Shaping a More Inclusive Singapore

This story is featured in the NUS Giving Report 2025/2025 - Future: Powered by Giving. Click here to read more Giving Report stories. 

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How does one woman’s last wish make waves throughout society?

When cancer struck Ms Diana Koh suddenly in 2019, she made one last request: to give her entire estate to charity. She believed that the impact she could achieve did not have to be limited to her lifetime; it could continue to benefit others for generations beyond her own. 

Through the power of legacy giving, the ripples of her final wish are still being felt today. The Estate of Diana Koh has empowered several important causes for society: from cancer research and women’s advocacy to supporting the arts and caring for the elderly.

With the Estate’s latest gift to support the Social Inclusion Project (SIP) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) through the Diana Koh-Social Inclusion Fund, Ms Koh’s legacy is becoming a powerful force for change in society.

Creating Opportunities that Last

The inspiration for this legacy gift is rooted in Ms Koh’s experience as a foreign student in Singapore, where she had to overcome many challenges on her road to success.

“It was difficult for Diana to get accepted into a Singapore school,” shared Ms Janet Lim, Ms Koh’s cousin and trustee of the Estate of Diana Koh. “However, she worked hard to reach the peak of her professional career and contributed meaningfully to Singapore society.”   

It was because of the opportunities Ms Koh received that she was able to build her reputation as a veteran in Singapore’s accounting and advisory field. The Diana Koh-Social Inclusion Fund honours this remarkable journey by promoting continued inclusivity to disadvantaged and marginalised social groups, and enabling them to attain the same success that Ms Koh did.

The Fund will support LKYSPP’s SIP, a programme dedicated to understanding how public policy can build a more open, diverse and compassionate society. The hope is that the SIP’s research will move beyond the page to influence government policies and raise public awareness of what a more equal and inclusive Singapore could look like.

"The Estate’s support has enabled the Social Inclusion Project to study a range of pressing social issues, from household budgets and neighbourhood place standards to Singapore’s social security policies and care infrastructure,” said Dr Ng Kok Hoe, Senior Research Fellow and Head of SIP. “We hope to honour the Diana Koh-Social Inclusion Fund through such research, which at its heart aspires to a society where everyone can lead a flourishing life.”

The Estate especially appreciates the SIP’s collaborative approach to addressing its research findings with the public and relevant government agencies. With such a strong research foundation, the SIP is well positioned to realise impact on a broader scale, both by assisting in policymaking and increasing awareness on the importance of inclusion, diversity and participation.

A Legacy for a Better Future

Ms Koh had spent her lifetime building something from nothing. The Diana Koh Social Inclusion Fund stands testament to this enduring legacy: important research funded in her name, working towards the kind of Singapore that had once made her own journey possible.

“It is rare to find donors like Ms Koh and Ms Lim who share our vision for society, actively engage with our research, and offer their wisdom and encouragement so generously,” said Dr Ng.

Ms Lim reflected: “It is hoped that there will be some tangible results over time, in the realisation that Singapore has much to gain from giving opportunities to foreigners and disadvantaged social groups. Such has been the legacy of Diana’s life.”

Ms Koh's story is a reminder of what generosity can set in motion. If you would like to be part of that change, find out how you can support the Social Inclusion Project at NUS.