KNOWLEDGE
A culture of knowledge-sharing and intellectual discourse is critical to the growth and development of individuals, organisations and communities alike. It paves the way for more effective problem-solving, analytical decision-making, and ultimately, improved social and economic outcomes for the nation at large.
Evidence-Based Policymaking
Cutting-edge research is a vital cornerstone to sound, informed policy formation.
FLAGSHIP PARTNER
Yayasan Khazanah is a foundation entrusted with selecting and nurturing exceptional individuals through scholarships and other supporting opportunities to fulfil talent needs of the country.
Monitoring Visit Report: Livelihood Projects in a PPR (Program Perumahan Rakyat)
This report follows a visit by Hasanah’s Monitoring, Learning, Evaluation, and Knowledge team to a low-cost housing community in the Klang Valley, in collaboration with two of our partners at. The purpose of the visits was to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of project implementation.
Hasanah has had a presence in this community since 2016 in line with our Community-Based Approach and overall commitment to sustainable impact.
From this visit in June, we learned, among other takeaways, that community leaders have gained better insight into the needs of members and are well-placed to find collective solutions to the issues faced.
Together We Stand: Onwards to Inclusive Social Protection
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and major floods in parts of Malaysia, this report, authored by a Khazanah Research Institute researcher highlights longstanding issues in the country’s social protection system, with an urgent call to revamp and strengthen it.
On ways to build an inclusive and equitable social protection system, the author puts forth that the Government is best positioned to create a social protection floor (as compared to the third sector). The article also proposes setting up a National Social Protection Registry as an integrated system in place of the multiple sets of data that exist across ministries and institutions.
Review and Mapping of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services in Malaysia
This four-phase research undertaken by International Islamic University Malaysia aims to understand the mental health context and availability of necessary services to support students, adolescents and their families.
The report reveals staggering results: Almost half of all respondents displayed symptoms of anxiety, while 34% and 31.4% showed symptoms of depression and stress, respectively. Many remain undiagnosed and untreated, leading them to suffer from poor school attendance, low academic performance, and behavioural problems.
The situation is exacerbated by the use of social media, inadequate training for school counsellors, lack of parental attention, as well as gaps in structured mental health programmes and resources.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Students’ Mental Health, Psychological and Psychosocial Well-Being in Malaysia
A research grant was approved for the International Islamic University Malaysia research team to find out the psychological and psychosocial impacts the pandemic had on students.
Although respondents registered good mean scores for mental health in general, it was revealed that the students most affected were from the B40 and T20 income group households. The research found a significant needs to address mental health issues specifically for male and urban students.
These findings are hoped to be beneficial to all government agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organisations, and frontliners in structuring better contingency and mitigation plans to improve student well-being, as well as for better preparedness in the case of future crises.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Secondary School Students’ Mental Health in Sabah - Online Learning, Lifestyle, and Psychological Consequences
Approximately 87% of students worldwide (or 1.5 billion) were adversely affected by pandemic-driven school closures. The research team from Universiti Malaysia Sabah was keen to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health, education, and lifestyle of secondary school students in Sabah.
Findings revealed that 22.1% of respondents experienced severe levels of depression and anxiety, while 29.5% experienced extremely severe levels during the home-based learning and teaching period.
The findings would aid in the development of countermeasures to help students, teachers, and parents cope with the adverse mental health effects of this unprecedented situation.
ILMU Hasanah
In the spirit of continuous learning, these sessions led by experts aim to bring value to stakeholders, partners and the public through an exchange of knowledge and by deepening understanding on various topics of interest.
Alternate Assessment for Students with Learning Difficulties
12th April 2022
Representatives from KNK Total Assessment shared their journey partnering with Hasanah for the past 4 years to develop an alternate assessment suited to the needs of students with learning disabilities and collected highly-valued feedback from attendees.
Are B40 Entrepreneurship Programmes the Solution for Social Mobility?
29th June 2022
Speakers representing civil society organisations, social enterprises and academia sat down to explore the strengths and gaps of entrepreneurship models as tools to alleviate poverty and whether they are successful, sustainable and viable in solving the problem.
Motifs with Motives
3rd August 2022
Recognising traditional textile motifs as an integral part of Malaysian arts, heritage and culture, a panel well-versed with the art form delved into the rich meaning and wealth of historical information behind motifs as well as steps to conserve and preserve them.
Envisioning Malaysia: For People and Nature
12th October 2022
Speakers — including a member of the drafting team — examined the application of the Rukun Negara to Malaysia’s ecological and social growth towards sustainability as well as the significance of environmental conservation to the people and vice versa.
Capacity Building and Empowerment
Workshops and trainings are organised periodically for our civil society partners, with the aim of strengthening skills and promoting organisational development.
Behavioural Science
20th - 28th January 2022
Trainer Olga Elizarova from Play Collaborate Change conducted five interactive, Impact Area-based virtual sessions with additional post-workshop support. 36 representatives from 24 Hasanah partners learned the basics of applied behavioural science and design thinking which all participants plan to put into practice to think through their programme logic and plan more effectively.
Community Leadership
Through a combination of classroom session and mid-programme checkpoint and mentoring lead by Zaid Mohamad from Zaid Mohamad Academy, 14 representatives from 11 partner organisations gained skills to develop community leaders in their respective locations to enable a sustainable development even after they exit the project. More than half the participating organisations reported successful application of learnings in their projects such as breakthrough dialogues and rebuilding relationships with local communities.
Budget 2023 Consultation
August 23rd, Trustee and Managing Director, Dato’ Shahira Ahmed Bazari represented Hasanah in a consultation session contributing to developing Budget 2023. The recommendations presented, amongst others, touched on the need for funding and support on emerging issues and priorities via public-private-social partnerships.
Foundations and Philanthropies Sharing Session with United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Habitat, Dato ’Seri Paduka Maimunah Mohd Sharif
On August 5th, Hasanah and ThinkCity co-hosted the session to explore how the efforts carried out by philanthropies and corporate foundations may align with the national agenda, and the requirements for reporting and documenting, with the Executive Director sharing her invaluable international experience.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
As Malaysia’s largest grant-maker, Yayasan Hasanah is in a unique position to share our perspectives across impact areas of education, community development, arts and public spaces, and environment. Here are some of the year’s highlights, where we were granted the opportunity to share our learnings.
APC Malaysia Roundtable: Supporting the Third Sector in Malaysia
January 2022
On behalf of Yayasan Hasanah, our Trustee & Managing Director, Dato’ Shahira Ahmed Bazari spoke at the Asia Philanthropy (Circle) APC Malaysia Roundtable with fellow trailblazers in the third sector, sharing our advocacy for NGO support at a national level. The roundtable is the grand final in a series exploring the theme of capacity building—to further examine concrete ways for philanthropists, organisations, and funders to help strengthen the Third Sector in Malaysia.
Aid in Arts: Masih Ada Sinar
March 2022
Head of Arts & Public Spaces, Zainariah Johari was invited at the Malaysian Craft Council talk on “Aid in Arts: Masih Ada Sinar” to share her unique perspective and experience in the grant-making space in Malaysia’s arts, culture and heritage sector.
Malaysia’s National Education & Learning Summit
March 2022
Chief Programme Officer, Intan Zalila Mohd Yusof, shared her thoughts on revitalising education today for the employment needs of the future at the annual National Education & Learning Summit, where education experts, policymakers and decision-makers deliberate challenges and opportunities ahead for the youth in the future workplace, transforming the quality of Malaysian education to the global standards.
Policy Leadership Lab @ AVPN
April 2022
Head of Community Development, Anita Ahmad shared her thoughts and experience with the leading social investor network in Asia, the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) at the “Policy Leadership Lab by Atty. Anna Veloso Tuazon, Provincial Board Member of Leyte, Philippines (on Business Models for Uswag Leyte), a Consultation Brief”.
RTM’s Fresh Brew Talk Show
July 2022
Head of Educations, Dr Nur Anuar Abdul Muthalib spoke about partnering the World’s Best School Prizes, SK Kempadang, Kuantan and SMK Kampong Jawa, Klang (that were amongst 10 shortlisted globally for the award recognising trailblazing schools) and the Trust School Programme.
AVPN-Accelerating Change through Innovative Partnership Models
June 2022
On behalf of Yayasan Hasanah, our Trustee & Managing Director, Dato’ Shahira Ahmed Bazari shared her thoughts on strategic philanthropy – on Connecting the Dots, Coordination and Collaboration in the third sector, sharing Yayasan Hasanah’s own journey in social impact.
Employees Provident Fund's Annual Strategy Meeting
October 2022
Our Trustee and Managing Director, Dato’ Shahira Ahmed Bazari spoke at at the Employees Provident Fund’s annual Strategy Meeting themed “A Sustainable Tomorrow- Realising Aspirations, Making Change Happen” on the lessons drawn from Hasanah’s 7 years of service. The 10 key lessons shared ranged from tax status and financing model to the power of storytelling and partnership
CIMB- The Cooler Earth – Show and Tell: Civil Society & A Just Transition
October 2022
Head of Environment, Ivy Abdullah spoke at the summit hat Summit focused on the global action in addressing climate change, right after the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-26). It aimed to create more inclusive, equitable, and just climate solutions and social development blueprints. The Summit discussed the critical changes required in systems, businesses, and lifestyles to enable a more sustainable future for humanity – ensuring that no one is left behind in this transition.