Facebook co-founder donates S$20M to Singapore school for play spaces, STEM labs, and Chinese immersion program, among others

SINGAPORE: Eduardo Saverin, the billionaire co-founder of Facebook, and his family have donated S$20 million (US$15.5 million) to the Singapore American School (SAS).

This is the largest gift the school has ever received, said Superintendent Tom Boasberg in a weekly email, according to Bloomberg. He noted that the donation would be “transformative” for the institution, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through high school. 

He explained that the Saverin family’s gift would support the creation of world-class play areas, cutting-edge STEM labs, and a Chinese immersion program, among other “strategic priorities.”

In the announcement, Mr Saverin’s wife, Elaine Saverin, said she hoped the donation would help thousands of SAS students now and in the future. She added that the gift was a significant and meaningful way for their family to show their commitment to the school.

Mr Saverin, 42, was born into a wealthy Brazilian family and moved to Singapore in 2009. Two years later, he renounced his US citizenship ahead of Facebook’s initial public offering.

He has kept a low public profile, and his wealth is still almost entirely linked to his holdings in the social media company, now known as Meta Platforms Inc. His net worth is estimated to be around US$30.5 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Singapore American School, founded in 1956, has a large campus that serves about 4,000 students in the northern Woodlands area of Singapore. High school students currently pay about $49,000 annually, excluding transport, taxes, and other fees. /TISG