Having previously worked with non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies in the Middle East, Zikry Kholil believes there is still a general lack of awareness about ongoing social issues and problems that need to be addressed. Calling himself an accidental entrepreneur, both he and his business partner Daniel de Gruijter decided to run an endeavour that focuses more on purpose rather than profit.  

That was in 2014, when Zikry and de Gruijter founded Incitement, a digital platform that helps companies such as L’Oréal, FedEx, Pepsico, Nestlé, and Swift to coordinate their employees’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts in a single place. According to him, Incitement helps match corporations looking to do good with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and non-profits as well as help them track donations received and the result of their CSR and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. 

He recalls there were many trials and tribulations along the way, with some risky decisions that either paid off or failed. Despite the pandemic posing a host of challenges, the co-founder and chief commercial officer says 2020 was their busiest year to date, and they have managed to help raise RM3 million and help fund over 70 projects with over 120,000 impacted beneficiaries.

“Our goal now is to keep the funds flowing to all the non-profits and social enterprises on our platform, helping them solve the problems they are facing and creating a positive impact,” says Zikry. 

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Women’s rights and education are two matters that strongly resonate with singer-actress Daiyan Trisha. The 27-year-old calls herself a feminist, believing in a world where women have equal rights and the end of the patriarchy. She is of the view that knowledge is the key to unlocking a brighter future for future generations, and that children should receive equal access to a quality education. It’s a critical point for her, as it has the potential to change the future of the country. 

Always ready to lend a helping hand, Daiyan volunteered at a local vaccination centre during the vaccine roll-out in July 2021. Far from being afraid of putting herself on the frontlines in the fight against Covid-19, she found the experience uplifting, and confessed she looked forward to volunteering at the centre every weekend. 

In an effort to raise more awareness about the benefits of vaccination, Daiyan would share about her experience over her social media channels to encourage her millions of followers to get vaccinated. 

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