Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Foundation, together with Forest Interactive Foundation, recently recognised five top students at an award ceremony for the #seKODlah programme, aimed at nurturing future innovators from the B40 community to spark an interest in new technologies, whilst encouraging them to pursue future-forward careers.
Rafe Haneef, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation and Johary Mustapha, Founder & CEO of Forest Interactive Foundation were on hand to present the awards at the ceremony.
Seven finalists presented their capstone projects to a group of panellists comprising members from CIMB Foundation and Forest Interactive Foundation. The top projects were selected as winners following a thorough assessment and evaluation, and rewarded cash prizes amounting to RM15,000to the best overall capstone projects and two to the most entrepreneurial projects. As part of the programme, the students went through structured training and mentoring sessions for a period of four months, which culminated in the capstone projects.
The programme consists of final year university students, as well as fresh graduates with backgrounds in tech. They were provided with training on programming languages and IT-related modules via Codecademy. Additional workshops on soft skills, including communication and leadership, as well as digital marketing were also provided to equip the participants with key tools and fundamentals to prepare them for the workforce. As part of the programme, they were also assigned to mentors from industry, hailing from institutions of higher learning including Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
The #seKODlah programme provides outstanding participants the opportunity of career shadowing positions at Forest Interactive Foundation and on-the-job experience in tech with CIMB. This will give them an added advantage for job opportunities in leading tech companies.
The capstone projects formed the heart of the #seKODlah programme, where participants applied their knowledge and skills acquired throughout the programme into real-life situations. They successfully built products that will benefit society, catering to the specific needs of the local communities in Malaysia. These projects also realised the capstone projects’ goal of aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – focusing on three key areas, namely Quality Education; Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure; and Climate Action.
The winning projects are as follows:
- Best Capstone Awards:
- #1: Najwan Hafiz bin Azhan, Bachelor of Business Management (Investment), University of Technology MARA (UiTM), (Wise Traveller, a game to learn geography in a more interactive way for students aged between 8 and12 years old)
- #2: Anthony Lee Huan Jin, Bachelor of Computer Science, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (#PesanNow, a food delivery app for university students)
- #3: Filzah Hanani binti Mohd Razi, Bachelor of Information Technology (Games Technology), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (Save Our Ocean, a game to educate adolescents to save the ocean)
- Best Entrepreneurship Awards:
- #1: Najwan Hafiz bin Azhan, Bachelor of Business Management (Investment), University of Technology MARA (UiTM), (Wise Traveller, a game to learn geography in a more interactive way for students aged between 8 and12 years old)
- #2: Anthony Lee Huan Jin, Bachelor of Computer Science, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (#PesanNow, a food delivery app for university students)
Rafe Haneef said, “Catapulted by the global pandemic, the need for digital talent has never been more apparent as corporations pivot to meet the ever-changing demands of the economy. Therefore, it is crucial for our next generation to dive in further into technology-related learning to be equipped with the relevant knowledge and skillsets for the future- workforce. Youth are the leaders of tomorrow and, promoting our two key pillars of education and economic empowerment, we are delighted to have partnered with Forest Interactive Foundation to help ignite their interest and passion in the digital and technology space whilst providing them a stepping stone for a future in the industry. As a whole, the experiences gained from #seKODlah programme will add immense value to the employability of these participants as they prepare to enter the high-demand technology workforce.”
Johary Mustapha said, “#seKODlah was launched with a sustainable, nation-building goal to nurture a tech-savvy generation and develop local talents to join Malaysia's digital economy, in line with Industrial Revolution 4.0. Having witnessed the creativity and tenacity our #seKODlah participants demonstrated throughout the programme, I am confident that the digital skills gap will be bridged, and we will see meaningful progress for a digital and inclusive economic growth for our country. With CIMB as our goal-compatible partner for #seKODlah, we were able to develop young talents into future innovators of Malaysia, and we look forward to continue joining forces on this great feat in providing access to equitable education and positive economic advancement in Malaysia,” Johary continued.
About CIMB
CIMB is one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups and Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM54.5 billion as at 31 March 2022. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present in all 10 ASEAN nations (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Philippines). Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, the US and UK.
CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 621 branches and around 33,000 employees as at 31 March 2022. CIMB’s investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its award-winning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group’s leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 92.5% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.8% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand.
About CIMB Foundation
CIMB Foundation is a non-profit organisation established in November 2007 to implement CIMB Group’s corporate social responsibility and philanthropic initiatives, focusing on four impact areas: Education, Health & Community Well-being, Economic Empowerment, and Climate & Environment, to contribute towards sustainable long-term positive impacts in the communities around us, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Since its establishment, CIMB Foundation has disbursed over RM165 million through nearly 1,300 projects benefiting almost 1 million people in the communities served by CIMB Group, making CIMB Foundation one of ASEAN's leading CSR champions.
About Forest Interactive Foundation
Founded in 2021, Forest Interactive Foundation aims to nurture and develop talents through sustainable initiatives and programs, establishing empowered communities and upholding sustainable environments for our own people and the world’s future innovators in tech. As the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Forest Interactive and a UN Global Compact member, we are committed to accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the following areas:
- Future Innovators
With the goal of developing future innovators in a fast-changing world, we shape initiatives that can help students prepare for a future where they can thrive with technology, one of it being the #seKODlah program.
- People
We strive to bring our company’s culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion to the broader community. By harnessing our strengths for social good, we are able to empower marginalized communities in our increasingly connected world.
- Community and Environment
We are committed to sustainable actions and best practices:
- Demonstrate empathy and sensitivity to the needs of others.
- Aim for responsible material inputs that are renewable, recyclable, or reusable.
- Bridge public and private partnerships in support of SDG 17.
- Be a part of the climate accelerator program by implementing SBTi in line with the 1.5°C pathway.
Prior to its establishment, Forest Interactive Foundation, through Forest Interactive, has empowered more than 3500 students and 2,000 people in the communities through more than 38 initiatives. Visit forestcares.org to learn more.
If you have further queries or require more information, please contact:
Hishamuddin Omar / Anis Azharuddin
Group Corporate Communications
CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
Email: hishamuddin.omar@cimb.com / anis.azharuddin@cimb.com
Forest Interactive Press Bureau
Email: newsroom@forest-interactive.com
