YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ir. Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Chairman of Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation, Dato' Khairussaleh Ramli, President & Group CEO Maybank, together with the top 5 R.I.S.E. Impact awardees on stage

Maybank, via its social impact arm Maybank Foundation, recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its award-winning Reach Independence & Sustainable Entrepreneurship (R.I.S.E.) programme at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). The event, organised in conjunction with the Maybank Group Aidilfitri Open House, was attended by over 6,000 people including distinguished guests, private sector partners, civil society organisations, members of the media and Maybank employees. 

The event was officiated by YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ir. Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Chairman of Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation, and was joined by Dato' Khairussaleh Ramli, President & Group CEO Maybank. Also present were Maybank’s Board of Directors and Senior Management, members of the Maybank Foundation Board of Trustees, Shahril Azuar Jimin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer Maybank and Izlyn Ramli, CEO Maybank Foundation.

To commemorate the significant milestone, a prize-giving ceremony was held to honour the top five participants across the ASEAN region who have shown exceptional growth in their businesses and income. The recipients are Rohani Jaafar from Malaysia, Muchamad Mabrur from Indonesia, Rolando Damaolao from the Philippines, Sivanh Sibounheuang from Laos, and Keo Rachana from Cambodia. Each recipient was awarded a certificate and a commemorative plaque as a testament to their dedication and success. The event also featured a booth showcasing handwoven fabrics and garments made by weavers from one of Maybank Foundation’s flagship initiatives, the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme.

Reflecting upon the founding spirit of the programme, as well as its evolution against emerging challenges in the last decade, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ir. Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said, “While so much has changed in the last 10 years, the one constant has been our unwavering commitment to economically empower underprivileged communities and in doing so, leave no one behind.”

Upon enrolling in the R.I.S.E. programme, Rohani Jaafar found herself learning about important business fundamentals like marketing planning and financial management. Equipped with this newfound knowledge, she developed a strong business acumen, and with the support of her mentors, she discovered her inner entrepreneur and started a thriving tailoring business.

Meanwhile, Muchamad Mabrur said “Thanks to R.I.S.E., I’ve expanded my business to new neighbourhoods and now mentor others in my community. Therefore, the programme is impacting not only just my life, but those around me as well.”

Rolando Damaolao echoed a similar sentiment, “R.I.S.E. encouraged me to share the skills that I have learned from the programme in order to help other People With Disabilities, empowering them and improving their living standards so that they can become independent.”

Whereas, Sivanh Sibounheuang said “I was able to reach new heights after graduating from the R.I.S.E. programme, which in turn, allows me to paint a brighter future for myself and my family. Nowadays, I don’t see my disability as a hindrance to achieving my dreams.”

When asked how R.I.S.E. has transformed her life, Keo Rachana, put it succinctly: “I am really thankful for the R.I.S.E. programme for paving the way so that I can help my community through my business.”

YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Bin Ibrahim presented a certificate of appreciation to one of the awardees, Muchamad Mabrur, a R.I.S.E. participant from Indonesia

The R.I.S.E. programme is designed to support disadvantaged communities, particularly disabled individuals, by helping them grow their income and become financially independent. Throughout the programme’s duration, participants attend a three-day entrepreneurship training session covering topics such as customer analysis and business profiling, followed by a six-month mentoring period, during which they acquire entrepreneurial skills in areas such as sales strategies and operations planning, to help them achieve higher income levels and improve their overall standard of living.

Originally piloted in Malaysia in 2014, the R.I.S.E. programme, together with its programme partner People Systems Consultancy (PSC), has transformed the lives of more than 41,000 participants across six countries in the ASEAN region, including Indonesia, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore. To date, the top 40% of those trained have achieved an average monthly income increase of 342.73% from USD 2.64 to USD 11.70, having transformed into self-reliant entrepreneurs.

“As we look to the future, we do so with humility for the work that has brought us to this moment and hopeful for what lies ahead. We’ve made tremendous progress over the last decade, but there is still a long road ahead of us. With each life uplifted, we are one step closer to bridging the economic gap for persons with disabilities. Indeed, this is only possible if we remain true to our vision and core values.” added Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ir. Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa.

Maybank Foundation has established itself as a regional social impact organisation, actively supporting Maybank’s mission of Humanising Financial Services. In ensuring to be a force for good, while positively impacting the communities it serves, Maybank Foundation has touched more than 540,000 lives since 2013. This has led to it being accorded ASEAN accreditation status, underscoring Maybank’s dedication to creating meaningful, measurable, and long-term sustainable impact across the region.