In 2023, the second edition of The Hasanah Forum provided a platform for insights from leaders and achievers in the social impact sphere, including civil society organisations, social enterprises, corporations, policymakers, and academia.
Presented in collaboration with the AVPN Global Conference 2023, the forum urged attendees to redefine philanthropy as more than mere charity, but rather as an act of social justice.
Alongside this, our ILMU sessions—a series of knowledge-sharing events led by sectoral experts—were held throughout the year. These sessions, open to Hasanah’s partners, stakeholders, and the public, focused on relevant topics aimed at fostering learning and collaboration.
Additionally, Hasanah continued to commission and contribute to various research and discussion papers to delve deeper into current issues in the country. This furthers our commitment to advancing Malaysia’s social sector through justice-driven thought leadership, evidence-based research, and interventions.
Flagship Event
The Hasanah Forum, Malaysia’s largest national social impact conference, invites changemakers to engage in dialogue exploring the intersection of philanthropy and social justice. In 2023, the second edition of The Hasanah Forum built upon these discussions to catalyse real-world action. It convened leaders and practitioners from diverse sectors, including civil society organisations, social enterprises, corporations, policymakers, and academia, to share best practices and valuable insights among the social impact ecosystem.
Flagship Partner
The Khazanah Research Institute conducts research on pressing national issues, leveraging this research to recommend policies aimed at enhancing the well-being of Malaysians.
Cash Transfers: International Insights and the Malaysian Experience
Cash transfers have become the go-to strategy worldwide for social assistance, especially in times of duress. While they have produced positive outcomes for immediate to medium-term relief, results have been mixed for longer-term support. Cash transfer programme design requires careful deliberation, striking a balance between trade-offs, for more equitable and inclusive social safety nets that promote growth in the post-pandemic reality.
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Secondary School Students’ Mental Health: Online Learning, Lifestyle, and Psychological Consequences
The COVID-19 pandemic changed lives in many ways, and one of the affected groups included students who had to change their learning experience from classrooms to the confinement of their homes. This report looks at the mental health impact of students in Sabah due to the pandemic and how it has affected their education and lifestyle.
The findings revealed students suffering from various levels of depression, anxiety and clinical insomnia, with recommendations on developing an evidence-based resilience-building module to curb such issues.
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Students’ Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being in Malaysia
What could be the factors affecting the mental health, and psychosocial well-being of adolescents and youth in Malaysia? A total of 2,356 students from 14 states across Malaysia answered questionnaires, contributing to a deeper understanding of the topic. Based on the results, the paper shared several recommendations, including building public resilience through screening and education, implementing holistic intervention programmes, and preparing education systems to be adaptive in times of crises.
Review and Mapping of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services in Malaysia
In Malaysia, research has repeatedly highlighted the troubling presence of depressive symptoms among adolescents, and parents, teachers, and school counsellors play a significant role in addressing mental health issues.
Due to the limited groundwork on mapping the accessibility and suitability of mental health support systems, this report aims to fill that gap, along with recommendations to urgently update policies, mandatory training for school counsellors, to name a few.
Baseline Study of Traditional Handloom Textile Landscape in Malaysia and Roadmap Development of Textile-Based Experiential Centres Network Collaboration and Creative Tourism
Commissioned by Yayasan Hasanah, this report provides an overview of the distribution of traditional textiles in Malaysia. It explores the challenges of safeguarding Malaysia’s heritage and makes recommendations to reinvigorate the creative economy of traditional textiles.
The report covers mapping out traditional handloom textiles, documenting the intangible values of selected traditional handlooms through personal accounts, exploring potential working models to build a network of collaboration with cultural institutions, and lastly, examining the potential of textile-based creative tourism as a new economic initiative.
Baseline Study: Plastic Value Chain and Plastic Waste Management in Peninsular Malaysia
Plastic waste is one of the main culprits plaguing the environment, and Malaysia is one of the many countries facing a similar issue. Obtaining a holistic picture of Malaysia’s plastic production, consumption patterns, and waste management practices would provide insights into addressing the root of the problem.
This baseline study includes data on the plastic value chain in Malaysia, along with key recommendations for interventions, such as setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and initiatives for relevant stakeholders to curb plastic waste.
Three-Year Action Plan for the Conservation of Malayan Wild Tiger
The Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) is a unique species native to Malaysia. However, due to an increase in poaching activities, the number of these iconic cats in the wild has dwindled to less than 150.
Through a multi-stakeholder collaboration, there is hoped to save Malaysia’s iconic species. This three-year action plan outlines critical measures that need to take, such as more boots on the ground and capacity-building exercises to advance the conservation of the Malayan tiger.
ILMU Hasanah are knowledge sharing events planned for Hasanah’s Civil Society Partner Organisations, stakeholders as well as the public, on a range of relevant topics led by sectoral experts. These sessions, as well as the capacity building sessions we offer our Civil Society Partner Organisations, are aimed to enable and support learning for our partners, the wider stakeholder community, as well as for ourselves in Hasanah. We believe that continuous learning is essential and that there should be no barriers to learning.
Mental Health for Vulnerable Youths
30 May 2023
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, one in five Malaysians aged 16 and above suffer from mental health problems. Among youths in Malaysia, mental health issues have become increasingly prevalent especially among vulnerable groups such as B40 youths and young offenders. These youths often face multiple stressors, including poverty, discrimination, trauma, and social isolation, that put them at higher risk of developing mental health problems. This ILMU Hasanah session brought together experts and practitioners working in the field of mental health in Malaysia, and attended by government agencies, associations, foundations, non-governmental organisations, and academia.
Transformative Power of Photojournalism and Storytelling
27 July 2023
In the realm of journalism, few mediums possess the evocative power to bring about social change like photojournalism and storytelling. Recognising the crucial role that journalists play at the intersection of government, corporations, academia, and civil society organisations, this session was aimed at inspiring people to think beyond the daily technicalities and to see the power that they hold in their skills and daily tools. In this ILMU Hasanah session, Malaysian photojournalist SC Shekar and journalist Amy Chew shared their experience working in the field and discuss how to harness the power of photojournalism and storytelling to contribute to positive change.
Trespassings: Around the World in Trains of Thoughts
5 Sep 2023
A former Managing Director of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, shared his incredible journey of traveling across continents for 77 days and his wisdom on leadership, relationships, and life.
Marriage and Mutton Curry
24 Oct 2023
Esteemed author Dato’ Dr M SHANmughalingam performed a reading of his best-selling work, “Marriage and Mutton Curry”. The book tells the story of the Jaffna Tamil community in Malaysia, exploring traditions and identities in a changing world.
Preserving Identity, Culture & Heritage through Arts: A Conversation with Dato’ M. Nasir
29 Nov 2023
This session featured Dato’ M. Nasir, a living legend in Malaysia’s music and entertainment industry, who has made significant contributions to the country. The audience gained insights into his illustrious career and learned about the roles individuals can play in safeguarding Malaysia’s diverse cultural heritage.