Starbucks Malaysia announced today a contribution of RM374,400 to the Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC) transformational project, which is a community-led initiative by YWCA Kuala Lumpur and its partners.
The grant will be utilized over three-years to enhance the VTOC courses, as well as equip the students with the knowledge and abilities required to thrive in an ever-changing, dynamic and uncertain environment post-pandemic.
Starbucks Upcycled Flavorlock™ Pouches was launched in March, which are made from the packaging of its whole bean coffee and donated to the social enterprise made up of the graduates of the VTOC program. For every pouch purchased, RM1 will be channeled as additional funding to advance the work that YWCA Kuala Lumpur has been doing to protect lives and livelihoods of the young girls and women of the B40 community in Malaysia.
YWCA Kuala Lumpur in is a non-profit organization that works for the development of women and girls irrespective of race, religion, culture, and socio-economic circumstances. Starbucks first partnered with YWCA Kuala Lumpur in 2019 in community service.
Some of the projects run by YWCA KL today include an edible garden and an onsite vocational school for young women in KL called the Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC). The VTOC program includes Culinary and Bakery, Sewing and Tailoring, and more.
“We are excited about the collaboration between Starbucks Malaysia and the YWCA Kuala Lumpur’s Social
Enterprise Estate, as the production of the Starbucks Flavorlock™ Coffee Bag pouches will increase the livelihood of our B40 seamstresses and empower them to do more for their families and community,” said Sandra V. Singam, President of YWCA Kuala Lumpur.
“We are also grateful for the three-year grant that will directly contribute to the VTOC Transformation Project, a new program that will focus on digital literacy, creative and cultural product, as well as widening our students’ repertoire of marketable skills in an increasingly digital economy.”
With the grant by Starbucks, YWCA Kuala Lumpur will be able to develop their newest program, the VTOC
Transformation Project, which has been designed to benefit the female youth of Malaysia. The fund will first see the setup of a creative studio at YWCA, which will become the primary site for the students to learn new skills that will help enhance their creative thinking, content creation and self-expression. For level two, students will undergo more practical training by developing core skills and how to execute their final showcase.
The last stage of the VTOC transformational course will be to learn entrepreneurship by applying what they have learned and seeking out internships that align with their newly acquired skills.
