From July to December 2025, 67 MSME entrepreneurs in Malaysia and Thailand took part in the APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership’s (ACGBP) mentorship program.
MSME capacity-building has been a core component of the ACGBP project since its inception. Aiming to equip women and young MSME entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and knowledge to grow their businesses, the ACGBP project provided practical training on business management practices. The mentorship program was designed to go beyond general skills training and provided tailored mentoring that aligned with the specific needs of each mentee.
The program was developed and delivered in collaboration with the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Malaysia (NAWEM), Women of Will (WOW), and Kenan Foundation Asia, three organizations with a strong track record of supporting women and young MSME entrepreneurs. Mentees and mentors were selected and matched according to their needs, interest, and expertise, in order to make the best use of their time and skills and ensure the lessons learned from the program were applicable and useful to their businesses.
NAWEM wrapped up their mentorship program on November 20, with a final mentorship session and graduation ceremony for mentees. The group training session followed a peer-learning format where MSME owners shared their ongoing business challenges and received guidance from mentors and fellow mentees. The focus of the session was on integrating artificial intelligence tools into business operations, an emerging area of interest for participants in the program.
The graduation ceremony had the attendance of ACGBP Program Manager Xiaoyi Ze, as well as representatives from Global Affairs Canada, the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development of Malaysia, and SME Corporation Malaysia. During the ceremony, participating mentees had the opportunity to share first-hand accounts of the challenges they faced in their businesses and how the mentorship program supported them through difficult times. They stressed how the program helped improve their business operations, highlighting valuable lessons learned on social enterprise development, data collection, network expansion, and effectively running community-focused businesses.
Shortly after NAWEM’s closing event, Kenan Foundation Asia concluded its mentorship activities in Thailand on November 27, with an event that featured business showcases, business pitching, and a closing ceremony in Bangkok. ACGBP Program Manager Xiaoyi Ze attended the event, alongside representatives from Global Affairs Canada, the Embassy of Canada to Thailand, and the Office of SME Promotion.
A key component of the event was a pitching session in which 10 MSMEs presented their businesses and received awards. Strengthening business pitching skills was a central topic in the program, and this session provided an opportunity for participants to translate their knowledge into practice. Participants received awards and certificates of completion at the end of the ceremony.
The final event of the ACGBP mentorship program was held on December 16 by WOW. The graduation ceremony was a meaningful milestone to celebrate the successes of the 10 mentees who participated in the program. The event featured opening remarks by H.E. Jodi Robinson, High Commissioner of Canada to Malaysia, as well as Marina Candeia, Research Specialist for the ACGBP project; representatives from the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development and Monash University Malaysia also attended. A highlight of the ceremony was an experience-sharing session, in which mentees noted the real-life impact the program had on their businesses. For many, participating in the ACGBP mentorship program led to increased confidence in their ability to make business decisions, a higher income, and enhanced ability to navigate uncertainty and overcome challenges.
The mentorship program, along with the ACGBP business management workshop series, illustrates the important role of grassroots efforts in socioeconomic development. Our collaboration with NAWEM, Kenan, and WOW has shown that community-based and peer learning models can be highly successful in enhancing skills that advance sustainable business growth, thereby advancing the economic participation of marginalized communities — particularly women. By building capacity among women entrepreneurs to more confidently manage their businesses, the mentorship program is contributing to the inclusive and sustainable development of the economies of Malaysia and Thailand.
