PETALING JAYA: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), via its social impact arm Maybank Foundation, commemorated International Day of Persons with Disabilities with an event in December highlighting its long-standing commitment to advancing inclusion across Asean, namely its award-winning programme, Reach Independence and Sustainable Entrepreneurship (RISE).
The celebration, themed “Empowering Lives, Expanding Horizons,” featured the official launch of a book titled Breaking Barriers & Building Futures: A R.I.S.E. journey of empowering PWDs to Reach Independence Through Sustainable Entrepreneurship. The richly illustrated volume chronicles RISE’s humble beginnings, its steady growth across Asean and the milestones that have shaped its progress.
Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation chairman Tan Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, in his speech, said the book goes beyond just being a record of the programme’s achievements, that “at the heart of it are the stories of our RISE participants. Narratives that reflect unwavering determination, courage in the face of adversity and the remarkable resilience that defines their journeys”.
Adding further significance to the publication, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri contributed a special foreword. Her message underscored the importance of inclusion, the value of cross sector collaboration and the potential of programmes such as RISE to support national aspirations for a more equitable society.
Speaking at the event, Nancy said, “Inclusion is not charity – it is nation-building. When we open doors for persons with disabilities, we strengthen Malaysia’s future.”
In a moving panel discussion, several alumni of RISE from across the region shared their personal journeys with the audience, detailing life before RISE to where they are today. Participants spoke candidly about the barriers they once faced, whether in the form of societal stigma or financial insecurity and how the training, mentoring and peer support offered by RISE helped them chart a new path.
“Before RISE, I struggled to find employment due to my disability,” confessed Mohd Firdaus. “But thanks to the programme, I was able to turn my passion into a self-sustaining and income-generating business.”
Khaek Khamsombath described how RISE changed the way she viewed herself, not as someone limited by circumstances, but as someone capable of shaping her own future and lifting others alongside her. “RISE gave me the confidence to rebuild my life. Today, I can support myself and in doing so, I can also encourage others like me to believe in their own potential,” she said.
In May, Maybank had the honour of welcoming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the RISE programme. The event was marked by a prize-giving ceremony recognising the top five participants from across the Asean region who demonstrated exceptional growth in their businesses and income.
RISE 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.
Piloted in Malaysia in 2014, RISE, together with its programme partner People Systems Consultancy (PSC), has transformed the lives of more than 49,000 participants across six countries in the Asean region, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Singapore. To date, the top 40% of those trained have achieved an average monthly income increase of 329.50% from US$74.80 to US$321.25, having transformed into self-reliant entrepreneurs. The independent validation exercise of RISE is carried out by the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
“As we celebrate a decade of impact, we also renew our possibilities to scale deeper, innovate further and reach the most vulnerable groups in our society, ensuring that no one is left behind in the quest for inclusive social development,” said Zamzamzairani.
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 600,000 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.
