"They Don't Need Sympathy, Just Opportunity": Maybank's Chief Sustainability Officer on Empowering Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

Shahril Azuar Jimin of Maybank counts it a blessing to be part of an organisation that upskills business owners with disabilities

Eloquent and soft-spoken, Shahril Azuar Jimin strikes one as the type who isn't afraid to roll up his sleeves when a job needs to get done. Appointed Maybank Foundation’s first CEO from September 2014 to March 2021, Shahril then took on the role of Maybank's chief sustainability officer, spearheading the mission to positively impact communities in the markets in which the bank operates.

One programme that has achieved resounding success is R.I.S.E (Reach Independence and Sustainable Entrepreneurship), which empowers business owners with disabilities. After a promising pilot programme in Kuala Lumpur in 2014, R.I.S.E expanded to Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines, upskilling a total of 12,746 participants from disabled and disadvantaged communities with the know-how to digitalise their businesses and become financially independent.

“I’ve learnt so much from the beneficiaries of this programme, many of whom possess the kind of determination and grit that put able-bodied people to shame,” says Shahril.

Above Photo: Imran Sulaiman

A key focus of R.I.S.E today is to help PWD (people with disabilities) micro-enterprise owners become more digitally savvy and pivot their businesses to keep up with the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 crisis.

“When equipped with the right set of skills and knowledge, PWD entrepreneurs can contribute to the Malaysian economy on an equal footing with their non-disabled peers,” Shahril says. “They too can introduce innovation, create new technologies, develop new products and open up new markets, leading to economic growth.”

Above Maybank Foundation's R.I.S.E programme is all about empowering people with disabilities (Photo: Canva)

Afiq Bani is one of the Malaysian beneficiaries of R.I.S.E. After a car accident that left him paralysed from the waist down, Afiq lost his ability to earn a living overnight. Wheelchair-bound, he opened a food stall but struggled to make ends meet.

Joining R.I.S.E was a game-changer for Afiq. Not only did he identify and work on the areas that his food business could be improved, he started an entirely new business inspired by his interest in automobiles, designing tools to improve the driving experience of disabled drivers.

At the encouragement of his programme mentor, Afiq took his plans to the Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ) and was soon given approval to sell the car modifications.

“Watching customers’ reactions when they can once again drive is the most satisfying thing,” Afiq said. “To us, being able to drive restores a sense of normalcy in our lives. Not having to depend on others to drive us around is empowering.”

Above Photo: Imran Sulaiman

For Shahril, success stories like these from across Malaysia and other countries are the reason he does what he does. Beyond the figures and percentages, these stories help see him through the mammoth task of overseeing the fulfilment of the Maybank Group’s sustainability agenda from an ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) approach.

“Their determination to overcome adversity is what resonates with me personally. Whenever I join the on-ground training sessions, one thing that always stands out to me about this community is that they don’t need sympathy, they just need opportunity. Sympathy is good for a while, but more than anything else, they need that window of opportunity to change their lives for the better."

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Credits

Photography

Imran Sulaiman

Location

Menara Maybank, Kuala Lumpur

Topics

People with Disabilities PWD RISE Programme chief sustainability officer Shahril Azuar Jimin

Tatler Asia

"They Don't Need Sympathy, Just Opportunity": Maybank's Chief Sustainability Officer on Empowering Entrepreneurs with Disabilities