Ong.

The programme featured talks and workshops by several mentors that covered different aspects of being a leader, including public speaking, leadership and philanthropy in the modern day.

Ong, for example, spoke about how digital platforms can amplify social impact, resonating with the tech-savvy students eager to explore innovative ways to drive social causes.

Students also visited OUE Group’s headquarters, and engaged in a dialogue session with Stephen Riady, chairman and chief executive officer of OUE Limited, where he shared about corporate social responsibility and the role businesses play in advancing philanthropy.

Student fellows also visited the Enabling Village and the Tzu Chi Foundation to explore Singapore’s non-profit sector and to see how charity work is conducted locally.

Projects and initiatives

The programme also allowed participants to apply the skills that they’ve learnt to social issues in the real world through the charity proposal pitch session.

Students are divided into groups to craft a solution to a social issue of their choice.

Subsequently, student groups pitch these solutions to the foundation.

The winning group is shortlisted to lead and execute their project under Good Soil Foundation’s in-house incubator, where they receive funding of up to S$20,000, as well as industry support and mentorship to execute their ideas.

The foundation is currently incubating two student projects.

NourishMind

NourishMind is a student-led project that focuses on promoting physical and mental health through nutrition.

Combining expertise in nutrition, psychology, and business, the team behind the initiative has created an integrated platform that provides personalised meal plans, AI-driven mental health support, and an interactive food interface.

The project aims to raise public awareness about the connection between nutrition and mental well-being, offering accessible solutions to users through its app and website.

Student fellows working on the project took on roles in website development, app design, content creation, and user engagement, helping to create a platform that promotes both physical and mental wellness while building sustainable operations.

Silver Sayang

Another student-lead initiative, Silver Sayang aims to reach out to the elderly and address rising issues of elderly loneliness through kits that keep them engaged.

The group committed themselves to tackling elderly loneliness and are in talks with partners to ascertain how to further refine their product.

A new class to be formed in 2025

The Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Program offers an invaluable opportunity to gain the skills, networks, and mindset needed to lead social good initiatives and create a lasting impact.

In the summer of 2025, founders Faye Lo, Ryan Cao, and Zack Cao will continue collaborating with student leaders from the Class of 2024 as they mentor the upcoming batch.

The Good Soil Foundation plans to partner with different universities in the future, going to different cities and rural areas on learning journeys in countries, such as Thailand, Japan and China.

Plans for the 2025 camp include hosting more students from diverse backgrounds through scholarships for deserving students.

In 2025, a new class will embark on a unique learning journey where student fellows will engage directly with local communities.

Mornings will be dedicated to classroom learning, while afternoons will involve hands-on volunteer work, allowing student fellows to experience philanthropy in action.

The programme aims to inspire and equip the next cohort to initiate social impact projects, and empower high school students to take active roles in creating meaningful change through projects that are in service to their communities.

You can learn more about the programme here.

This branded content was brought to you by Good Soil Foundation

Top photo via Good Soil Foundation