A Gift Named with Love
A new bursary at NUS will open doors for Malaysian students to thrive through education.
Mr Charles Lim (left) and his wife, Mdm Lee Moy. Their three children established a bursary in their parents’ honour.
This story is featured in the NUS Giving Report 2025/2025 - Future: Powered by Giving. Click here to read more Giving Report stories.
Some dreams take time to find their way forward.
Mr Charles Lim once hoped to study law in England; his wife Mdm Lee Moy’s schooling ended early at a Chinese primary school. While they never got the chance to further their studies, what remained unwavering was their belief that education had the power to change lives for the better.
This conviction took root in their three children, who would keep its spirit alive long after their parents were gone. The Charles Lim & Lee Moy @ Lee Kwee Siew Bursary will support financially needy Malaysian undergraduate students at the National University of Singapore (NUS), creating opportunities for the next generation to fulfil their dreams and realise their full potential.
The siblings have chosen to remain anonymous themselves, allowing the gift to speak in their parents’ names instead. “The Bursary honours my parents, who have always valued the importance of education as a stepping stone to improving one’s life,” shared one of their daughters. “My siblings and I thought that it would be a meaningful tribute to have an NUS bursary named after them.”
Walking the Path Herself
As a young woman, Mr Lim and Mdm Lee’s eldest daughter worked as a teacher in Malaysia, saving diligently before leaving for the United Kingdom to pursue an accounting degree.
Eventually, she became a Senior Administrator at NUS, where she spent years witnessing firsthand what a world-class university education could do for a young person’s life.
Upon her retirement, she knew she wanted to help Malaysian students access these transformative opportunities. For those with the courage to move to Singapore, she believes NUS offers an optimal environment to thrive and grow.
“I hope the Bursary will give these Malaysian students financial independence so that they can enjoy their studies and participate fully in the myriad of activities that are part of university life at NUS,” she reflected.
Her hopes for the beneficiaries do not end at graduation.
“I also hope that after graduating from NUS, Malaysian students who received the Bursary will then stay on and give back to Singapore, make a better life for themselves here in Singapore and also for their families back in Malaysia,” she shared.
She understands that journey well, having once crossed the causeway to leave behind a secure job in Malaysia for the uncertainty of a new beginning in Singapore—a place she would later call home as a permanent resident.
Creating More Opportunities for Malaysians
For many years, giving at this scale had seemed unimaginable to her. “I had thought only the very rich would be able to sponsor NUS fees,” she admitted.
It was only in her final year working at NUS that she realised otherwise. A conversation with the NUS Development Office revealed that setting up a bursary was much more accessible than she had thought. What made the experience especially meaningful was the person guiding her through it: someone who was born in Malaysia and had made the same journey to settle in Singapore. This major gift officer understood exactly what she was looking for and helped her navigate the process every step of the way. She then shared the idea of setting up this bursary with her siblings, who were more than happy to come on board with their support.
“We are very proud to know that we have played a small part in helping Malaysian students become graduates from one of the top-ranking universities in the world,” she shared.
The Bursary stands testament to their parents’ values, decades after their lifetimes. What began as a simple belief in education has become a gift that brings impact to life—opening doors for the next generation of Malaysian students and affirming that meaningful change is always within reach for those who choose to give.
“Our late parents would have been thrilled to bits, if they were still around,” she concluded.
A gift is a simple way to honour the ones who have gone before us. You too can preserve important values when you support our NUS students through financial aid.
