Awarded the title of Malaysia's biggest kid-preneur programme by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR), Goodday KidSTART was launched in 2022 and attracted 340 submissions from talented young minds across the nation. The inaugural programme concluded with a two-day workshop and pitching event held at Aloft, KL, where 10 year old Fatimah Basyeerah Binti Mohamed Ackiel from Dengkil and her stroke cognitive skills recovery software application, an idea born from her desire to help her grandfather who suffered a stroke, emerged as the grand prize winner, receiving RM20,000 to realise her entrepreneurial dreams.
This initiative by Goodday Milk, aims to raise awareness and promote better financial literacy among the younger generation. According to the Malaysia National Strategy for Financial Literacy report from 2019-2023, 1 in 10 Malaysians believe they are not disciplined in managing their finances with 52% Malaysians admitting they would have difficulty raising RM1,000 as emergency funds while 52% said they aren’t confident they’ll have adequate funds for retirement. The study also said that only 30% of parents imparted financial literacy knowledge at a younger age while the rest either didn’t or didn’t know how to.
Hence, by empowering children with entrepreneurial skills and equipping them with the right knowledge to develop strong money habits early, Goodday Milk strives to contribute to a more secure and financially sound future for the next generation while helping parents navigate the complexities of good financial management with their children.
This year’s instalment will see a bigger and wider reach, beginning with the submission period followed by a series of online webinars on the 27th of April and 4th of May, covering 5 topics; Business Model, Design Thinking, Effective Presentation, Creative Problem Solving Skills and Environmental Entrepreneurship, with the hopes that it will spark ideas with the public and interested participants.
Adding to the reach and as a result of their endorsement by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Goodday will be hitting the road visiting schools across the country to bring the message of financial literacy and empower more children to take part in the contest. As an added incentive, a RM10,000 reward is up for grabs for the school with the highest number of participants.
Amy Gan, Etika VP of Marketing said, "Last year's Goodday KidSTART made a significant impact, showcasing the incredible creativity and potential of Malaysia's young entrepreneurs and at the same time the wealth of ideas and talent possessed by our country’s next generation. This year, we are excited to see even more innovative ideas and empower a new wave of kid-preneurs. Goodday KidSTART 2.0 is more than a competition; it's an investment in the future of our youth. Through this programme we’re committed to nourishing both the bodies and minds of the next generation by instilling in them the importance of financial literacy and at the same time boost their confidence level, creativity and growth mindset ."
“This year, we are truly honoured to have the support of the Ministry of Education. Their stamp of approval not only adds credibility to the programme but opens us up to more opportunities that will help us reach more of our younger generation. Once again, I urge parents to encourage their child’s participation and take this opportunity to showcase their talents, potential and ideas. Who knows, your child could be the next Goodday KidSTART kid-preneur!” she added.
The video should consist of three parts;
- An introduction
- Their inspiration to start a business
- The quick elevator pitch of their idea
Following the two-month submission period and shortlisting process, 20 finalists will advance to the next stage to attend a 2-day intensive boot camp and finale in June 2024. Children will be mentored and taught the necessary skills and abilities to successfully pitch their ideas to a panel of judges ranging from business entrepreneurs to captains of industry.
Cash prizes from a pool of RM60,000 await the winners of the Goodday KidSTART kid-preneurs to bring their business ideas to life! Also, presenting this year’s Rising Star award and RM3,000 for the kid-preneur with the most potential, is Official Bank Partner, Alliance Bank Malaysia.
The Goodday KidSTART kid-preneur programme runs from 4th March to 23rd June 2024. For more information, visit http://www.gooddaykidstart.com/. For details and dates for the online webinars, do follow Goodday at https://www.facebook.com/gooddaymilkmalaysia/ or https://www.instagram.com/gooddaymilkmy
Source: Financial Education Network, Malaysia National Strategy For Financial Literacy 2019-2023, 22 July 2019
