Malaysian in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list helps youth become entrepreneurs

Raudhah Nazran founded Accelerate Global, a social enterprise that help youths become entrepreneurs through upskilling programmes.

Raudhah Nazran was getting ready for her daily commute when she got an email that would change her life.

“I had just gotten in the car with my husband ready to go to the office. While he was putting on his seatbelt, I checked my email and saw ‘Welcome to Forbes’. My heart stopped, no words could come out of my mouth,” the 26-year-old recounts.

Raudhah is one of eight Malaysians recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia earlier this year. It’s an accolade that the Kuala Lumpur-based entrepreneur has always aspired towards.

She remembers reading the magazine and being inspired by the changemakers shaping the future.

“It has always been (my dream to be recognised by Forbes) especially when I was in my teenage years but I always remember the advice given by my mother and my grandparents – sincerity is key.

“One must have the right intention and one must not do things merely for the sake of fame, fortune and popularity. I remember telling myself, “One day and for the right reasons”,” she explains.

That right reason turned out to be helping youths tackle unemployment.

Raudhah is recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia earlier this year.

In 2019, the law graduate from the University of Essex founded Accelerate Global, a social enterprise that help youths – especially the underprivileged and the marginalised – become entrepreneurs through upskilling programmes.

The upskilling initiatives, she says, provide entrepreneurial developments to help youths secure employment.

“Whilst to some we may be perceived as yet another training-based social enterprise, we believe that with the right upskilling programmes and with courses that work, we have the potential to develop the next generation of responsible leaders who are not just intelligent, courageous and resilient but also empathetic and compassionate,” she says.

To date, Accelerate Global’s programme has directly impacted over 7,000 youths. Some of its successes include helping 43 stateless youths in Sabah to be pineapple jam micro entrepreneurs and 19 refugee youths develop their own businesses.

The social enterprise has also launched Aceducation, an e-learning platform, in a bid to reach more youths.

Do good always

Raised to believe that the world’s her oyster, Raudhah credits her achievements today to her mother and grandparents.

“I was raised by an incredible mother and grandparents who taught me that everyone is capable of achieving anything and everything that they set their minds to,” she says.

Her grandparents, for one, always emphasised on the importance of being bilingual and even trilingual.

“The motivation has always been to build a good life not just for myself but also for everyone around me,” she says.

When she was 18, Raudhah ran her own charity projects in the Klang Valley. She got an inside view on issues such as homelessness and sex trafficking during this time.

“Looking back, I believe my passion for social entrepreneurship came from my own frustrations of witnessing continued vicious cycles. I saw the potential of social entrepreneurship as a way to not just end vicious cycles sustainably but also as a means to amplify impact without being financially dependent on mere donations.

“It’s a powerful concept that allows change to happen on a huge scale and is a powerful concept that empowers individuals to become independent change makers,” she explains.

The social enterprise has also launched Aceducation, an e-learning platform in a bid to reach more youths.

Raudhah is focusing on youth unemployment because of the catastrophic domino effect of the issue.

“If we take a step back and observe society both in Malaysia and abroad, most if not all of the social issues haunting us stem from financial problems,” she says.

Raudhah goes on to list social issues such as domestic violence, family break-ups, homelessness and drug abuse.

“In most of the cases reported by the victims, financial problems are often listed as one of the many factors that led to the issue at hand. Financial problems arise due to either lack of financial literacy, under employment or unemployment.

“The urgency is real. Unemployment, especially amongst youths who are inevitably going to be our next generation of leaders, if left unchecked can affect the future of our nation and the world,” she explains.

A pertinent matter

When it comes to youth unemployment in Malaysia, Raudhah identifies two main causes: lack of independence and creativity, and the education system.

On the latter, she says the education system either does not prepare youths for the working world or does not provide market-relevant skills.

“Malaysia still deems academics as the number one priority when it comes to assessing one’s intelligence and capabilities. While I agree that academics is indeed important, I too believe that youths must be exposed to the realities of post university-life,” she says.

With regards to the lack of independence and creativity, Raudhah says youths need to realise that there are options.

“The spirit of entrepreneurship must be instilled in all youths to ensure that they are not merely dependent on employment. This is not in any way undermining employment opportunities. This helps the youths especially when they are dealing with economic uncertainty or retrenchment.

“Youths must know that employment is not the only option in improving livelihood and gaining financial independence,” she says.

In addressing youth unemployment, Raudhah says it’s about taking ownership of one’s life.

“It is time for youths to start taking charge of our own lives and be the change we want to see in the world. I believe that it starts with us. Change starts with us and the only way to amplify this is to educate the youths, reminding them that they are capable of leading their lives,” she concludes.