Dedicated to at-risk children and teenagers, Yayasan Chowkit, which was founded by Asia’s Most Influential honouree Dr Hartini Zainudin, operates two drop-in centres in the Chow Kit area of Kuala Lumpur, as well as a safe house for higher-risk children, including infants, at an undisclosed location. These safe havens provide a positive environment for learning, play and meaningful engagement to children and teens, while protecting their rights. In June 2024, Yayasan Chowkit launched a digital learning initiative, distributing Chromebooks to students and introducing them to the learning platform Worldschool Project. Additionally, its partners provided a curriculum for secondary school students, as well as comprehensive digital education.

With initiatives that develop future leaders, Humanitarian Affairs Asia (HAA) empowers the youth to change the world for the better. They implement several programmes and summits that instil the importance of service and social responsibility, including The Green Summit, The Social Impact Summit and the World Top 100 Young Leaders Forum. In August 2024, HAA held the University Scholars Leadership Symposium in Bangkok, with 500 emerging world leaders from 57 countries. The four-day event gave young people the opportunity to grow ideas and collaborate with each other, as well as the confidence to lead sustainable development projects in their communities.

According to Malteser International, Asia and the Pacific are prone to crises from natural disasters, such as typhoons, earthquakes and droughts, to conflicts. And so the organisation, the worldwide relief agency of the ancient Order of Malta, operates in 10 Asian countries to address the needs of vulnerable populations affected by these crises. Apart from providing humanitarian aid, the organisation promotes local action through capacity-building programmes. In Thailand, Malteser International has been providing medical care to 20,000 Myanmar refugees since 1993. Its project focuses on healthcare, as well as training to help refugees gain skills for a possible return to their home country.

From Fiji to Vanuatu, Indonesia to Kirbati, humanitarian organisation Care fights poverty in Asia and beyond, providing emergency relief and engaging in long-term development projects related to health, education and women’s empowerment. In Vietnam, for example, the organisation is involved in gender equality and women’s economic justice. Since 1989, Care has supported women from ethnic minorities and rural communities, giving them opportunities to participate in the country’s growth. This endeavour contributes to Care’s goal of connecting 50 million women with equitable access to economic resources by 2030.

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