Building A City Of Good

For her outstanding philanthropic contributions to the nation, Mildred Tan, Chairman of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, is the recipient of this year’s Prestige Patron Award 2020. She tells Nafeesa Saini how she, along with NVPC, is championing a better world in Singapore.

- Nafeesa Saini

‘‘Inever considered myself a philanthropist until someone educated me on the definition,” confesses Mildred Tan. For her, its meaning was once synonymous with monetary donations. Years ago, she was asked to give a talk in which she was described as one. When she refuted the title, the organisers explained that being a philanthropist is not about money. “They said, ‘You are a philanthropist because you give your time, skills and knowledge to promote philanthropy for the betterment of others.’”

Her modest perception of her own giving journey stems from a lifelong habit. “It wasn’t as though I was called into it. Mine is a simple story of growing up fortunate.”

THE RIGHT START

As a student at Methodist Girls’ School, where the motto was “to master, to grow, to serve”, Mildred was a member of the Girls’ Brigade. She spent Saturday afternoons giving tuition to the disadvantaged students at the now-closed Grace Home. “It made me realise that we are so blessed and that it’s important to always give back.”

Outside of school, her family paved the way for a lifetime of charitable giving. Her mother was actively involved in the Singapore Children’s Society and often fundraised through setting up stalls at the charity’s funfairs where Mildred and her siblings would help out. “It became a way of life for me,” she adds.