ONE Singapore

Michael Switow is an anti-poverty campaigner, writer, producer and editor. He is a founder of ONE (SINGAPORE) and has served two terms on the Global Council of the world’s largest anti-poverty coalition, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP). He is also the managing partner of Switow Media LLP.

Michael has participated in international Post-2015 stakeholder discussions and lobbied the United Nations, G8 and G20 on development issues. He’s also provided analysis to radio, print and television media covering the summits of these international bodies. In Singapore, Michael has spoken about the campaign to Make Poverty History in schools and in forums – such as those at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) and Singapore Management University — and published an article in the Lien Centre’s Social Space about what comes after the Millennium Development Goals. He has authored and edited newsletters, white papers and assembly declarations for GCAP and the Global People's Assembly. Michael also produced and voiced two seasons of ONE (SINGAPORE)’s radio series with 938LIVE, “Poverty No More”.

In 2005, Michael started SUPERSEED, a charity that has delivered in-kind donations to communities in need, including refurbished computers to schools in The Philippines and the homes of low-income Singaporeans as well as thousands of new preschool storybooks to reading programmes in Singapore and overseas. With ONE (SINGAPORE) and TWC2, Michael helped launch The Cuff Road Project, a food aid programme for homeless and jobless migrant workers.  He currently serves on ONE (SINGAPORE)’s Emergency Fund and Livelihoods Fund committees.  He’s also worked in homeless shelters in the USA and as a Peace Corps volunteer in the West African countries of Niger and Gabon.

As a journalist, Michael has covered stories like Hong Kong’s return to China and the Asian Economic Crises. Michael is currently working on his second book, a collaboration with a Fortune 500 coach that presents a new model set to transform how companies manage, communicate and align in a hyper-competitive world.  Publication is in 2022.

Michael earned a master's degree from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and believes that each and everyone of us can make the world a better place, ONE by ONE . . . by ONE.