SHAH ALAM, Sept 19 — When the Selangor Youth Community (SAY) was first established in 2017, its mission was clear: to empower young Malaysians with the tools, opportunities, and resilience they need to thrive.
What began as an idea, backed by a needs analysis with the Boston Consulting Group, quickly transformed into a nationwide movement, impacting more than 300,000 youth to date.
For SAY chief executive officer Aiman Syafiq Nazri, the motivation to be part of the team was deeply personal.
“I came from a teaching background, so contributing to the community has been my passion since my university days. Seeing that I’m able to make a difference in someone’s life, it gives me a deep sense of satisfaction,” he told Media Selangor in a recent interview.
From the start, SAY — founded by Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah — identified four focus areas that resonated most with young people: community service, sports and wellness, arts and creatives, and entrepreneurship.
Aiman said SAY’s objective was never on one-off events, but long-term, capacity building programmes designed to unlock potential and nurture sustainable change.
Among its flagship initiatives is the SAY Entrepreneurship League for the Disabled (SAY LEAD), a training programme tailored for entrepreneurs living with disabilities. The two-month course equips participants with the basics of running a business, from digitalisation and marketing to financial management.
“You can see the confidence that grew within them,” he said, noting transformative results, including one participant who started a home-based bakery and later went on to pitch his business to industry leaders.
Another impactful initiative run by the non-profit organisation is the TEAM programme, a nine-week boot camp that helps youth develop communication, networking, and resilience skills while addressing critical issues like financial literacy and mental health.
The programme has supported a wide range of groups, from undergraduates and unemployed youth to recovery communities such as former drug addicts, through classes and community projects like cancer awareness campaigns and mental health workshops.
SAY programme manager Siti Nurainin Nabillah Mohd Azman spoke of Shafiq, a young man they met at a drug rehabilitation centre in 2023.
Recognising his potential, SAY first offered him a part-time role, which later became a full-time position. Today, Shafiq not only works with SAY, but shares his recovery journey as a motivational speaker, even becoming the recipient of the Perseverance Award last year.
“At the end of the day, it has to come from the beneficiaries themselves. They must have the will to change their lives. We only provide the platform,” Aiman said.
Limited resources not a hindrance
Behind SAY’s big impact is a small team of just 12 to 15 people. According to Aiman and Ainin, each department often operates like a one-man show, supported by interns, part-timers, and community volunteers.
“The TEAM programme, for example, is facilitated by the participants themselves. We want young people to lead while we provide the framework and support,” Ainin said.
Aiman said entrepreneurship remains an important pillar, as youth today are eager to start businesses but struggle to sustain them, adding that SAY provides support through hands-on training, financial literacy exposure, and priority access to state expos and fairs.
“We give them a starting platform to experiment and know what works and what doesn’t. That teaches them resilience.”
Aiman said micro and home-based entrepreneurs are prioritised over startups, with the aim of helping them refine their approach, adapt, and eventually scale up.
Highlighting the importance of employment readiness and soft skills, Ainin said many youths today often struggle with unrealistic job expectations and complain about low starting salaries at the beginning of their career.
“We always remind them of the harsh reality — you have to start from the bottom when you lack experience,” she said, adding that despite this, SAY engages employers to bridge the expectations gap.
Adapting to sustain impact
Despite its achievements and impact, SAY continues to face challenges in sustaining its long-term programmes.
Aiman and Ainin said that while Covid-19 made it easier to recruit participants, as many retrenched youth were seeking reskilling opportunities, SAY now faces tougher competition post-pandemic from gig work and weekday commitments.
This has pushed the organisation to adapt by partnering with institutions like the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) and the Social Welfare Department (JKM), targeting participants already in rehabilitation or transition programmes, while also introducing weekend workshops to engage working youth.
They said financial sustainability remains a hurdle. To keep programmes running, SAY relies on creative fundraising initiatives like its annual charity golf tournament with its royal patron and founder Tengku Amir Shah.
“We can’t be too comfortable with our current funding. We always look for potential opportunities because the more funding we have, the more impact we can create,” Aiman said.
When asked how they define success, both Aiman and Ainin said it goes beyond statistics. For them, it is about nurturing “global champions”.
Today, some SAY-backed entrepreneurs, including a local sportswear brand, have successfully penetrated the international market, expanding into Brunei and the Middle East, among others.
On youth development, Ainin noted that SAY’s TEAM programme participants have won King’s Trust International awards for four consecutive years, showcasing Malaysian youth on the global stage.
When asked how he would best describe SAY, Aiman chose two words: innovative and collaborative.
“We were among the first NGOs to start such initiatives, but the goal has always been for them to grow bigger with better support,” the CEO said.
