Empowering Tomorrow's Changemakers: 110 Youth volunteers to drive social impact and community transformation across eight countries through eYAA: Cohort 6

^{eYAA: Cohort 6 youth volunteers and alumni from across 11 ASEAN countries at the Gala Dinner of the Regional Capacity Building Workshop, joined by ASEAN Permanent Representatives and Maybank management.}


KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- Maybank Foundation and the ASEAN Foundation have launched the sixth cohort of the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (eYAA) programme, bringing together 110 Youth Volunteers and representatives from across ASEAN for a regional capacity-building workshop in Bangkok.
 
This year's cohort marks two milestones with Lao PDR joining as an implementing country for the first time and Timor-Leste's accession as ASEAN's 11th Member State, increasing the number of Youth Volunteers from 100 to 110.
 
During the workshop, volunteers finalised 10 community projects to be implemented across eight ASEAN countries, addressing climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, waste management, cultural heritage preservation and women's economic empowerment.
 
Speaking at the launch, Dr Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, said, “Cohort 6 reflects ASEAN as it is today, with 11 Member States, eight implementing countries and a generation of young people co-designing solutions with local communities. What makes eYAA distinctive is that every project begins with a local organisation, and every volunteer enters as a partner, not a visitor. From Vietnam in Cohort 5 to Lao PDR in Cohort 6, our expansion is deliberate and built to last.”
 
As a long-term partner of the ASEAN Foundation since 2018, Maybank Foundation continues supporting the programme with grants of up to USD25,000 per project team.
 
At the event, Datuk Shahril Azuar Jimin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer of Maybank, said, “Since the inception of eYAA, we have seen young changemakers become catalysts for meaningful community transformation across ASEAN. Their ability to work with local communities, understand real challenges and drive solutions embodies the spirit of positive social impact. This aligns with Maybank’s ROAR30 commitment to create positive social impact beyond banking. Together with the ASEAN Foundation, we continue to empower youth to turn passion into action and ideas into tangible outcomes, creating lasting impact for communities.”
 
Since its inception, eYAA has empowered 482 youth volunteers, delivered 50 community projects and benefited over 114,465 individuals across ASEAN.
 
Cohort 6 introduces two alumni initiatives: the Alumni as Mentors programme for volunteer support, and the Alumni Accelerator Programme, which provides grants of up to USD2,500 for alumni-led community projects.
  
The 10 projects address climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, waste management, cultural heritage preservation and women’s economic empowerment.
 
For instance, in Malaysia, the ASEAN-GIC (ASEAN Guru Innovation Challenge) will strengthen sustainability education in Kuching, Sarawak. In Thailand, Project Closed Loop is improving plastic waste management in 10 Bangkok public schools. In Lao PDR, Project Agri-Tourism will strengthen livelihoods through agriculture and community-based eco-tourism in Huay Hae Village.
 
Following the workshop, the 110 Youth Volunteers will spend two weeks working alongside local communities across eight ASEAN countries to co-develop sustainable solutions.

SOURCE: Maybank

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Maybank Group Corporate Affairs
Name: Izlyn Ramli
Tel:+60 19 200 0248
Email: corporateaffairs@maybank.com

--BERNAMA