Heineken Cares is a programme by Heineken Malaysia aimed at uplifting communities in need, aligned with its Brew a Better World 2030 strategy, to foster positive impact and build a brighter, more sustainable future together.
The programme was first launched at the height of the pandemic in 2021 to support vulnerable communities and disaster victims through food aid and urgent care packages.
When devastating floods hit the districts of Kota Belud, Penampang and Papar in Sabah, the brewer responded to the call for urgent humanitarian aid for the communities affected by the tragedy. In collaboration with local radio station KupiKupi FM, Heineken Cares provided food supplies to residents who had lost their livelihoods.
As the pandemic’s intensity waned in 2022, the programme transitioned from providing short-term food aid to launching community farming projects that supported longer-term capacity building for local communities.
Partnership with Sokong
In December 2023, Heineken Malaysia and Sokong by Malaysiakini joined hands to collaborate on Heineken Cares 2023 — a community impact initiative aimed at strengthening community resilience in the face of changing social and economic challenges. Through the programme, five partner organisations — Hopes Malaysia, Hope Place Kuching, Soroptimist International Region of Malaysia, Ferris Wheel Organisation, and Yellow House KL — were selected to implement projects in the areas of food security, community farming, as well as access to clean water and renewable electricity.
Renuka Indrarajah, corporate affairs and legal director of Heineken Malaysia, said, “We recognise that meaningful change happens through collaboration. By working hand-in-hand with our partners, we are able to make a lasting impact on underserved communities.
“By investing in sustainable community initiatives, we go beyond addressing the immediate needs of the community; it paves the way to build resilient communities.”
Hopes Malaysia — making a sustainable difference
Kota Kinabalu-based Hopes Malaysia is one of the NGO partners working with Heineken Malaysia to reach out to the underprivileged rural community in Sabah. Founded in 2016, the group aims to empower these communities to break the cycle of poverty by providing them with basic needs for sustainable living.
Rural communities in Sabah face a common challenge: remote villages lack access to public water systems and reliable water sources. This issue is challenging for farmers who rely on inconsistent rainwater and mountain streams for their livelihood. Recognising this need, Hopes Malaysia took action to enhance water systems and provide farmers with a dependable water supply.
Hopes Malaysia’s initial endeavour was the Gravity Water project, through which they constructed seven gravity-fed water systems, including 30km of pipelines. These systems deliver clean water to remote villages in Kota Belud, positively impacting over 8,000 rural residents. Additionally, the team empowered local farmers by providing training to maintain and repair the water systems, ensuring a reliable water supply for future generations.
As a result, farmers in the Kota Belud villages have cultivated a variety of local fruits and vegetables, allowing them to sell their produce and earn a stable income to support their families for the long term.
Hopes Malaysia also contributed by educating rural farmers on providing nutritious meals for their families through fish and poultry farming. The community can now sustainably harvest 70kg of fish each month and collect 60 chicken eggs daily, helping them maintain their livelihoods.
Heineken Cares x Hopes Malaysia
Heineken Malaysia’s partnership with Hopes Malaysia started in 2021 through the Heineken Cares programme during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this initiative, more than 240 families and care centres received fresh food aid supplied by farmers from the Kota Belud project. The collaboration also supported the farmers by increasing their monthly incomes by up to 50% during the difficult time.
In 2023, the ‘Sustainable Gravity Water project for food security collaboration’ project was implemented to assist the remote and impoverished Kampung Pinolobuh in Kota Belud. Carried out in collaboration with Heineken Cares, the project focused on upgrading the village’s gravity-fed water system to provide clean water and promoting sustainable farming to enhance long-term food security. The community worked together to install piping from a natural water source located 5km uphill to their village tank.
With a reliable water supply for their farms and the skills, knowledge, and tools gained through workshops and community training, families have cultivated leafy vegetables for their own consumption.
Next-phase plans
With support from Heineken Malaysia and Sokong — through Heineken Cares 2024 — Hopes Malaysia is currently focused on repairing and reconstructing the degraded decades-old gravity water system in rural Kampung Nagarai Tuguson in Kota Belud, to cope with its growing population.
“Through this collaborative initiative, more than 40 underprivileged families will be empowered to repair and upgrade their old and damaged gravity water system, finally having access to sustainable clean water at home by early 2025,” added Aaron Bosuang, public relations executive for Hopes Malaysia.
“This is another step for sustainable progress as many local rural families still live without basic necessities, such as clean water,” he said. “We at Hopes Malaysia shall consistently strive to empower Sabah’s rural community in overcoming the deep cycle of rural poverty.”
Images: Heineken Malaysia
Source: Digital News Asia
