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“Hi! I'm Nurul and as of now, my role is a project manager for the Digital Entrepreneur programme by Me.reka. I stand for empowerment of positivity, women, youths, our differently-abled friends, and of course the environment too! In terms of career growth, the recent biggest achievement is to be given the opportunity to lead my team together with me on this youth empowerment journey to teach them skills to adapt themselves in these ever-changing times while being a full-time stay-at-home mom! I feel so happy when I see my participants flourish and apply things they learn. It is truly a dream job. Personally, my biggest achievement is birthing my son naturally (a 29-hour unmedicated Labor.) I get to love him for the rest of my life and that tops everything else I do in my life ]

I have several things to share when it comes to overcoming difficulties in my life but in the topic of empowerment, a memorable time I hold dearly was when I left my first corporate job at 23 to pursue purpose. Some people told me off as being silly and some said I was brave. I joined another remarkable woman, Shyam Priah in the journey of sustainability from environmental to women empowerment. We did public cleanups, repurposed things, gave some small job opportunities to single moms, built a tiny house with our bare hands, organized fundraisers, and many more. It wasn't easy as we were just two souls with a bunch of awesome volunteers trying to make a change. Not paid monetarily but we're extremely blessed!

We kept giving, yet we also kept receiving! I can't put in words how that felt like. I was living one of my best life yet I wasn't earning. I was still realistic too (I’ve got bills and a car to pay for!) so I divided my time between my passion and another two part-time jobs. It was tough but so worth it. It thought me to keep giving no matter what my situation is! Another part of me is more personal. But I felt like I've lost myself to the motherhood fog. I was at the brink of depression as I felt some sort of “loss of identity” as I focused solely on my child. I wanted him to see me thrive. I wanted him to have a happy mama. So with support from my partner and family, I prayed, sought and was blessed with this career where I get to give back and be well.

I would love to think that if I can do something, so can you! As a project manager for the Digital Entrepreneur programme my voice is relevant to tell everyone that we can lead our youth by nurturing in them independence, knowledge, fun, and patience in everything they do. Do it the Nurul way and just go for it! (With calculated risks assessed beforehand!) Don't lose your innocence, be idealistic yet realistic. conflicting? I think no. have balance in everything you do! Go and pursue your gig jobs but keep hustling till you meet your monthly and yearly goals! YOU got this!

My message to women is simple, women you are strong. Even in your lowest, if you can find it in you to keep giving to others, you can find it in you to give to yourself too. Pause and reflect sometimes, take a breather, and go for it! My story is remarkable because of Perseverance and adaptability. (That's two things.. but that's me! ) Finally, I am remarkable because I've consciously surrounded myself with other remarkable women in my life. My loving mom, my fantastic nenek (Still giving at this age!), my strong sisters (I have 4 sisters!) My genius mom-in-law, one of my mentors who has the biggest heart; Shyam, my go-getter programme director, Ambika, all the impactful and amazing ladies I work with at Me.reka. and my high achieving best friends too! I am remarkable because I've had the chance to be uplifted by them!

(Nurul Rahim,Project Manager, Me.reka)

#RemarkableWomenSeries #NurulRahim #DigitalEntreprenuership #ProjectManager #Mereka #YoungMother #WomanInDigital #KeepGiving #StayBlessed #DoSomethingForOthers #YouCanDoItToo #GiveToYourselfToo #LoveYourself #IamRemarkable

Find out more about Me.reka here, https://www.mereka.my/

(Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the individual’s own and not necessarily related to the individual's employer and organization.)

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“So, I was born in a conservative family where I had zero knowledge about sex-ed. Even at school, I only had to learn about the reproductive system without even knowing the full picture of how the sperm could get into the egg. I remember one time when I just hit puberty and had my first period my mom told me that once I'm losing my virginity my body would change--my boobs and butt will become saggy and I won't be as attractive. So, I did a lot of fact checks and taught myself about sex-ed and the reality of sex. My curiosity drives me to become more assertive and I've always been thirsty for new knowledge. I realized I wasn't the only one not getting a proper sex-ed, so I decided to become a content creator that focus on sex.

Turns out I attract like-minded, lost, and curious-minded people that are lack sex-ed. So, my goal is to help people to understand themselves better, to create a relationship that is meaningful and flavorful. I stand for equality--I think everyone deserves the right to have a proper and highly accessible sex-ed. We all come from sex, so why do we have to hide the reality of it? We are clearly not ashamed of who we are, so why are we ashamed of the creation process of ourselves? I want to build a world of openness, honesty, and fact-driven, not a world full of shame, guilt, and myths. My biggest achievement to date I think is the number of followers I have--I can't believe I would have more than 250,000 people following me online. And also I just spoke at TEDx last month so that's something!!! I was SO EXCITED when they invited me to speak. It's something I've always dreamed of!

I think when I lost my first job (which I was actually happy I didn't make it to finish my MT journey because I don't think the department fits me well) and when I decided to fly to Bali and live alone without any job would be the most difficult time in my life. The first and second month was okay, but then the reality hit me where my savings could no longer save my ass for the rest of the year. At that time, it was also my first year becoming a YouTuber, my followers’ count was still below 1000 and I still had no income as a creator whatsoever. But I said to myself that "I Can and I Will" and wow not long after that one of my videos went viral and I decided "Ok this is it. I won't stop. This is my career now" I think if there's a will there's always a way. Always. I have a strong will, that I wanna help people (teenagers mostly) and be the kind of "sister" that they could never have. I believe that if you really believe in yourself, trust the process, and know who you really are then you can easily manifest anything. Anything.

How am I representing women? Oh wow, this is an interesting question. When I was in high school, my girlfriends didn't even know what "blowjob" is and the boys were making fun of it by telling them lies and I actually laughed too, but that got me thinking, "Wow, do other girls never watch porn or try to know those things? What if her boyfriend traps her to do things she's not familiar with? What if it ended up as rape?" So, I was worried. I told my friends the truth and I told them other stuff too. They had their eyes open and they were like, "OMG I don't know these things".

And so I always carry that mindset with me--I don't want guys taking advantage of young innocent women. Women need to open their eyes and stand up for themselves. 70-75% of my followers are women and I think they could relate to what I share on social media. I also share a lot about pleasuring our bodies so they could all experience it themselves. I think women are never allowed to talk about these things, so I encourage them to speak up and not be ashamed of sharing these things with their close circle--women to women.

My message to women is simple; to not be ashamed of your body and to encourage them that we all deserve pleasure. Like, seriously, we all do deserve it. Pleasure has to be equal and sex is 2-way, it's not "The man has to be pleased by his wife" ugh come on! Ladies, you deserve to have an orgasm(s) and you have to be open & honest if something is wrong. My story is remarkable because In 2018 there were no influencers that only focused on sex in Indonesia. Yes, we had some that sometimes talk about women, relationships, etc, but only talking about sex? hmm nada. I'm proud that I could push the market and focus on just taking the sex-ed niche. So, I'm quite proud to say that I am probably the first sex-positive content creator in Indonesia. As of now in 2021, I can see the market is starting to be more sex-positive as there are more creators being sex-positive, so that's great! Finally, I am remarkable because I am pushing the limit in our society!”

(Sisil, Content Creator & Sex-Ed Advocate)

#RemarkableWomenSeries #Sisil #ContentCreator #SexEdAdvocate #WomeninSexEd #BeSexPositive #BeAPioneer #AttractLikeMindedFolks #FindAWay #YouDeservePleasure #PushingTheLimit #IamRemarkable

Follow Sisil on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/sisilism2.0/

(Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the individual’s own and not necessarily related to the individual's employer and organization.)

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“My name is Edelyn. I'm an 18 year old soon-to-be college student and tech enthusiast with big dreams in life. I am excited about plenty of things- virtual reality, writing code, meeting new people and getting to know their backgrounds. I like learning about everything through Googling or watching a series of Youtube videos, and also getting involved in the tech scene in every possible way. That said, I am currently part of several teams, being in the organising team in NG-MY 2019 & Rails Girls KL, a volunteer for Women Who Code - Kuala Lumpur, as well as being an intern at Pulsifi Sdn. Bhd. I am looking forward to starting college in July! My biggest achievement so far would have to be getting straight A’s for SPM last year. Disclaimer: I am not a genius. I wasn’t a top student. I wasn’t even in the top class. As a ‘mediocre’ student, straight A’s was merely a far fetched dream. However, I managed to make significant improvement in my grades and finally, all the hard work paid off on the biggest and most important exam last year. Despite that, my achievement did not lie behind the grades, but it was when my teary eyed self went up on stage alongside my parents who were just as shocked as I was. It was truly a moment I can never forget. Several series of unfortunate events have been incorporated into my life, but frankly, I never felt that it was overly difficult as I am aware that many people have struggled even worse than I did. One of those people is my twin sister, Emily, who has cerebral palsy. My sister is a happy-go-lucky child who is bound to a wheelchair with dreams of travelling to New York and other places in the world. Unfortunately, we have never had the chance to leave Malaysia even for an occasional holiday. “If I can’t bring my sister to see the world, why not bring the world to her?” And that’s where my interest for Virtual Reality sparked- since I was 15, when I had the massive, deep self reflection about what I wanted to do in my life and what kind of future I aspire to have. I just knew I had to be part of the tech industry. In numerous ways, this responsibility of taking care of my sister has taught me plenty of things- to be forever grateful, to grab opportunities no matter what situation you are in, and also to always associate your passion with the people you love. All in all, I am still merely a student. I may not be as much as a freckle in the tech industry as it has only been a few months, therefore I don’t feel like I could represent the majority of women just yet- all women are inspiring to me in their own respective ways. It is one of my dreams to one day conquer a male-dominated field such as the tech industry. Currently, I am taking it a step at a time- getting involved with NG-MY, and female advocate teams such as Women Who Code and Rails Girls KL. Recently, I gave a talk in Google Malaysia during JuniorDev KL’s May ‘19 meetup. It was a small talk about my internship life and experience as a mentee in a startup company. Although it may not sound super impressive, it was my first time stepping out in front of a crowd. Sure, there were plenty of instances where I had to speak in front of the classroom back in high-school, but never have I ever had to speak in front of a group of people who are older and more experienced than I am in every way. To female students, or anyone in general regardless of age, gender, or race, you should step up to do things you are afraid of. Grab opportunities that scare you- the scariest ones are normally the most rewarding ones. My story is far from ‘remarkable’, but I hope for it to be. My hope that one day my story will inspire many young girls to be part of STEM and love it as much as I do- be it because you want to help someone else, or it could also be for your own personal interest. Finally, I am remarkable because of the remarkable people who surround me and made me who I am today.” (Edelyn Seah, Tech Enthusiast, Kuala Lumpur) #RemarkableWomenSeries #EdelynSeah #TechEnthusiast #AspiringStudent #SheLovesLearning #SheIsMakingHerMark

#GrabOpportunitiesThatCome

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"I am the eldest of three and I come from a very liberal family that believes in instilling values. Entrusting us to be able to make decisions in line with those values and principles is what I feel made me who I am today. To me that is when empowerment begins, where my parents gave me the leeway to make a decision for myself. I am the community manager at WORQ since the last six months. There are many new things that happened to me this year as I am also a new wife and a mother to be. Previously I was from the corporate background and I have work experience in an agency as well. For me the most different thing about WORQ is that it made me feel empowered regardless of my status - being pregnant and all. I actually never thought this could happen, especially when you join a new organisation. To be honest, I was afraid to tell my boss the first week I came to know about my pregnancy. To me, my career is very important and it dawned upon me the possibility of a situation in the future where I have to choose between the two. But when I told my boss and colleagues, they supported me and told me that they have faith in me to manage my workload and I could see that they were compassionate about my situation. This came as a surprise to me as I was told in my previous role (in another workplace) that a pregnancy 1-2 years immediately after marriage would ruin my career. This put fear in me that if I want to achieve something, I have to focus entirely on my career and place my family life on the back-burner. I was so glad that my superior and colleagues have been supporting me throughout my pregnancy journey. I realize that it is not an issue to be pregnant and women shouldn’t be made to feel bad for that. It is important to have a close support circle at the workplace to make this work. I think another crucial thing is that I look up to my own mother who despite being a career woman, was also a mother of three. Balancing life and work is the key. Sometimes we don’t need to be physically present to complete certain tasks and companies can allow for this flexibility as long as the task is done. My workplace has a nursing room and a space for me as a new mother. I appreciate the open policies in my workplace where we can express what we need. In this way, I learned not to be shy about asking for help and it is a very natural for the team to assist and support each other. It makes me enjoy my pregnancy journey. I read this somewhere, do not ever let anything stop you from living your daily life, pregnancy is a blessing, not a disease. Waking up with a positive mindset is really important. I remind myself that there is a little human growing in me and that is a really special thing. When I go through pain, I tell myself that it is going to end. I also carry lime to the office and whenever I feel like vomiting, smelling lime actually makes me feel better. Swollen legs are also another issue for pregnant women, especially in my line of work where there is a lot of walking. So what I do is I keep this hot water bag with me and rest my feet on it whenever there is pain. In our office we have a foot massager which my lovely colleagues kindly moved closer to my work space so I could use it. When it comes to eating, there are many restrictions, but not everything is proven to be detrimental. So don’t try to remove certain things from your diet if it it is going to affect you negatively. It is important to be calm and happy in your journey. Finally, I am remarkable because I am the most energetic and productive when I am pregnant. To me, my pregnancy has been a blessing. I have been afraid of being pregnant, but little did I know that the moment it happened to me, it was the best thing that could ever happen to me. I realize I was even stronger than I thought I was. I could bring myself to do a lot of things that I didn’t think was possible. I am just more prepared for the future, to take on the next phase in life thanks to my pregnancy." (Shabie Worq, Community Manager, WORQ Coworking Space) #RemarkableWomenSeries #Shabeta

#CommunityManager #MotherToBe #CareerWoman #Wife #SheWearsManyHats #HaveAPositiveMindset #PregnancyIsABlessing #FamilyLifeMattersToo #BeingAMotherIsABlessing

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“Full time data crunching, part time advancing the rule of law’ describes what I do every day. I work at LexisNexis Malaysia, a leading global provider of legal research and technology where I spearhead a Rule of Law project which focuses on creating awareness through storytelling on social justice issues such as statelessness and the death penalty in Malaysia. Outside of work, I serve as the Head of Storytellers for Humans of Kuala Lumpur (HOKL), a social advocacy platform which exposes me to a variety of social issues. As a legally trained person, these are the issues that are very close to my heart and I always believe that ‘I can start from where I am, to use what I have, and to do what I can’. I would say that my biggest achievement to date would be the privilege to lead the Rule of Law x Statelessness project titled ‘Now/Here I Belong’. The highlight of this project has been the opportunity to meet with thought leaders and hearing their stories in addressing the statelessness issues in Malaysia. While of course it is impossible to do the stateless individuals justice in a few stories, we are moving the needle and making an impact through educating the public and bridging the distance with stories. We received lots of great feedback and comments via our various platforms either from the legal fraternity or the general public. I hope that in the near future, they can finally say ‘now, here I belong’. In April 2019, I joined the Mobile Court Expedition to Kampung Matanggal, a Zone 3 rural area in Sabah. The Mobile Court Expedition is established by our former Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, which has helped people in rural areas with problems related to their birth certificates and other legal issues. In the village, there was no water, there was no proper electric supply or even tarred roads and we had to go in by a 4WD. There aren’t any clinics in the village. The nearest hospital is 3-4 hours away by car. There’s only one primary school with fewer than 10 classrooms. I was being pulled out from my comfort zone, no clean water to shower, sleeping on the floor and facing mosquito bites. I was there for an awakening and I was ashamed, ashamed of being an ignorant city girl who always took things for granted. I learned that what our fellow indigenous ‘Malaysians’ in these rural setting needs the most is an opportunity to be heard, an opportunity to even have rights. For example, the right to citizenship, the right to work and education, and many more. I began to see life from a different perspective from then onward. The trip made me want to give back and contribute more, most importantly, to be a voice for the voiceless and to make an impact on their lives. I’m inspired by many other women in the legal and social advocacy industries. Personally, I wish to inspire more law students to be proactive in doing social advocacy issues and empower each other through knowledge and passion. We can do a lot on the issues related to fundamental human rights, female empowerment, child marriage, LGBT issues and etc. For example, through HOKL, we share stories on transgenders, refugees, gender bias and many more. In the legal industry, we have more than 50% of female lawyers, we had our first female Kuala Lumpur Bar president, and now we have our first woman Chief Justice appointed as welll. However, sometimes I do feel that we are at a transitional point to an implacable and inclusive feminism in Malaysia. It’s not just about us being blindly accepted or respected by our society; it’s also about us being understood, and not being discriminated and sexually harassed at the workplace and entitled to an equal pay. Although we have come far, there is a lot more to be improved. ‘What if I fall? Oh, but my darling. What if you fly? this is my favorite quote. As a woman, you must believe and have faith in yourself and each other, and do not be afraid to ask for help. I’m very grateful that I have found my role model and mentor, Gaythri Raman, the Managing Director of LexisNexis Southeast Asia. She inspired me a lot in doing

things that make an impact to the society and most importantly, she always encourages me to fly. So ladies, ‘find the courage deep within you to push forward and make an impact’ this is what our first female KL Bar president - Ms. Goh Siu Lin told me, and it always pops in my mind whenever I’m feeling stressed or frustrated. Finally, I am remarkable because I persevere in pursuing my passion and never stop telling real stories to empower people and advancing the rule of law.” (Samantha Siow, Head of Storytellers, Humans of Kuala Lumpur) #RemarkableWomenSeries #SamanthaSiow #WomaninLaw #HeadofStoryTeller #HumansOfKualaLumpur #TellYourStory #VoiceToTheVoiceless #SocialAdvocate #HaveFaithInYourself #DoWhatYouCan #UseWhatYouHave #StartFromWhereYouAre

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"I'm Malaysian-born and had the wonderful opportunity to live and work in many places throughout my life. My career and life path has been dynamic. It started as an engineer before becoming a corporate trainer for over 10 years with global companies in technology, travel and not-for-profit organizations. Now, I wear multiple hats as an Intercultural Strategist, Chief Podcast Educator for MeaVox and the podcast host for Leaders of Learning. Underpinning all these roles is my mission to help others appreciate and embrace diversity as well as foster safe and inclusive environments for everyone to live authentically and thrive. My biggest achievement was when I successfully made a career switch from Engineering and graduated with a MSc in Psychology. Education trains your mind to view and assess the world with different lenses. Unlearning the engineering mind to adopt the mindset of a psychologist was a big shift for me. My most recent challenge in life was deciding to leave the corporate world and start my own training business without any business knowledge or experience. I had to learn everything from scratch about running a business, from sales to marketing to operations and finance. Along this entrepreneurial path, I've learnt that success is the combination of smarts, grit, but it mostly boils down to the people and luck. My biggest lesson is success happens when the right people come together and support each other. Success cannot be achieved alone. The Leaders of Learning podcast started as an experiment. Initially, the podcast was intended to market my business and create my digital brand. Back then, I was also frustrated that podcast shows were limited to voices from western nations. In conceptualising my show, I wanted to elevate diverse Asian voices by providing a space to share their expertise, knowledge and intelligence in the field of learning and development. That space is the Leaders of Learning podcast show. By filling the gap of missing Asian voices, within a year, the podcast had received over 100k unique downloads and listened to in over 130 countries. The podcast show was featured in Apple Podcast and Castbox. It has also reached the iTunes top charts in Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. With the amazing reception of the podcast show, I've begun to encourage and support others in starting their own podcast show through our podcasting company called MeaVox. We help individuals, teams and brands to start their podcast show through consulting, coaching as well as public and private podcasting workshops. If I were to send a message out to women everywhere; is that everyone has a voice. Use your voice to share your message, to share about the things that matter to you. Even if no one agrees with you, use your voice to start conversations, provide different perspectives or even to stand up for yourself, if not for others. If you don’t claim your voice, someone else will speak up, make decisions and shape your life on your behalf. When you lose your voice, you lose your power and autonomy. When you lose your voice, someone else will control your life. Finally, I am remarkable because I am a reflection of all the brilliant, compassionate and intelligent people that have taught, inspired, guided and supported me in my life's journey. By taking the uncommon life path, I've met a diverse-range of people as well as enjoyed and endured wide-ranging experiences. It taught me that the journey is the destination." (Ling Ling Tai, Chief Podcast Educator, MeaVox) #RemarkableWomenSeries #LingLingTai #ChiefPodcastEducator #MeaVox #SheWearsMultipleHats #LeadersofLearningPodcast #Entreprenuer #UseYourVoice #StandUpForYourself

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I Do Care cp27 Jiuner dr2019d · “I am nineteen years old and I am in my final year of university studying business management with Spanish and German. I am a certified English teacher, entrepreneur, YouTube vlogger and Instagram influencer. I am trying to develop the brand Natasha Orri. I strongly believe in the power of building an image and using your platform to reach a broad audience and to accomplish more. Social media has created an amazing opportunity to have a greater global influence, just like how beauty mogul Kylie Jenner did. She used her fame and influence to launch her own beauty empire. Although I am definitely not as successful (yet), she has been inspirational to a lot of young entrepreneurs like myself and I am convinced that with the right motivation and dedication there is no limit to the heights I can reach. I would say my greatest achievement to date would be the launch of my very own business: ORRIeats. It’s a start up focusing on luxury baked goods, like my signature white chocolate cheesecake, niche marketed exclusively to my online following. Choosing to go forward with my venture was honestly terrifying. My reputation, finances and pride were all on the line but nevertheless it was a risk I was willing to take and I’m so proud that I did. As cliché as it may sound, I’ve found that the only way to be a successful entrepreneur is to take those calculated risks that really could make or break it all. I’ve still got so much to learn but taking this huge initial step has already taught me so much and I can’t wait to grow more and more. I moved away from home to Australia when I just turned sixteen, and it was definitely a challenge to say the least. Being pushed out into the real world for the first time at such a young age and being separated from my family and comfort zones was one of the most difficult challenges I’ve had to overcome so far. Reminiscing on that time, I believe I reached a point of realization; in the real world things aren’t always spoon-fed to you and the luxury of a maid at home does not last when you’re a student. Becoming very independent at a relatively young age helped me learn to appreciate everything that my parents and those around me do for me on the daily basis. As my mother is Chinese Malaysian, and much of my family lives in Malaysia, I feel very at home here. I believe I represent not only young Malaysian women but all 21st century women around the world who have big aspirations and are determined to accomplish them independently. I feel like being a woman in Malaysia can be extremely advantageous and I want to send out the message that we truly can do anything. In the industry of modelling, especially on Instagram, there are countless men that will try to exploit or take advantage of young models but I think it’s so important that I use my voice to prevent this from happening to any young girl. Women should always feel confident and comfortable and should feel that they have a voice to say no to things that they don’t feel comfortable with. Confidence, confidence, confidence! It truly is everything and as my favourite quote states; ‘Keep your heels, head and standards high’, by this I mean women should feel confident in everything they do. People will always criticize or try to put you down but if you are confident in yourself, then anything that others do or say won't affect you because you are confident in your skin. I try to be confident in every action I take and though it is easier said than done, it’s something I constantly try to see in myself. I believe my story is remarkable because I have experienced and accomplished so much for someone my age. I am young and full of ambition. I have huge aspirations and I intend on attaining them. I have a vision for the ORRI brand, along with my beautiful younger sister. In the future I hope to expand ORRIeats into an ORRI empire. I am remarkable because I am a visionary, I’m confident in my own skin and I’m not afraid to take the risks I need to take.” (Natasha Orri, Founder, ORRIeats) #RemarkableWomenSeries

#NatashaOrri #ORRIEats #Entreprenuer #AspiringModel #InstagramInfluencer #BeautyWhoBakes #WomeninCulinary #LuxuryBakedGoods #BeConfident #TakeTheRisk

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“I am attached to YB Yi Wei Lim, Adun of Kampung Tunku. I am her special assistant and also the Penyelia Pusat Wanita Berdaya (PWB) for Adun Kampung Tunku, where I deal mainly with women issues within the constituency. I organise programmes for women in terms of financial independence, self-defense, rights of women, the law surrounding marriage and divorce etc. One way to empower women is to teach them to be financially independent so that they are able to say no when they need to say no. The other thing is to let them know their rights. In a nutshell, I am and will always be about women empowerment. I have never really given much thought about my biggest achievement to date because I feel like there is so much more to achieve. There is just so much I want to do, maybe you will have to ask me in ten to twenty years’ time. The biggest challenge I had to overcome I would say is my law degree. To be very honest, I have a fear of exams and a law degree is very exam based. I am a person who loves to read and store information in my head. I love to ask questions and talk about what I have read. However, sitting down for a three hours exam and thinking about how my whole life is dependent on that three hours, I go into panic mode. For me to get through each and every paper is really a struggle. I will sometimes blackout there and then. What helped me overcome that struggle is to persevere, no matter how long and how difficult it is, and that is how I will get to where I want. When I first joined Democratic Action Party, there were women, but not many women my age. Even across the board (men or women), not many people were my age. But fast forward to today, I have many comrades that are young women and I am grateful that happened but we need to push for more. We have many young women in NGOs, I have great respect for them, but when it comes to policy and law making, the furthest NGOs can go is lobbying. The only way you can make real change is by becoming a law maker and participating in politics, getting elected then making the laws and policies yourself. That is a better option than leaving it into the hands of people who cannot make effective policies which will only lead to continuous fighting and ineffective lobbying. There can never be enough young progressive women in politics. Initially, when I first joined, older men tend to ask what is a young woman like me doing here. Now, that is no longer the case and people are more accepting and they are welcoming young women into politics. The challenge however is that young, progressive women often have fear in joining politics. When I did my law degree, I did it as a mature student and I have many friends who are five to six years younger than me. They said they look up to me and when I told them that they can join me in politics, many had fear in them. There is the fear of finding themselves dabbling into politics. In addition, Malaysian parents are still fearful of letting their children, especially daughters enter into politics. Once we get through that fear, then we can see more young women in politics. I recommend young women to follow their heart and be the unique version of someone they look up to. We need to balance how we raise our children, son or daughter. Letting our sons know that it is okay to cry or show emotions and daughters that they can be strong and courageous. The most effective way is to start young. We need to be aware of the kind of message we want to instill in the younger generation if we want to eradicate toxic masculinity. Me as a feminist, I believe in equality, but that is in an ideal world. My brand of feminism believes that we need everyone in the equation, irregardless of men or women. The truth is, throughout history, women have been marginalized in many areas and we need to claim back a whole lot of space to equalize. But if it has to be done, women have to step up to reclaim the space." (Nalina Nair 娜丽娜, Special Assistant, PWB DUN Kampung Tunku) #RemarkableWomenSeries #NalinaNair #WomanInPolitics #KampungTunku #Feminist

#ClaimingTheirSpace #DemocraticActionParty #MakingHerMark #MakingRealChange #PolicyMaker #HerBrandofFeminism

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“I'm a homebody who love to do adventurous stuff that sparks joy in my life. I am currently a computer science degree student and I started my journey in coding filled with challenges before deciding to be a programmer one day. I understand that no process of learning will ever be simple and direct. There is really no shortcut to anything. My biggest achievement is to have family and friends that I can always trust and rely on. I'm also glad to be able to organize and mentor at tech events along with the people I love and bringing in different perspectives into their lives. I would never be the person I am without my family and friends beside me. Everything good and bad happens for a reason. I've had many troubles with my workload and sometimes giving myself my own space and time to heal from the downs is very important. I know not everything can be perfect and not everything should be perfect, it's all about finding the right balance. I'm nowhere near to be able to say that I'm representing women in general, but I do hope my story could be an inspiration to the younger generation to continue engaging in their love for technology. I've always been strong in my opinions while trying my best to please everyone. In our community, everyone is equal and we should always support each other. My message to all the women out there: Do what you love and trust in yourself, just because it looks intimidating doesn't mean it is intimidating. Lots of people go through mind games whether they should act upon something, I think that finding the right people to do it together with if it intimidates you a little too much would be great. My story is remarkable because of the people I have. I'll remember this excitement from what my heart felt through the moments of teaching and learning to and from my peers, teachers, and students. I know I am constantly growing and that feeling makes me full inside and outside. Finally, I am remarkable because I take my time to feel content but I'll never stop challenging myself to do better.” (Michelle Ler, Computer Science Student, Taylor’s University) #RemarkableWomenSeries #MichelleLer #ComputerScienceStudent #WomanInTech #WomanWhoCode #DoWhatYouLove #TrustInYourSelf #FeelContent #NeverStopChallengingYourself

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“My name itself means ‘happy’ and I strive to find happiness in everything I do, even in the little things. I am currently a Talent Acquisition Specialist covering the APAC region for various positions and my goal is not just to acquire the right talents for the business but also to lend a hand to those struggling with securing a job whenever it is possible. I had my fair share of struggles in securing a job before and I learned to appreciate my connections on social media who upon finding out about my struggles, spent their precious time to give me career advice and positive encouragement without asking for anything in return. And I aim to repay that act of kindness rendered to me by them to others who are struggling out there.. I would like to encourage young people out there who are about to or have just started a career to not give up on their passion no matter what it may be. And I would also like the youngsters to know that even if we are young in the number of experience, never be afraid to speak out even the smallest opinion. The voice of the youngsters like us matters too. One significant challenge that I faced was the challenge to secure not just a job but a career that I am passionate about. I believe in the idea of being happy in what I do hence I chose to search for something that I can be happy to wake up to, something that doesn’t make me count the hours or that I have to drag my feet to. With the imbalance of supply and demand of talents in the market, my aspiration was considered a 'wishful thinking' and eventually at one point, I almost lost hope in that idea. I couldn’t find a purpose and the struggle was surreal. Those moments of disappointment and rejection taught me that I can choose to listen to the negative voices and succumb to whatever that lays in front of me, or I could keep trying and hold on to that idea of choosing my passion and brave through the crowd of negativity and be happy with my choice. I am thankful that I chose the latter. I’ve spoken and met a lot of amazing women out there who were told this upfront: 'We can’t give you this role because there will be more men in the team and you won’t be able to lead them.' 'Yes you are good but this is a lead role, of course, we need a man. But I can give you the assistant role.' I strongly believe that one’s gender shouldn’t determine the person’s ability to lead or to be given more responsibilities. I’m happy to see more women taking up seats in board meetings and I hope that one day, women will no longer need to fight for their rights to be recognized but instead to finally be given their rights as it should be. What defines me is my positive vibe. You can throw me into the deepest pit or a stormy sea and even if I can’t swim, you will still see me smiling. Finally, I am Remarkable because I love what I do and I know that with what I do, I’m making changes in other people’ lives, big or small, for the better.” (Farra Nfj, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Kuala Lumpur) #RemarkableWomenSeries #Farra #TalentAcquistionSpecialist #GenderEquality #WomenInRecruitment #LoveWhatYouDo #BePositive #FollowYourPassion #SpeakOutYourOpinion #YouthVoiceMatters

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“I am a 21-year-old girl with a great passion for technology. I am super energetic, love to talk to people, passionate in organizing hackathons, volunteering in tech events and building communities. I always believe that through these efforts, we can bring people together and exchange of knowledge can happen. With the help of technology, we can also create a better world and connect everyone together. I am currently doing my Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) in University of Malaya. I am also the second-year representative for Artificial Intelligence Department and the Co-Director of the UM App Club. One motto that describes me is 'Never Give Up'. My biggest achievement to date will be leading one of the largest A.I Hackathon in Southeast Asia with only nineteen people in the team. We managed to gather around three hundred participants and tech enthusiasts solving the problem of Smart Retail and Smart City by using the technology of Artificial Intelligence. It took me around six-months time to build nothing to something. Although the journey was tiring and exhausting, the outcome in the end where we got good feedback from different stakeholders made us feel that the effort we put in was worthwhile. There are times when people hold me back, look down on me and deny my efforts.They think it’s impossible for a woman like me to make things happen. However, these incidents had taught me not to care too much about what others say about me. I always tell myself - have faith in yourself and continue to do the right thing. One day, your effort will be seen and recognized. I am representing the small number of women in tech in Malaysia. After organizing and attending several tech events, I observed that the involvement of women and men are always disproportionate in these events. So what I’m trying to do now is to advocate that tech is for everyone, regardless of gender and I am also trying to encourage more women in Malaysia to dive into the tech world. I feel the importance of this the most when I was co-organizing Google Cloud Next'19 Extended with Google Cloud Developer Community Kuala Lumpur. In order to support Google’s initiative of promoting gender equality, we made sure that the attendees and organizers in this event are in the ratio of 50:50 so both gender are equally represented. Some words to all the women out there: No matter what you have been through, you have made it this far. You might not realize how strong you are, but believe me, you are awesome. If you are not given the opportunity, create the opportunity. Always step out of your comfort zone and try to expose yourself more to new experiences, it’s not as hard as what you think. I know sometimes life might be tough and it hurts, but you have to be strong and independent. Last but not least, be kind always. Help people in need, spread positive vibes and motivate the people around you. You never know one day your words might lift someone up and you never know one day you can help to inspire others. Finally, I am remarkable because when people put me down, I stand up for myself and I grow stronger from that experience.” (Yittyn Ng, Co-Director, University of Malaya App Club) #RemarkableWomenSeries #YittynNg #WomenInTech #ArtificialIntelligence #GenderEquality #MakingHerMark #HelpPeopleInNeed #NeverGiveUp

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“I am a full-time corporate girl and part-time social advocate, writer and traveler. I work as a marketing manager in Sime Darby Property to earn my keep, and write in my travel blog AmalinaTales in my free time. I am an avid traveler who have been to over 30 countries including hiking across the Himalayas, exploring the Sudanese pyramids and diving in the Bornean seas. My biggest achievement to date is having my stories in Humans of Kuala Lumpur displayed at the Kuala Lumpur International Arts Festival (KLIAF) last year. I was able to share to the world the lessons I have learnt from people, through an art form so close to my heart – words, in hopes of teaching the public about empathy, broaden their minds to the uniqueness within all of us, and most importantly inspiring them to become a better version of themselves. It was my dream come true. I was volunteering at a Women’s Empowerment Centre in the deserts of India for a month, teaching underprivileged children English and Mathematics. It was a very challenging environment to be in as we were exposed to the Indian summer heat with barely any electricity, away from the modern amenities we have grown accustomed to, whilst attempting to teach children who do not speak a word of English. That experience opened my eyes to how different cultures are and how they could be so happy with having so little. Coming from a place where you had to have the next branded clothing item to be “happy”, this revelation was a breath of fresh air. I am representing the need for a global voice, to speak for the people who don’t have a voice themselves. My voice as a social advocate in Global Shapers Community - Kuala Lumpur Hub (GSKL) allows me to bring into public attention the plight of underprivileged communities. GSKL runs camps at rural schools to equip children with alternative education that is essential to prepare them for real life through modules such as healthy eating, personality and communication. It is important to not only highlight their plight, but to show solutions on how to improve social conditions. This will inspire others and hopefully pave the way to a better Malaysia. Too many women in Malaysia are overly concerned on societal expectations, that they choose to abandon their dreams. We as women have the choice to live a life that is fulfilling – be it a life of adventure or ambition. My story is real. It brings out the essence of humanity and break it down to its core. I emphasize on being truthful to yourself and others, because that is what people yearn for - real, impactful stories. Finally, I am remarkable because I choose to stay true to myself and others.” (Amalina Davis, Global Shaper, World Economic Forum) #RemarkableWomenSeries #AmalinaDavis #SocialAdvocate #Writer #Advocate #Traveler #StayTrueToYourself #ShareYourStory

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“Hi, my name is Wen Shin or you can call me Shin. I am an environmentalist by education and entrepreneur by passion. I founded Green Yards, a social enterprise that aspires to reduce water pollution by providing an alternative channel for the community to dispose of their used cooking oil and reprocess it into eco-cleaning products and candles. One of the decisions that I am proud of is being brave enough to take a bold step to quit my job three to four years ago and start my own business even as a fresh graduate without much experience. Also, I am truly humbled that my work has been awarded Queen's Young Leader Award and on top of that, I have also been recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2019 for the work that I have done. One of the favorite quotes of mine is by Richard Branson, “if someone offers you an amazing opportunity that you are not sure you can do it, say yes- then learn how to do it later. This has always been my mantra and it reminds me to learn constantly, be bold and take the risk. It has been a roller coaster ride since I first made the bold decision to run a business, but the journey has been immensely rewarding and I have learned so much and grown a lot faster than I could possibly imagine. I overcome challenges by first, analyzing the problem/challenge, listing down possible solutions, consequences, pros, and cons of each of the solutions and I take action. While there are always different challenges in both life and career, and you may or may not have the solutions for each of the challenges, I believe it is important to have a positive mindset, embrace failure and learn from the mistake to become a better person. If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore. I remember very vividly that most of the people around me doubted my decision to quit my full-time job and venture into my own business as a fresh graduate at that time. However, I am glad that I listened to my own voice and decided to try it out anyway. It turned out to be one of the best decisions that I have made in my entire life. Although it is challenging, it has been a wonderful journey where I have learned so much and I have never looked back since then. Finally, I am remarkable because I be the change that I want to see in the world.” (Wen Shin, Founder, Green Yards) #RemarkableWomenSeries #WenShinChia #Founder #GreenYards #Environmentalist #EntrepreneurByPassion #Forbes30under30 #QueensYoungLeader #BeTheChange

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“I am an auditor turned F&B entrepreneur, writer, author, podcast creator and community builder. After going through multiple career changes and a mental health breakdown while running a company, I am passionate about empowering young people to live a wholehearted life being their authentic selves. Everyone has a different interpretation of achievement or success, I would say my proudest creation to date is my first book ‘The Art of Owning Your Story’. Prior to the book launch in March 2018, I was constantly dealing with crippling self-doubt – who am I to tell my story when people who are more ‘successful’ don’t even have their books yet? During the book launch, I had a moment of realization that all my struggles made sense because I can use my story to shine a light for those who are in darkness. The book turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done because it led to the creation of Own Your Story podcast and our very own community. It took me 2 years to give a name to the darkest period in my life when I was running my own company – minor depression. For half a year, I lost my purpose in the company, constantly battling with loneliness, hopelessness and helplessness. At the young age of 26, I exited from the company and hit rock bottom when I retreated back home without a job, a career and a future. The beauty of rock bottom is that the only way forward is upwards. I learned 3 big lessons from that rock bottom experience – my worthiness comes from everything internal, I am in charge of my life and I have the power to create my own story. I spent the first two and a half decades of my life excelling in the ‘good path’ dictated by the standards set by the society until everything crumbled and left me in a state of depression. Through creative content and community building, I hope to redefine the narratives of Malaysian millennial that we do not need more to live a better life; happiness and worthiness come from within and we all have the power to create our own inner experience. My message for women (and everyone) - follow your curiosity and intuition, trust that the universe has your back when you give everything you have to make something happen. I believe in pursuing passion, but people need to understand that passion is something you are willing to struggle for and not what you love. At the end of my life, I want to be proud of the things I have created instead of having regrets of not trying something. I appreciate myself for never succumbing to the noise around me, having the courage to embrace discomfort and keep reinventing myself to become the best version of who I can be. I believe that everyone needs to define their own ‘remarkable’ and be remarkable in their own unique way. I am remarkable because I enjoy being me and I like the way I engage with the world.” (Isabelle Thye, Author, The Art of Owning Your Story) #RemarkableWomenSeries #IsabelleThye #OwnYourStory #Entrepreneur #Writer #CommunityBuilder #ShineALight #CreateYourOwnStory #BeTheChange

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“Hi, I am Joanne Chin, a Business Consultant in Axiata Analytics who is passionate about data analytics and everything to do with Artificial Intelligence (A.I). She loves problem solving and she is the happiest when her solution is able to help solve her clients' needs and create lasting impact for them. Joanne stands for enthusiastic, dedicated, creative, confident and cheerful. My biggest achievement to date is when I won the Telecom Asia 2019 Award for "Most Innovative Customer Service Technology" for the Marketing Attribution project- sincere thanks to Pedro Uria-Recio (Head of Axiata Analytics), Ravi Madavaram (Head of Artifical Intelligence) and Golam Sarwar (Senior Data Scientist) I also consider being able to give a talk on Marketing Attribution in Kuala Lumpur Robotic Process Automation conference as one of the biggest highlights of my life. I wanted to finish my ACCA exams and my degree at the same time when I was still a student. It was so tough to manage time between my ACCA exams and my university study. Nevertheless, I passed all my ACCA papers especially the notoriously tough professional papers at first attempt and simultaneously I achieved a First Class Honour for my degree course in University of Malaya. What this experience taught me is as long as you have goals to achieve, time constraint is not really an issue or an excuse. Just plan, manage your time well, do your best and you will be just fine. There are too few females in the Analytics profession. From Datathon Malaysia, only 10% of the participants were girls. From Datathon Bangladesh, the number is even lower as only 2% of the participants were girls and none of the winners were girls. I feel quite disheartened to see this happening today in this modern time that we live in. I think we, women should break out of the mold and step out of our comfort zones and try new things. Remember in the movie Aladdin, Princess Jasmine was told by her father and the Prime Minister that no female should be selected as Sultan. However, at the crucial moment, she boldly persuaded the Chief Defender, Hakim with her wise words and encouragement to fight injustice. What we should glean from is that we should evaluate talents based on his/her competencies rather than his/her background or gender. I supported Boston Consulting Group women by publishing an article about what I have learned in my first three months there as their female Business Analyst. That article received overwhelming responses from the readers and I was extremely touched by their messages and the value that I was able to create for them through my simple sharing. What I want to convey to women in general is this; own your destiny, find your purpose and create a fulfilling life for yourself. I think Malaysia is very supportive in giving women a platform to showcase our talents. You just need to grab the opportunity and shine! For those who have not found your true talents yet, just be patient and equip yourself with all the skills and knowledge needed and you will find out what you are good at eventually and you will definitely excel at what you do. My story is remarkable because I am who I am. I am unique and I think everyone is talented just as I am. Just be brave and just do it like the Nike slogan! You can regret later! Finally, I am remarkable because I own my personal development journey and I support others to define themselves too!" (Joanne Chin, Business Consultant, Axiata Analytics) #RemarkableWomenSeries #JoanneChin #BusinessConsultant #AxiataAnalytics #ArtificialIntelligence #OwnYourDestiny #FindYourPurpose #JustDoIt #SupportOthers

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“I am a career woman, a breadwinner and a life nerd who is passionate about health and well-being. I also happen to be the mother of Joshua (📷, Naomi (5), Eleanor (3) and Nicodemus (1). Yeap, four kids! Like the motto of my alma mater, my life purpose is to love and serve joyfully – both at home and at work.My husband and I work full-time. So I get all excited on the question of how to thrive at the workplace. This has lead me to projects on talent development and diversity in my organization. 35 years ago, the company’s workforce comprised of about 2% women. Now, we constitute almost 30%. We are still a minority, especially at the decision-making levels. (Women are like oxygen: the higher up the career ladder, the fewer we become). Yet women are needed in the workforce to support the country’s efforts to boost potential economic growth as well as leverage on the benefits of a diverse team. According to a 2018 survey, 75% of new mothers in Malaysia quit their jobs due to a lack of work flexibility. That is a whopping 75%! Malaysian women clearly want to work, but they are not provided with a supportive environment that allows them to both care for their families and contribute to the workplace. My aim is to provide that right kind of environment and attract the right talent into the workforce. When I was 22 years old, I became a single mom. I left my son with my parents when he was just two months’ old to take up a job offer in the big city. I couldn’t cope with the separation, the pressures of working life, and the breakup with my boyfriend. Next to my peers, I felt like a hopeless failure. I went into depression and was diagnosed bipolar. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. As therapy was expensive (RM300+ per session), I looked for alternatives: nutrition, exercise, sleep, sunlight, a routine and being in community. My illness is my driving force to living healthy. I have not had a relapse since. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I have a strong will. In the words of Camus: in the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer. I also found that I had friends more precious than gold. I would never have truly known myself, and the strength of my relationships, until they have been tested by adversity. I represent mothers who work full-time jobs and are breadwinners of their family. And although I am no longer a single mother, I understand the social and financial pressures. I believe we, working mothers can do well both at home and at work, and still have time to look beautiful and do the things that delight us. I take online courses every year to learn a new skill. I joined Toastmasters, delivering my speeches whilst heavily pregnant. I clobbered a team of 16 people to participate in the first Viper Challenge, ran two full marathons after giving birth and participated in a dance competition with my husband. And in-between I cook, meet friends, keep house (the KonMari way), home-school, go for facials, write, throw parties, send the children for classes and stay healthy. Live your bucket list. We can have it all, just not at the same time. Life is tough; so have a stash of dark chocolates nearby. Joke aside, I’d say that we need to accept that our limits are real. Throw away that all-or-nothing, perfectionist fantasy already (high-flying career + happy family + body of Victoria Beckham = supermom). When we try to do it all, we are unable to focus on one thing at a time. So when we are with our children, be with them, phones off. When we are at work, focus on the task at hand. And when we meditate, we focus on the unity of mind and body. Because time is a limited resource, we cannot maximize everything. There will always be trade-offs. However, we can optimize. The basic idea is that we must come to terms with the constraints of our life and find the optimal allocation of time and effort. Honestly, I am still learning to take my own advice. I keep a blog on this journey, which I

hope will blossom into a book someday. But first and foremost, we must know ourselves so we know what our goals are. For me, it took many years and lots of tears to realize that I really do want to be a working mom. It has many perks, not just financially. For example, did you know that children with working moms do better academically and suffer from less behavioral problems? And in order to have a fulfilled, optimal life, there are five areas I want to thrive in: personal health, as a partner, as a parent, professionally, and as a friend. These priorities change with time and circumstances. My job sometimes requires me to put in more hours. A dear friend needs my help, so I choose to be with her at the expense of other activities. Though these priorities get readjusted, the principle of living optimally does not. My biggest achievement to-date is in knowing and loving myself. As Lao Tzu said, knowing others is intelligence. Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. My story is remarkable because I have taken the road less-traveled. And that has made all the difference. I don’t know many young (below 30), Chinese, working mothers of four (or more) children living in the big city. Do you?? If you do, please let me know so I can go up to her and give her a hug. Despite the cute family photos, the struggles are real. But precisely because of that that I am passionate about wanting to help others who are in similar situations. I am an advocate for mental awareness and women empowerment at work. And I continue learning: be it from mentors, books, podcasts, courses or life itself. Finally, I am remarkable because I am like the cili padi – small but fiery." (Cheryl Tan, Mother of Four Children, Kuala Lumpur) #RemarkableWomenSeries #CherylTan #MotherOfFour #Overcomer #Conqueror #CareerWoman #Breadwinner #KnowYourself #LoveYourself #MentalHealthAdvocate #CiliPadi #IDoCareMY