Program Keusahawanan CIMB Islamic-Taylor’s returns with a special cohort targeting home bakers from the asnaf and B40 community

26 July 2023

Since its inception in 2017, the programme has positively impacted over 500 entrepreneurs from the underserved communities with a total investment of over RM3 million

Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad (“CIMB Islamic”) today announced the commencement of Program Keusahawanan CIMB Islamic-Taylor’s with a special cohort targeting home bakers from the asnaf and B40 community. In partnership with Taylor’s Education Group (“Taylor’s”), and supported by Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia, the sixth edition will provide participants access to technical training and business knowledge to enhance the quality of their existing bakery products, whilst exploring ideas to expand their offerings which will allow them to cater to a wider market. 

Through a specially curated module, the participants will be given access to a commercial grade kitchen as part of the course and will have the opportunity to be coached by highly experienced teaching chefs from Taylor’s Culinary Institute (“TCI”). The experience gained will enable participants to sharpen their culinary knowledge, whilst deepening their understanding of the industry’s best practices.

In addition to acquiring technical and business skills, participants will also be provided with kitchen utensils worth RM500 prior to the programme to ensure they are fully equipped and able to follow the practical training. Furthermore, they will be given typhoid jabs as part of learning the basics of food safety and handling. This is intended to expose participants to proper food handling standards whilst creating awareness of the health risks associated with food related issues.

A ceremony marking the commencement of the latest cohort took place at Taylor’s University with Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, CEO of CIMB Islamic and Dato’ Loy Teik Ngan, Group CEO & Executive Chairman of Taylor's officiating the event. Also in attendance were representatives from CIMB Islamic, Taylor’s and Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia.

Ahmad Shahriman said, “Nurturing the growth of SMEs is pivotal in ensuring the viability of micro-entrepreneurs in the fast and challenging business landscape. As such, we are pleased to introduce a special cohort for home bakers to benefit from the tools and modules provided through Program Keusahawanan CIMB Islamic-Taylor’s. The meaningful partnership with Taylor’s started in 2017 which has since trained 500 participants with a total investment of over RM3 million, which includes training and monitoring, as well as grants. It is indeed heartening to see the alumni supporting new participants by sharing their knowledge and experience, which is key in making the programme self-sustaining in the future."

“We hope the programme continues to help improve the participants’ livelihoods and spark their interest to chart the growth of their businesses. This is very much aligned to the practices of Value-Based Intermediation (“VBI”) where we aim to play a catalytic role to generate long-term positive impacts to society and the communities we serve,” added Shahriman.

Dato’ Loy said, “As one of Malaysia’s leading education groups, Taylor’s has always been at the forefront of advancing education for all levels of society. We are delighted to continue partnering with CIMB Islamic for this programme and we are positive that together, we will continue to make great strides in shaping more resilient and adaptable micro-entrepreneurs from the underserved community."

Asfa Haniza, founder and supplier of Samosa Legend from Program Keusahawanan CIMB Islamic-Taylor’s third cohort in 2019 said, “The programme has certainly helped in shaping the entrepreneur I have become today. My business has seen tremendous growth which started as a purely home-based business and now has expanded to a physical store with support staff assisting on the day-to-day operations. I attribute the success I achieved so far to the rigorous training and capacity building modules offered by this programme, which aided me in expanding my business. I look forward to continue sharing my experience and the knowledge I have gained to future participants, as I am confident that their journey will be fulfilling as entrepreneurs."

The Program Keusahawanan CIMB Islamic-Taylor’s is an annual entrepreneurial programme, aimed at empowering micro-entrepreneurs from the underserved communities to enhance their livelihood through capacity building and funding support. The bakery-themed cohort came on the heels of the recently concluded fifth cohort, which saw a total of 33 entrepreneurs completing the programme and receiving grants worth RM154,817.