Kenny Lee Chee Wah

A political science graduate inspired by Professor Muhammad Yunus’s belief that businesses can be a force for good, Kenny has dedicated himself to the mission of building an ecosystem where social entrepreneurs can thrive and create sustainable social/environmental impacts in Malaysia.

Kenny had his first stint in social entrepreneurship in 2019 when he joined MYReaders to provide remedial English literacy programme to children from B40 communities. He witnessed firsthand how inter-generational illiteracy affected the quality of life of children, with effects ranging from poor nutrition to poor future career prospects.

When the COVID-19 pandemic affected MYReaders’s ability to sustain its business and impact, Kenny shifted his focus from education to a larger issue: the financial sustainability of social enterprises (SEs). His experience with MYReaders made him realise the majority of the SEs in Malaysia are facing financial challenges and it is hindering them from growing their business and creating more impact.

To ensure SEs in Malaysia are more resilient, Kenny is empowering them via funding/capacity-building programme through various organisation e.g. the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) and Yayasan Hasanah. In 2022, Kenny and his supervisor at Yayasan Hasanah launched the Hasanah Social Enterprise Fund (HSEF), enabling the foundation to disburse RM1.2 million to support 10 social enterprises across Sabah. This initiative marked the first time such a significant collective funding amount was provided to social enterprises in the state.

At present, Kenny is the Head of Programme and Partnerships for the Malaysia Impact Alliance (MYImpact), an independent non-profit organisation aiming to contribute to the growth and development of the impact investing ecosystem in Malaysia. Kenny is working towards an impact economy with investors and entrepreneurs aligned to contribute to positive socio-economic & environmental outcomes.

Outside of work, Kenny frequently conducts tea ceremonies and shares his love of tea from around the world with his friends!

For me, making an impact isn’t always about having a leadership position, more income or a larger following. It’s about doing things that is meaningful and it improves the lives of the community members that you are serving.