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Overview

The Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards was created in partnership with Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak Tuanku Bainun (PKKKTB) in 2015 to honour children under 18 dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities. Over the years, we have seen countless initiatives that prove age is not a limit when it comes to creating change — all the way from the tip of Semporna, Sabah where we met a Guru Kecil giving classes to his friends, to the Northern state of Kedah where an innovative young girl decided to put toys in her soap to encourage hygiene among children. Like many others, Mohd Khairul Bin Atim and Sarah Najihah binti Mohamad Fuzi are a testament to the social awareness of young Malaysians eager to give back. 

Currently, the Awards is divided into 4 categories: 6 – 12 years old, 13 -15 years old, Group and Advocate. Every year 10 finalists are chosen and flown from all over Malaysia to the Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak Tuanku Bainun in Kuala Lumpur to present their initiatives in front of a live audience. WOMEN:girls is honoured to have seen 18 changemakers being selected as winners in the past 5 years, and we look forward to more in the years to come!

However, due to the pandemic and for everyone’s safety, the Awards this year will take place online for the first time ever! You will be able to stream it LIVE via our YouTube channel from the comfort of your homes, so grab some snacks and get ready to be wow-ed! Not only that, as a LIVE audience, you will also be able to cast your votes for your favourite finalists for the first time!

Don’t forget to tune in LIVE on these dates:

Nomination Day – 13 November (Friday), 8pm

Awards Day – 18 November (Friday), 8pm

It is indeed our hope that their stories will motivate more young people to look at the community around them and question what they can contribute as well. We need to do more to include and involve young people on top of ensuring that they have every opportunity to do good because they are our agents for the future.

– Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Dato’ Seri Azureen binti Sultan Azlan Shah, Chairman of Pusat Kreatif Kanak-kanak Tuanku Bainun

Categories

Below are the categories up for nomination:

• Individu / Individual: 6 – 12 years old
• Individu / Individual: 13 – 17 years old
• Berkumpulan / Group Projek (Sekolah atau Persatuan) – Members of the group can be from aged 6 to 18 years old. Teachers and Adults can be involved only as advisors.
• Pejuang YCM | YCM Advocate – Adult above 18 years old who have been championing and enabling children’s projects

Nomination Criteria

All projects or individuals nominated must have contributed or is contributing towards these few pillars:

• Championing Peace, Safety, Justice & Equality | Penjagaan Keamanan, Keselamatan, Keadilan & Kesamarataan
• Eradicate Poverty & Hunger | Pembasmian Kemiskinan & Kebuluran
• Preserving & Developing Sustainable Cities And Communities | Penjagaan & Pembangunan Bandar dan Penduduk Setempat
• Environment & Pollution | Penjagaan Alam Sekitar & Pencegahan Pencemaran
• Community Development (Economy & Humanity) | Pembangunan Masyarakat (Ekonomi & Kemanusiaan)
• Pushing for Quality Education | Menggalakkan Pendidikan Berkualiti
• Gender Equality | Memupuk Kesaksamaan Jantina
• Climate Change | Mengambil Tindakan Terhadap Perubahan Iklim
• Preserving Marine Life | Menyelamatkan Kehidupan Laut
• Preserving Life on Land | Menyelamatkan Kehidupan di Darat

Criteria measured to win the Awards

• Global Goals Relevance – Does the project or initiative relate to any of the 17 Global Goals?
• Impact for Others – Does the project or initiative bring a positive impact to other people within the community?
• Impact to Self – Does the project or initiative grow and build the nominees’ capacity?
• Role Model Potential – Did the nominee promote and encourage other people to join the project/initiative?
• Sustainability/Growth – Is the project sustainable and/or does the project have a potential to grow/scale?

FAQs

What is Young Changemakers?

The Young Changemakers is a movement initiated in 2015 for young Malaysians aged 6 to 18 who wants to make a change in the world. It aims to empower the young through role-modelling, and to provide them with necessary skills and tools to imbue them with the world view that they can indeed contribute to better what’s around them; and that one small action can make a difference.

What is The Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards?

The Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards is an annual awards ceremony to recognise the contribution and efforts made by young changemakers in changing themselves, their environment and their community.

Every year, the search for the Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards will open from July to October to get nominations nationwide.

A panel of judges will then shortlist 10 finalists for the WOMEN:girls team to document their journey and these 10 finalists will also present their stories in a short speech during the awards ceremony for the final judging. Recipients will receive cash prize of RM 2,000 (YCM Advocate receive RM 1,000).

In conjunction with the World Children’s Day, the awards ceremony is always held during the week of 20th November every year.

How do WOMEN:girls reach out to school?

With the assistance and guidance of the Education Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of Education, WOMEN:girls gets access to public schools (high schools and primary schools) to deliver a 5-hour changemaking workshop to introduce the participants to Global Goals and Changemaking ideas.

How do WOMEN:girls select schools for Changemaking Workshop?

WOMEN:girls randomly select schools in rural areas that have not been given a lot of programme opportunities. In 2018, WOMEN:girls managed to bring the YCM Changemaking Workshops to 26 schools all over 9 states within our limited capacities (funding). With more support, we hope to reach out to more schools in the future.

Schools involved in the Young Changemakers on-ground activations in 2018 are SMK Taman Melati (KL), SK Taman Melati (KL), SMK Sungai Pusu (Gombak, Selangor), SK Sungai Pusu (Gombak, Selangor), SK Bota Kanan (Perak Tengah, Perak), SMK Dato’ Rahman Yaakub (Perak Tengah, Perak), SMK Benut (Pontian, Johor), SMK Sri Tanjung (Pontian, Johor), SMA Anuar (Pontian, Johor), SK Benut (Pontian, Johor), SR Agama Bersepadu Benut (Pontian, Johor), SK Parit Markom (Pontian, Johor), SK Seri Kembar (Pontian, Johor), SK Sri Benut (Pontian, Johor), SMK Intan Perdana (Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan), SK Intan Perdana (Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan), SMK Kuala Perlis (Perlis), SK Kuala Perlis (Perlis), SMK Taman Ria (Sungai Petani, Kedah), SK Bukit Kiara (Sungai Petani, Kedah), SMK Gemilang (Butterworth, Pulau Pinang), SK Sri Gemilang (Butterworth, Pulau Pinang), SMK Seri Pengkalan (Alor Gajah, Melaka), SMK Dato’ Dol Said (Alor Gajah, Melaka), SK Lesong Batu (Alor Gajah, Melaka), and SK Melaka Pindah (Alor Gajah, Melaka).

What are the categories?

Below are the categories up for nomination:

• Individu / Individual: 6 – 12 years old
• Individu / Individual: 13 – 15 years old
• Berkumpulan / Group Projek (Sekolah atau Persatuan) – Members of the group can be from aged 6 to 18 years old. Teachers and Adults can be involved only as advisors.
• Pejuang YCM | YCM Advocate – Adult above 18 years old who have been championing and enabling children’s projects

What are the nomination criteria?

All projects or individuals nominated must have contributed or is contributing towards these few pillars:

• Championing Peace, Safety, Justice & Equality | Penjagaan Keamanan, Keselamatan, Keadilan & Kesamarataan
• Eradicate Poverty & Hunger | Pembasmian Kemiskinan & Kebuluran
• Preserving & Developing Sustainable Cities And Communities | Penjagaan & Pembangunan Bandar dan Penduduk Setempat
• Environment & Pollution | Penjagaan Alam Sekitar & Pencegahan Pencemaran
• Community Development (Economy & Humanity) | Pembangunan Masyarakat (Ekonomi & Kemanusiaan)

What are the criteria measured to win the Awards?

• Global Goals Relevance – Does the project or initiative relate to any of the 17 Global Goals?
• Impact for Others – Does the project or initiative bring a positive impact to other people within the community?
• Impact to Self – Does the project or initiative grow and build the nominees’ capacity?
• Role Model Potential – Did the nominee promote and encourage other people to join the project/initiative?
• Sustainability/Growth – Is the project sustainable and/or does the project have a potential to grow/scale?

Who are the judges for The Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards 2018?

• Cik Suraya Norin Ismail and Encik Norhisham Ismail (not related) from the International Unit of the Education Planning & Research Division (EPRD), Ministry of Education.
• Puan Wan Aminah Wan Suffian, Head of Finance & Human Resource of Pusat Kreatif Kanak-kanak Tuanku Bainun
• Dr. Ho Sook Wah, Head, English Language Unit, Gamuda Berhad
• Indra Kumari Nadchatram, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Malaysia

Who are the audiences for The Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards 2018?

300 attendees comprising of Nominees’ Supporters, Adults, Parents, Teachers, Media, Corporate and Children Organisations. VVIPs include:

• DYMM Tuanku Zara Salim, Queen/Permaisuri of Perak
• YB Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Education
• YTM Raja Azureen, Chairman of Pusat Kreatif Kanak-kanak Tuanku Bainun
• Ms. Marianne Clark-Hattingh, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia

What happens with the children after the Awards?

WOMEN:girls will try to promote and push for corporate adoption and more exposure for the children’s projects and initiatives after the awards. For example, we get to facilitate a discussion between MPH Publishing to publish Leah Choy’s (recipient of Tuanku Bainun YCM Awards 2015) first cook book which is launching soon. We also had a group of social activists to visit one of the finalists in Baram, Sarawak back in 2015.

We are slowly measuring their progress and matching them with available opportunities that we came across.

Where is the event held?

KuAsh Theatre, Pusat Kreatif Kanak-kanak Tuanku Bainun, No. 48, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000 W. P. Kuala Lumpur

What are the hashtags of this Awards?

#wemakechange | #YCM2018 | #YoungChangemakers | #YoungChangemakers2018

PAST YEARS TUANKU BAINUN YOUNG CHANGEMAKERS

Every year, WOMEN:girls receives submissions from amazing young people all over Malaysia on the transformative work they are doing to better their communities. From these, our panel of judges will select 10 finalists to present their projects in front of HRH Tuanku Zara Salim and a live audience at the Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak Tuanku Bainun. Winners from each category will then be chosen after all the Young Changemakers finalists have presented their work. Here are some of our past winners:

2019:

Ahmad Harith bin Ahmad Syauqi

6 – 12 years old category

Ahmad Iszuddin bin Ahmad Izham

13 – 15 years old category

Ong Ee Xuen and Ong Joon Zach (SRJK© Tun Tan Cheng Lock)

Group category

Cikgu Mohd Fadli Bin AB Salam

Advocate category

2018:

Sarah Najihah binti Mohamad Fuzi

6 – 12 years old category

Muhammad Danish Agunawan

13 – 15 years old category

Hands For Education (Sri KDU Secondary School)

Group category

Cikgu Ernest Kelly Subin

Advocate category

2017:

Andrew Kuik

6 – 12 years old category

Ellysha Sashvinaa Nair

13 – 15 years old category

BBKK 2.0 (SMK Tamparuli)

Group category

Makan Sampai Habis (SJK(T) Kajang)

Special Mention