SEPANG, 15 March 2022 - AirAsia Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary by calling for applications for its humanitarian grant programme to rebuild and rehabilitate infrastructure damaged by flood that affected Malaysia in December 2021. 

Organisations that are eligible to apply are non-profit organisations with an established track record in successful implementation of disaster resilient rehabilitation projects. Proposals for disaster preparedness programmes are also welcomed. Interested applicants may access the application link here or at airasiafoundation.com/humanitarian/malaysia-flood-relief.

AirAsia Foundation Executive Director Yap Mun Ching said: “In the last 10 years, we are proud of our track record having supported thousands of people in need across the region, especially also in Malaysia. In fulfilling our humanitarian mission, It is our priority to work with local organisations so that we also contribute to capacity building of local aid organisations.” 

In the month following the major flood that hit Peninsular Malaysia in December 2021, AirAsia Foundation and BigPay organised a joint fundraising campaign to support the rebuilding needs of communities impacted by floods across several Malaysian states. As a further boost for the drive, airasia food and airasia ride also contributed RM1 for every order received during the campaign period.  The campaign which was organised onboard all AirAsia flights and online via the BigPay mobile app raised RM 581,800 in public donations. 

This campaign marks the sixth donation campaigns undertaken by AirAsia Foundation over the past decade in response to severe natural disasters. In total, the Foundation has raised over RM16 million combined from public donations and matching funds from the company. 

All funds raised were disbursed to strengthen the resilience of affected communities and foster a disaster preparedness culture. Among the success stories include the Hapinoy Project Bagong Araw in the Philippines where 133 survivors of Typhoon Haiyan received grants and capacity-building training to rebuild their home-based microbusinesses (sari-sari stores); Malaysia’s first primary school disaster preparedness programme in partnership with Mercy Malaysia after devastating floods along the east coast of the country in 2014; designing and rebuilding 4 earthquake-resilient schools in the remote Gorkha region of Nepal that were flattened by an earthquake in 2015; and partnering with Yayasan Arkom Indonesia in Palu and Lombok to build community capacity to manage their own recovery, reconstruction and relocation post tsunami. 

The latter project supported the mapping of safe zones along the Palu Bay coastline and designing and rebuilding earthquake resistant homes and community centres. The rehabilitation project won a prestigious prize by World Habitat in partnership with UN-HABITAT for its pioneering community-driven recovery, reconstruction and relocation project. 

In addition to fund-raising, AirAsia has also deployed its flights for relief and rescue purposes dating back to 2004 with humanitarian flights to Aceh after the Indian Ocean tsunami. To facilitate the work of first responders, AirAsia has transported thousands of aid workers into disaster zones for humanitarian relief and transported out survivors for medical care. 

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About AirAsia Foundation

AirAsia Foundation is committed to helping build an ASEAN Community of the future by advocating social entrepreneurship, equal opportunity, and innovation. As the philanthropic arm of the AirAsia Group, it provides social enterprise grants to empower underprivileged individuals, and supports projects that preserve and revive the region’s unique cultural heritage. The Foundation also leads the group’s humanitarian fund-raising campaigns and #KnowtheSigns anti-trafficking initiative. 

Since its establishment in 2012, AirAsia Foundation has awarded more than MYR2 million in social enterprise grants, creating an impact in the lives of over 3,200 direct beneficiaries, and over MYR14 million in post-disaster relief and rehabilitation grants. Among innovative projects funded through these donations are design and construction of disaster-resilient housing, school and community infrastructure; school preparedness programmes; and livelihood rebuilding projects.