FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, together with Junior Achievement (JA), announced the six Malaysian students who won the 2022 FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge (FedEx Express / JA ITC) Malaysian Finals. The students will now advance to compete at the FedEx Express / JA ITC Asia Pacific Regional Finals, scheduled for August 2022.
FedEx Express Malaysia and JA have been hosting the FedEx Express / JA ITC since 2008, and to date, the competition has impacted more than 7,000 students in Malaysia. The FedEx Express / JA ITC aims to nurture students with relevant knowledge and experience as well as to equip them with business and project management skills that are beneficial for their entrepreneurial growth.
For the second consecutive year, the 2022 FedEx Express / JA ITC was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic and received the participation of more than 650 secondary school students from 21 schools across Malaysia. A total of six virtual workshops took place throughout the month of April, supported by FedEx employees as volunteers who facilitated the students throughout the workshop and competition, and guided them on how to present their business ideas and plans.
In the FedEx Express / JA ITC Malaysian Finals, the participating teams presented their market entry strategy plans to a panel of judges comprising Lim Seng Giap, Sr. Manager Operations of FedEx Express Malaysia; Maran Virumandi, Founder of Doctor on Call and Shobie Malani, Festival Director of Murfest. The teams were evaluated based on their market entry strategy for a health product in Cambodia by applying insights and knowledge gained from the virtual workshops.
Sr. Manager Operations of FedEx Express Malaysia, Mr. Lim Seng Giap said, “It’s yet another challenging pandemic year, especially for students, but all the participants displayed a high level of passion, perseverance and competitive spirit which is truly inspiring. As the competition enters its 16th year, we are indeed honoured to continue our strategic collaboration with JA in organizing this annual competition, in line with our quest to mould the entrepreneurial spirit of our future leaders and prepare them for the 21st-century workplace. Kudos to all participants and winners!”
The winning teams comprise of:
- Team Nimol: Goh Zi Yu and Low Yi Su from SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 3, created a go-to filtration water bottle called CHANGE as Cambodians face poor water sanitization and waterborne diseases. CHANGE comprises a hollow fiber membrane filter, making it easier to clean and has a long lifespan. The target market is charity organizations and children aged between 4 to 12 years old, especially middle and lower-class Cambodians, as they critically require access to clean water.
- Team Nutriiene: Ahil Asif and Ong Wei Xiang from Tanarata International Schools, developed the Banthem sachets which contain all the necessary nutrients to boost the immune system in children, preventing premature deaths. 1 in every 8 children below the age of five dies every day in Cambodia predominantly due to pneumonia, fever and measles. These Banthem sachets have nutrients like zinc, vitamin D3 and probiotics, and they can also be stored at room temperature, which solves the problem of Cambodia’s lack of cold storage facilities.
- Team Healife & Co: Meenal Mech and Nakkesha Sathya Mathiazhagan from Global Indian International School, developed Campex, a modified sanitary pad that aims to solve the core menstrual problems of Cambodian women. In Cambodia, many women face a lack of resources, hygiene and overall awareness about feminine sanitary care. Women living in poverty, unfortunately, change their pads in unhygienic ways because there are no public restrooms or adequate hygiene facilities. Campex is designed to be safe and comfortable whilst remaining affordable and accessible. It is also 100% biodegradable, which incorporates a dissolving soap strip and anti-bacterial elements.
One of the judges for the FedEx Express / JA ITC Malaysian Finals, Maran Virumandi, Founder of Doctor on Call said, “This is the first for me to be in a judging panel for the FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge and I am delighted to be presented with the opportunity to contribute to the efforts by both FedEx Express Malaysia and Junior Achievement in nurturing the young leaders of tomorrow. I am in awe of the solid ideation as well as sheer determination demonstrated by the winning teams – and they nailed it through their clear and structured presentation. I am pleased to have been part of this process and I wish them all the best for their next competition leg at the Asia Pacific level!”
Chairman of Junior Achievement Malaysia, Stuart Dean said, “JA Malaysia is once again privileged to collaborate with FedEx Express Malaysia in imparting invaluable skills and expertise to the younger generation. And, as with every year, I am astounded to see these students go above and beyond and surpass my expectations. I am confident that the finalists will take into account the lessons taught during the workshops as well as the judges’ feedback when competing at the Regional Finals”.
At the Regional Finals, the three winning Malaysian teams will be paired up randomly with students from other countries such as – Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. For more updates, insights and photographs of the 2022 FedEx Express / JA ITC, log on to facebook.com/AsiaPacificITC
