The eYAA programme has impacted close to 60,562 community members via 293 youth volunteers and 25 Civil Society Organisations/Social Enterprises since 2018
Leading up to the ASEAN Day celebration on 8 August 2024, the ASEAN Foundation and Maybank Foundation recently launched its latest 5-day regional capacity-building workshop for its eMpowering Youths Across Asean (eYAA) Programme at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop is a critical element of the eYAA programme structure which provides an experiential and educative learning platform for youth through social volunteerism, allowing them to implement ideas and advocate solutions to grounded issues in local communities across ASEAN.
In realising the overarching goals of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025 to create a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient community, the programme aims to equip and inspire ASEAN youth as the prime needle movers in contributing and advocating for sustainable development.
Maybank through Maybank Foundation, in collaboration with ASEAN Foundation, believes that education is integral to empowerment; thus, eYAA is a platform to nurture young leaders in addressing socioeconomics and developmental issues across ASEAN. The initiative is also aligned with Maybank’s mission to humanise financial services and supports one of its four sustainability commitments: Improving the lives of two million households across ASEAN by 2025.
Selected ASEAN youth volunteers from Malaysia’s Cohort 4 of the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN programme are excited to embark on a new journey of social volunteerism to provide meaningful impacts to communities.
This year’s eYAA Cohort 4 programme and workshop brings together 99 youth volunteers and ten representatives from selected civil society organisations (CSOs) across ASEAN, to showcase ten impactful projects, explore collaboration opportunities and provide experiential learning as well as education, with the aim to create meaningful change and empower communities across the region.
This year, for the first time, the eYAA programme established an alumni network, where 32 youth from previous cohorts (Cohorts 1, 2 and 3) and eight CSO representatives from Cohort 3 were in attendance. The inaugural inclusion of the alumni signifies a milestone in the programme’s evolution, highlighting the growing strength and value of eYAA’s network, and the opportunity to share their valuable first-hand experience and relatable insights to inspire and motivate new participants, promoting a culture of giving back and mutual support.
Prior to the opening ceremony, the inaugural eYAA Alumni Impact Forum was organised, highlighting the programme's achievements, including the empowerment of three cohorts comprising of 293 youth volunteers, in collaboration with 25 CSOs and social enterprises which have impacted 60,562 community members across ASEAN through arts and culture, community building, education, and environmental initiatives.
Youth volunteers from Cohort 4 and alumni from Cohort 1-3 sharing a light moment after attending the ‘Up Close & Personal’ session of the eMpowering Youth Across ASEAN Regional Capacity Building Workshop at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Within this overall enhanced programme, all participants gained essential resources, best practices, and actionable plans for successfully implementing community projects across ASEAN. Participants were seen engaging in panel and group discussions on topics such as “The Volunteering Effect: Empowering Youth, Igniting Careers, And Creating Lasting Change” and Training workshops on Design Thinking, financial management, sustainability, volunteering and pitching presentation.
The latest eYAA: Cohort 4 provides variety of opportunities and benefits to participants. Each group of youth volunteers and CSOs in the programme have the opportunity to obtain a grant of USD 25,000 - 27,000, which will be used to support the implementation of community initiatives.
Following this year's workshop, the fourth cohort of the program will mobilise "The Changemakers," to embark in community projects in six ASEAN countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
For instance, participants from Malaysia’s Cohort 4 will be involved in the "Sabahanomics Connect," a project led by Bait Al Amanah (House of Trust) located in Kampung Tingkalanon, Kota Marudu, Sabah. This initiative focuses on preserving the cultural heritage of rural Sabahan communities while fostering economic empowerment through digital inclusion. The project targets 10 artisans from the Kimaragang Indigenous People and over 1500 community members of Kg. Tingkalanon, local Sabahan NGOs, skills trainers and government bodies, with indirect benefits extending to their families, the broader community, and the ecotourism sector in Sabah.
The project will equip community members with digital marketing and e-commerce skills to showcase and sell their traditional crafts. Youth volunteers will also provide media-based documentations which will add compelling backstories to these products, connecting consumers with the rich heritage behind them. The approach aims to boost livelihoods, ensure cultural sustainability and provide new economic opportunities.
Malaysia’s Cohort 4 participants will also be involved in the "Project Edu-PlastiCycle," by Fly Technology Agriculture Sdn Bhd in Kuching, Sarawak. The project aims to promote environmental education and conservation. The project will train and mentor 10 ASEAN youth volunteers in plastic upcycling, engage 2,250 students and 15 teachers across 15 schools in sustainable practices, and involve at least five stakeholders in long-term advocacy. The initiative addresses the severe waste management issues and low environmental awareness in Sarawak's rural areas by teaching practical upcycling skills and fostering sustainable habits.
Concurrently, “Changemakers” in Cambodia, will embark in projects such as the "Natural Dye Laboratory & Planting (NDLP)" in the Siem Reap Province and the "Youth Entrepreneurship in Cambodia (YEC)". In Indonesia, volunteers will participate in the "Sesaot Rahayu," project in Sesaot Village and the" Jembatan Pendidikan," project in Potu Village. In the Philippines, the youth will be involved in projects such as the "Angat Edukasyon," and the "Waves With WASH-Ed (Caloocan)". In Thailand, volunteers will implement the "#JustYouTH" project, across key locations such as Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani and Pattani.
The regional capacity building workshop of eYAA: Cohort 4 was attended by H.E. Mr. Russ Jalichandra, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand; Assistant Professor Dr. Sineenat Sermcheep, Executive Director of ASEAN Studies Centre; H.E. Amb. M.I. Derry Aman, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN; H.E. Amb. Bovonethat Douangchak, Permanent Representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to ASEAN; H.E. Amb. Sarah Al Bakri Devadason, Permanent Mission of Malaysia to ASEAN; H.E. Amb. Phantipha Iamsudha Ekarohit, Permanent Mission of Kingdom of Thailand to ASEAN; Tan Sri Dato' Sri Ir. Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Chairman of Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation; Ms. Rodora Turalde Babaran, Director of Human Development Directorate, ASEAN Secretariat, representing the Secretary-General of ASEAN; Datuk (Dr) Nora Abd Manaf, Group Chief Human Capital Officer Maybank; Shahril Azuar Jimin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer Maybank; Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation and Izlyn Ramli, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maybank Foundation.
L-R : Izlyn Ramli, CEO of Maybank Foundation; Dr Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director ASEAN Foundation; Rodora Turalde Babaran, Director of Human Development Directorate, ASEAN Secretariat, representing H.E The Secretary-General of ASEAN; H.E. Mr. Russ Jalichandra, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand; Tan Sri Dato' Sri Ir. Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Chairman of Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation; H.E. Amb. M.I. Derry Aman, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN; Datuk (Dr) Nora Abd Manaf, Group Chief Human Capital Officer Maybank; Shahril Azuar Jimin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer Maybank and Assistant Professor Dr. Sineenat Sermcheep, Executive Director of ASEAN Studies Centre at the launch of the latest regional capacity-building workshop for the eMpowering Youths Across Asean (eYAA) Cohort 4 Programme at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of ASEAN Foundation said, “The eMpowering Youths programme embodies our commitment to nurturing the next generation of ASEAN leaders. By providing opportunities for young volunteers to engage in impactful projects, we are not only fostering a spirit of collaboration but also driving sustainable development across the region. Together, we can build a stronger, more integrated ASEAN community.”
“We are enabling ASEAN youth to lead sustainable changes across our communities through the Regional Capacity Building Workshop of eMpowering Youths: Cohort 4. These initiatives testify to our shared commitment in promoting sustainable development and enriching communities throughout Southeast Asia. By empowering youth to spearhead initiatives that address pressing social and economic challenges, we are dedicated in making meaningful difference, creating positive change and nurturing a future where collaboration and innovation drive lasting impact," said Shahril Azuar Jimin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer Maybank.
Launched on the 51st ASEAN Day on 8 August 2018, the eYAA programme is dedicated to empowering youth aged 19 to 35 and communities across ten ASEAN Member States to develop and implement community projects that deliver tangible long-term social and economic impacts. This initiative galvanises youth to lead meaningful change, providing an experiential and educational platform through social volunteerism. Participants collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds to implement their ideas and advocate solutions to local community issues across ASEAN.
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About ASEAN Foundation
Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN leaders recognised that there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness and contact among people of ASEAN. It was out of this concern that ASEAN leaders established the ASEAN Foundation during ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 15 December 1997.
The ASEAN Foundation is an organisation from and for the people of ASEAN. The Foundation exists because of one vision: to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community. As an ASEAN body, the Foundation is tasked to promote awareness, identity, interaction, and development of the people of ASEAN. For more information, please visit: www.aseanfoundation.org
About Maybank Foundation
Maybank Foundation was inaugurated as the main vehicle for corporate responsibility across the Maybank Group. Maybank Foundation’s mandate is to create positive, long-term impact in communities in the markets where Maybank operates. It strives to identify programmes that will have the most tangible and sustainable results.
Aligned with Maybank’s mission to humanise financial services, the focus of the Foundation is to enhance quality of life for all, irrespective of race, gender, or creed with an emphasis on the poor and marginalised. This is done through strategic partnerships with local stakeholders and NGOs. In all three pillars, namely Empowering Education, Community Empowerment, and Environmental Diversity, and in every country, we have presence, we focus our activities and our funding on creating meaningful, measurable, and sustainable impacts that differentiate us from our competitors and complement our long-term aspiration to humanise financial services. For more information, please visit: maybankfoundation.com