Singapore’s Temasek Foundation sets up S$100m endowment for maternal and child healthcare

The fund was named in honour of the late Richard Magnus.

Temasek Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Singaporean state investment firm Temasek Holdings, launched a S$100m (US$74.4m) endowment fund on 5 June to support the health and psycho-social needs of mothers and children in the city-state. 

Named in honour of the late Richard Magnus, a former judge and the founding chairman of Temasek Foundation Cares, the fund aims to support health and social innovations for maternal and child health in Singapore. 

It targets programmes for prenatal and postnatal care for mothers and their newborns, as well as initiatives promoting the optimal development of children's health and well-being.

Areas covered span research, awareness, prevention, and intervention for physical, mental and social well-being.

Naming the endowment after their late founding chairman was not only to honour him, but to also commit Temasek in continuing his vision and advocacy for the wellness of mothers and children in Singapore, said Lim Swee Say, chairman of Temasek Foundation Cares executive board.

The late Magnus died at the age of 77 in March last year after being in public service for more than 50 years.

Richard Magnus Endowment fund follows the pilot Temasek Foundation Integrated Maternal and Child Wellness Hub at Punggol Polyclinic in 2019, which supported more than 14,000 screenings to mothers and their young children over its two-year course. The screening covers child development, nutrition and growth of children, as well as maternal emotional health.

“The Integrated Maternal and Child Wellness Hub represents the very essence of my grandfather’s work, a dedication to nurturing and supporting both mother and child throughout their life journey,” said Nicole Magnus, granddaughter of Magnus.