Kotex Gives Out RM105,000 In Grants To Young Malaysian Women To Fund Their Dreams
From aspiring athletes and tech enthusiasts to artists and advocates, these women are going to run the world!
By Laila Zain — 01 Nov 2024, 03:30 PM
After a two-month nationwide search, Kotex has concluded its #SheCan Fund campaign by awarding a total of RM105,000 to 11 deserving recipients
The fund was initiated as an extension of the brand's Limited Edition #SheCanPeriodt campaign, which saw the Kotex Soft and Smooth packs carrying a new look as an ode to women breaking barriers and shattering through their own glass ceilings.
Sarah Chen, Senior Brand Manager of Kotex Malaysia, highlighted the barriers women still face today, including stereotypes linked to menstruation.
"Even today, women continue to face significant barriers in pursuing their dreams and ambitions, including societal stigmas that unfairly label us as weaker due to our periods.
"With these insights, we initiated the #SheCanPeriodt campaign to challenge and dismantle these outdated perceptions. Further, we combined our annual #SheCan Fund initiative with the campaign to provide tangible support and resources behind this mission.
"To do this, we ran a nationwide contest asking Malaysian girls to tell us their dreams and how these dreams will break barriers, shatter gender discrimination, push boundaries and/or inspire women's progress. The message we want girls to take away from this is period or not, she can," Chen shared.
Now in its fifth year, the 2024 Kotex #SheCan Fund contest attracted over 300 applicants, from which the most outstanding 11 submissions were selected by a panel of judges
"We received submissions ranging from a wide breadth of topics — from sportswomen who want to make our country proud to activists wanting to make Malaysia safer and healthier for women and children, aspiring singers, dancers, artists, and content creators as well as women who want to make a mark in male dominated fields like tech, football and hip hop.
"The participants gave the judges a hard time evaluating all the incredible ideas but we are extremely encouraged by the passion and care expressed by our young Malaysian women. They articulated their ideas well and left us thoroughly impressed.
"Kotex is confident that the #SheCan Fund recipients of 2024 are on the precipice of great things," added Chen.
The leading sanitary pad brand was initially in search of 10 bright ideas, but due to the overwhelmingly strong submissions, Kotex decided to extend its support to one additional wildcard winner, who received RM5,000, bringing the total funding from RM100,000 to RM105,000.
A strong support system is essential in helping young women reach their full potential, and this was a central theme of the panel discussion held at the event
Speakers included Iman Troye, a breakout star in the local music industry, her mentor and music teachers, Cikgu Johari Mohamad and Cikgu Fatin Najihah Fazi, Kotex #SheCanFund alumna Nur Adzratull Iffah, and Sarah Chen.
Nur Adzratull, a Kotex #SheCanFund recipient from 2019, shared how the fund has been her support system and enabled her to pursue her dream of teaching special needs students in Jakarta.
"I was passionate about giving back to less fortunate communities but lacked the funding to make it happen. For me, the Kotex #SheCan Fund was more than just financial aid — it gave me a sense of purpose and was validation of my ability, work and my passion. Suddenly my dreams didn’t seem so far fetched and unattainable anymore," she explained.
The financial assistance allowed her to equip her students with the necessary materials and make a meaningful impact, affirming her commitment to breaking barriers in education among the underprivileged.
Here are the 11 winners of the #SheCan Fund:
Nur Arianna Qaisara Abdullah (Champion)
At just 19, Nur Arianna became the Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of IntelliLabs, where she is passionate about amplifying the presence of women in AI and technology. With a strong commitment to breaking gender barriers in the tech world, she is now working towards organising the inaugural SheHacks AI Festival — a dedicated event to empower and spotlight women in AI and innovation.
Goh Jin Wei (2nd place)
Despite undergoing a partial colectomy, she remained steadfast in her pursuit of a professional badminton career. Driven by determination, she aims to qualify for the next Olympics and make Malaysia proud.
Thivya Ravichandran (3rd place)
As a passionate law student, Thivya aims to provide a lifeline in the form of a 24-hour helpline, free legal clinics, pro bono legal representation, and legal education workshops for women in abusive relationships.
Rozanne Ting (4th place)
After a hiatus, she rekindled her passion for Taekwondo at university, diving into competitive sparring. She is eager to enhance her abilities and skills by training alongside elite global and regional athletes through bootcamps and intensive sessions. Demonstrating grit and dedication, she showcases that women, too, can embody physical strength.
Irsalina Ismaida Zamri (5th place)
She aims to reinvent alternative pop, pop-rock, and hip-hop in Malaysia by producing a visual album. With a strong desire to push boundaries in the predominantly male hip-hop scene, she is set on bringing a fresh perspective and elevating the genre for new audiences.
Chang Shiau Huei (Consolation prize)
At 21, she founded a Malaysian Cybersecurity Community with the vision of increasing cybersecurity awareness and skills nationwide. She now aims to expand this impact by organising a 24-hour hackathon-style "Capture the Flag" event, open to all, to boost cybersecurity literacy across Malaysia.
Chloe Josephine Tommy (Consolation prize)
Chloe is a cosplayer who intends to leverage cosplaying to promote inclusivity and body positivity by creating supportive and uplifting content that resonates with diverse audiences.
Har Amrit Kaur Sourjan (Consolation prize)
She aims to be a professional football player and hopes to gain the opportunity to train overseas with world-class players.
Nur Aniyah Anuar (Consolation prize)
A self-taught illustrator who plans to bring her career in the arts to the next level professionally.
Siti Nurizati Jefree (Consolation prize)
A professional esports commentator with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the Malaysian Professional League, she plans to strengthen her personal brand and hopes to become an esports ambassador to propel women forward in a male-dominated industry.
Farihah Shahila Muhammad Roslan (Wildcard winner)
She kickstarted a sustainable productivity podcast called BungaPod, with a clear mission to produce content about creativity and productivity in an engaging and inspiring way.
In the past month, Kotex has worked alongside other Malaysian icons who have been influential in their respective fields
They include national badminton women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, rapper and singer Bunga, the world's first hijabi wrestler Diana Phoenix, captain of the national women's football team Steffi Sidhu, motorsports athlete Leona Chin, and radio presenter Dhabita Auji
In the spirit of empowering and supporting women in their respective journeys, Kotex has introduced its limited edition Soft and Smooth pack in October. With its striking breakthrough design, Kotex invites all women to take their first steps or continue on their journey to accomplish what they have set out to achieve.
Every purchase reinforces the message that, despite challenges, #SheCanPeriodt.
