18 December 2025 — The ASEAN Foundation, in collaboration with the Maybank Foundation, concluded the eMpowering Youth Across ASEAN: Cohort 5 programme through a Closing Programme and Impact Sharing Session held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, on 6 and 7 December 2025. The event brought together youth volunteers and CSO/SE representatives to reflect on the outcomes of Cohort 5 while setting the stage for the next phase of the programme.
A central highlight of the closing programme was the final project impact report presentations delivered by all ten project teams. Over the course of the programme, youth volunteers collaborated with selected civil society organisations and social enterprises to implement ten community based projects across seven ASEAN Member States. Collectively, these initiatives reached more than 20,000 beneficiaries, addressing community priorities across key focus areas including arts and culture, community building, education, and environmental diversity. The presentations offered a comprehensive overview of project outcomes, lessons learned, and the impact of youth led action on the ground.
Following the project presentations, participants took part in a Market Day session, where each project team showcased their work through interactive displays. The session allowed youth volunteers and partner organisations to exchange ideas, explore project outputs and prototypes, and learn from one another’s approaches. Market Day also created space for informal networking, strengthening collaboration across projects and encouraging peer to peer learning within the cohort.
In her address, Ms Izlyn Ramli, Chief Executive Officer of the Maybank Foundation, reflected on the deeper purpose of the programme and the long term value of youth engagement. She emphasised, “Since the first cohort, the partnership between the ASEAN Foundation and Maybank Foundation has always been guided by a belief that our youth hold an extraordinary ability to shape a more inclusive, sustainable, and compassionate ASEAN. We are not here simply to fund projects or deliver short term activities. We are here to build platforms that allow youth to understand capacities deeply, to understand each other in ASEAN, and to grow into leaders who will carry this spirit far beyond this programme.”
Beyond the impact presentations, the closing programme also served as a platform for reflection and learning. Through a World Café discussion format, participants exchanged feedback on programme implementation, communication, logistics, and collaborative project management. These discussions were complemented by dedicated sessions on sustainability and alumni engagement, where youth volunteers and partner organisations explored pathways to sustain project outcomes and strengthen post programme collaboration.
Another key moment of the event was the official launch of eYAA: Cohort 6. The launch reaffirmed the continued commitment of the ASEAN Foundation and the Maybank Foundation to advancing youth volunteerism and regional cooperation across ASEAN. The launch was officiated on stage by Mr Kongsada Detvongsone, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to ASEAN; Dr Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation; Ms Izlyn Ramli, Chief Executive Officer of the Maybank Foundation; Mr Aiidir Putera, Head of MaybankHeart and Youth at the Maybank Foundation; and Christine Marie Milado Cumagun, the youth volunteer of eYAA: Cohort 5 from the Philippines, symbolising the Philippines’ role as ASEAN Chair in the coming year.
The event also incorporated a cultural immersion component through a visit to Sarawak Cultural Village. Participants took part in hands on activities such as the Sarawak Bead Stringing Workshop and the Sarawak Traditional Drumming Workshop, offering youth volunteers and partners an opportunity to learn about Sarawak’s cultural heritage and to deepen people to people connections beyond formal programme sessions.
As eYAA: Cohort 5 comes to a close, the programme leaves behind not only measurable impact and strengthened partnerships, but also a growing network of youth volunteers committed to community development across the region. The ASEAN Foundation remains dedicated to supporting youth as active contributors to a more inclusive, resilient, and connected ASEAN.
(Written by Glorius Setra, Communications Consultant of the eYAA Programme)