Soyai Malaysia- Soymilk SelfSustainability Proje
Helping the Underprivileged Community
What is SoyAi?SoyAi Malaysia is a social entrepreneurship project of selling soy milk with the aim of helping the Myanmar refugees in Malaysia.How are we helping?In order to help out Myanmar refugees found commonly around the area of Sunway Mentari, we have decided to start up a small in house business for them whereby they are able to have their own small production line on site in their learning centre. We address their needs to sustain on their own feet independently. This is because we would like them to be able to survive without relying heavily on the help of the public as they have been constantly depending on the funds from the public.Through this project, Myanmar refugees will also obtain the chance to gain some business and entrepreneurial skills. This project is the perfect platform for them to experience and widen their knowledge about how businesses are being conducted which are life-long survival skills.The caretakers of the centre will also be taught on simple financial recording for business purposes. Through this hands-on method and with our burning desire and passion in tackling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we hope more Myanmar refugees would be able to receive equal opportunities to receive proper education and hence, increasing the job employment rate of refugees in Malaysia.How do we ensure that this project will work?This project will be closely collaborated with the SoyAi Myanmar. SoyAi Myanmar team has more than 3 years experiences in this field and they manage to break into markets by having their soymilk sold at major shopping complexes and the international hotels in Yangon, Myanmar. Their clients include selected outlets of the convenience store, Park Royal Hotel, Yangon Bakehouse, Tutti Lethwei Gym, Go Green Organic Food Shop and the rest are private deliveries for offices and homes. Some offices order up to 100 bottles per week. Their current sales per week are about 1400 bottles of soy milk.Besides, we have also contacted a local soymilk seller to provide guidance to SoyAi Malaysia team.We will also have a back-up legal team for this project in the event of disruption as refugees have no legal status in Malaysia.
Overview of Issue / Background
What is SoyAi?
SoyAi Malaysia is a social entrepreneurship project of selling soy milk with the aim of helping the Myanmar refugees in Malaysia.
How are we helping?
In order to help out Myanmar refugees found commonly around the area of Sunway Mentari, we have decided to start up a small in house business for them whereby they are able to have their own small production line on site in their learning centre. We address their needs to sustain on their own feet independently. This is because we would like them to be able to survive without relying heavily on the help of the public as they have been constantly depending on the funds from the public.
Through this project, Myanmar refugees will also obtain the chance to gain some business and entrepreneurial skills. This project is the perfect platform for them to experience and widen their knowledge about how businesses are being conducted which are life-long survival skills.
The caretakers of the centre will also be taught on simple financial recording for business purposes. Through this hands-on method and with our burning desire and passion in tackling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we hope more Myanmar refugees would be able to receive equal opportunities to receive proper education and hence, increasing the job employment rate of refugees in Malaysia.
How do we ensure that this project will work?
This project will be closely collaborated with the SoyAi Myanmar. SoyAi Myanmar team has more than 3 years experiences in this field and they manage to break into markets by having their soymilk sold at major shopping complexes and the international hotels in Yangon, Myanmar. Their clients include selected outlets of the convenience store, Park Royal Hotel, Yangon Bakehouse, Tutti Lethwei Gym, Go Green Organic Food Shop and the rest are private deliveries for offices and homes. Some offices order up to 100 bottles per week. Their current sales per week are about 1400 bottles of soy milk.
Besides, we have also contacted a local soymilk seller to provide guidance to SoyAi Malaysia team.
We will also have a back-up legal team for this project in the event of disruption as refugees have no legal status in Malaysia.
Project Objectives (Vision & Mission)
SoyAi Malaysia is an initiative of a group of individuals who are eager to make a change in the lives of others. SoyAi project was created with the following objectives:
- To create an equal platform for the refugees to live sustainably and independently through the production and selling of soy milk produce by themselves
- Create sustainable positive impacts to the society and moving towardsachieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals of no poverty (endingpoverty in all forms in the community), quality education, reduced inequalities(between local community and refugees), providing decent work for everyoneand partnerships for goals (through a cross-country collaboration with SoyAi Myanmar and various interested clubs/societies andorganizations).
- To foster social awareness and activism through volunteerism among the young.
- To promote partnerships in achieving a common goal of the UN SDGs by targeting major companies, schools and universities around Malaysia for collaboration and sponsorships
- To reinforce leadership, soft skills, business and entrepreneurial skills amongst students
Project Details (Activities and Tasks)
Activities
June
• Purchase of Machineries and materials from suppliers
• Execute marketing plan – to allow for public awareness regarding product
July – September
• Heavy promotional activities (flyers , booths and samplings)
July – December
• Actual soya milk production starts Tasks
June
• Search for potential clients
July – December
• Close monitoring of production and sales
• Teach the caretaker of the centre regarding simple financial recording
Expected Project Result & Outcomes
-Net profit of approximately RM2200 will flow from the production of soymilk per month. (1200 bottles sold / month). 80% Net profit earned will be used to fund daily expenditure of the learning centre whereas 20% of the revenue will be used to hire teachers to teach the children within the centre.This would effectively reduce the reliance of the learning centre on public funds and also allow more refugees to accept free education
-This project would produce skilled refugees which are competent in Malaysia
0% of RM1.00 Goal
Project Information
| University name | : | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| Project leader name | : | Huong Sue Yuen, Wong Wen Shu |
Section I
(a.) Header
SoyAi Malaysia empowers marginalized communities in Malaysia through innovative production and sales of healthy homemade soymilk
(b.) Project Goals
SoyAi Malaysia aims to provide employment opportunities and extra income to marginalized communities in Malaysia. We aim to serve as a leading catalyst in creating a dynamic ecosystem among the underprivileged communities for sustainable living and quality education for all.
(c.) Other fund-raising efforts
SoyAi Malaysia managed to receive additional funding through application of Nottingham University grant, receiving RM4.5k. Furthermore, SoyAi Malaysia has also conducted booth sales at Sunway University selling button badges, Box of hopes, bookmarks to raise funds.
(d.) How the project actually worked
SoyAi Malaysia has been a success through constant support from friends, families and our local soymilk vendor which represents our mentor in this project. Our mentor has been providing us tips and tricks regarding the production and storage of soymilk, He has also taught us additional knowledge that would be useful for SoyAi in the future for product diversification purposes.
Unanticipated difficulties
It was not an easy journey for the 3 of us as we do not even have any basic knowledge regarding the production of soymilk. There were times when the soymilk would go bad due to our lack of knowledge (eg. Exposed too long in room temperature, adding too much sugar resulting in the soymilk going bad within a day). However, our mentor have guided us very well and informed us whenever we made a mistake. It wasn’t an easy journey but throughout the project and we have learnt a lot.
We have also delayed the purchase of the soymilk machine to year 2018 as we hope to stabilize our sales volume prior to purchasing the machine.
Budget constraints
There wasn’t much of a budget constraint during this project however we do face difficulties extracting the grant from Nottingham University bank account. This is mainly due to the heavy amount of paperwork and proof (invoices/receipts) to withdraw the funds. The funds occasionally take weeks and even months before being approved by the student affair team in Nottingham University.
Language or cultural barriers
There were no language barriers faced during this project as the refugee teachers in Manna House learning centre speaks good English and we can communicate with each other very comfortably.
Furthermore, the person in charge of the centre is also a Malaysian which makes the communication process even easier.
What worked well
SoyAi Malaysia has been receiving constant attention from the public and we managed to get 1350 likes on our facebook page within a short period of time (launch in September 2017). This is all thanks to press coverage such as Feminine Magazine and Oriental Daily. We were also given opportunity to set up booths at events such as Earth Warrior Sunway, The Good Tavern, Dream Village Football Academy tournament etc.
What didn’t work well
It is quite difficult to secure long term contracts with restaurants due to our high cost as we have not achieved economies of scale. We are not able to supply soymilk to restaurants at a very low price.
As we do set sales target for our own record purposes, occasionally we are short of our sales target.
Lastly, there was also the issue of transportation/logistics and we are currently solving this issue by hiring part timers (students/community in Sunway) to deliver our soymilk bottles to restaurants.
People who have benefitted
Main beneficiaries for SoyAi Malaysia are the refugee teachers in Manna House Learning Centre, Sunway Mentari. We have provided additional income to them in the form of salary. As the teachers have free time before the classes start at 9am, the bottling process of the soymilk provides income for them.
The teachers (Mang No, Lynn and San) are paid by bottles basis. SoyAi Malaysia pays them RM0.12 per bottle and the salary received by the refugee teachers depends on the total number of bottles bottled and the number of teachers working. The lesser the number of teachers working on a single order, the higher the salary for that individual.
Long term impact and sustainability
To achieve long term impact and sustainability, we constantly have meetings with the core team to brainstorm ideas and review our progress. SoyAi Malaysia forecasts that sales volume will reach 1200 bottles by June 2018. From there on, we will ensure constant supply level of 1200 bottles and purchase our soymilk machine required for self-production.
We also aim to launch our second beneficiary (2019) and diversify our soy products in year 2018.
This is to ensure that SoyAi Malaysia is always coming up with fresh and interesting products for the public.
Future of project
SoyAi Malaysia is a long term commitment and the 3 founders will continue to work on it for a minimum of 5 years. We will be registering as an NGO in January 2018. Once production volume and orders are constant, we will be registering as a social enterprise.
Section II
(a.)
Through SoyAi Malaysia, profits from sales of soymilk have been channelled back to the education of the children in the refugee learning centre in Sunway Mentari. We believe that this has contributed to the happiness of the children. Furthermore, additional income in the form of salaries for refugee teachers has also lighten their financial burden as the 3 teachers have their family to take care of.
SoyAi Malaysia is a long term project and hence we will be spreading happiness in the long term.
Through SoyAi Malaysia, it made all of us realise that if you think the world is a beautiful place, then it will be a beautiful place. However, if you think that helping others/refugees is a waste of time, then the world to you might be corrupted and unhappy. Our mentor always taught us that, we must think of things through a wider perspective, learn how to forgive and forget and the world will indeed be a beautiful place.
It has changed us deeply and we now appreciate what we have even more.
(b.) Personal Statement
- This project was valuable as it has given me insight regarding the business world and has also provided me with hands-on experience which I strongly believe will be useful skill for me in the future. (Michelle Huong)
- SoyAi Malaysia, a lifelong dream to us, is finally made possible with tremendous support from Khind Starfish Foundation. We can assist the refugees to sustain independently. Most importantly, I have learnt more about social entrepreneurship and the importance of sustainability of a business. (Wong Wen Shu)
- Through Khind Starfish Foundation, I have been given the opportunity to empower refugees with inclusive education and sustainable living through production and selling of nutritious soymilk. I have also learnt how to look at social entrepreneurship from various perspectives taking into consideration the wellbeing of various stakeholders. (Michelle Neoh)
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