By THEPHILBIZNEWS STAFF
How do you improve the lives of two million ASEAN households by 2025? By empowering ASEAN youth to become “changemakers” for sustainable development.
The ASEAN Foundation and Maybank Foundation are doing that when as a lead-up to the ASEAN Day celebration on August 8, 2024, they launched the latest five-day regional capacity-building workshop of the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (eYAA) Programme: Cohort 4 at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
In alignment with the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, the program aims to equip and inspire ASEAN youth as the primary drivers of sustainable development across the region. Through education and capacity-building, the program empowers young leaders to address socio-economic and developmental issues, fostering a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient ASEAN community.
Maybank Foundation, in collaboration with the ASEAN Foundation, sees education as key to empowerment. The eYAA program serves as a platform to nurture young leaders, supporting Maybank’s mission to humanize financial services and its commitment to improving the lives of two million households across ASEAN by 2025.
This year’s program brought together 100 youth volunteers and 10 representatives from selected civil society organizations (CSOs) across ASEAN to showcase 10 impactful projects. The event provided opportunities for collaboration, experiential learning, and education, aimed at creating meaningful change and empowering communities.
For the first time, eYAA established an alumni network with 32 youth from previous cohorts and 8 CSO representatives in attendance. The inclusion of alumni marks a milestone in the program’s evolution, enhancing its network’s strength and value while promoting a culture of giving back and mutual support.
The inaugural eYAA Alumni Impact Forum highlighted the program’s achievements, including the empowerment of 293 youth volunteers and collaboration with 25 CSOs and social enterprises, impacting 60,562 community members across ASEAN since 2018 through arts and culture, community building, education, and environmental initiatives.
Participants engaged in discussions and workshops on various topics, including design thinking, financial management, sustainability, volunteering, and pitching presentations. The program also offers grants ranging from USD 25,000 to 27,000 to support the implementation of community initiatives.
Following this year’s workshop, the fourth cohort will mobilize “The Changemakers” to implement community projects in six ASEAN countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. These initiatives aim to create a positive impact on education and community well-being.
In the Philippines, two projects will enhance education and community well-being:
- Angat Edukasyon: A three-month reading program for early-grade learners in Naga City, Camarines Sur, and other sites, led by Angat Pinas, Inc. This initiative aims to improve reading proficiency, reinforce parental involvement, and foster community responsibility.
- Waves With WASH-Ed (Caloocan): Led by Masy Consultants Inc., this project in Caloocan City, Metro Manila, focuses on improving the quality of life for vulnerable youth through education and increased access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and education (WASH-Ed) facilities.
The workshop featured distinguished guests, including His Excellency Mr. Russ Jalichandra, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and other prominent representatives from ASEAN member states, Maybank Group, and ASEAN Foundation.
Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of ASEAN Foundation, emphasized the program’s importance. “By providing opportunities for young volunteers to engage in impactful projects, we are fostering a spirit of collaboration and driving sustainable development across the region,” he said.
Shahril Azuar Jimin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer Maybank, added, “We are enabling ASEAN youth to lead sustainable changes across our communities… By empowering youth to spearhead initiatives, we are dedicated to making meaningful differences and creating positive change.”
Launched on the 51st ASEAN Day in 2018, the eYAA program empowers youth aged 19 to 35 across ASEAN member-states to develop and implement projects that deliver long-term social and economic impacts, fostering collaboration and innovation to drive lasting change.
The ASEAN Foundation was established by ASEAN leaders to promote shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness, and contact among people in ASEAN. The Foundation aims to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community, promoting awareness, identity, interaction, and development of ASEAN people. For more information, visit: www.aseanfoundation.org.
Maybank Foundation aims to create a positive, long-term impact in communities across its markets through strategic partnerships and programs focused on empowering education, community empowerment, and environmental diversity. For more information, visit: maybankfoundation.com.