https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/action-plan-workshop-asean-korea-cooperation-project-enhancing-duong/IDEAS — Increasing Digital Skills and E-Commerce of ASEAN Women MSMEs, is a regional capacity-building initiative aimed at empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in ASEAN Women with the digital literacy, tools, and e-commerce strategies needed to thrive in the digital economy. The project delivers practical training, mentorship, and market access opportunities to help Women MSMEs expand beyond local boundaries. With a focus on inclusivity, especially for women and rural entrepreneurs, IDEAS bridges the digital divide and fosters resilient, future-ready businesses in Southeast Asia. IDEAS is a five-year regional initiative funded by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF). The project aims to build digital capabilities and enhance e-commerce readiness among women micro, small, and medium enterprises(MSMEs) across 10 ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Singapore. Recognizing that MSMEs are the backbone of ASEAN economies but often face barriers to digital transformation, IDEAS provides practical, inclusive, and scalable training in digital literacy, e-commerce platforms, online marketing, and digital financial tools. Special emphasis is given to women-led businesses, rural entrepreneurs, and traditional industries, ensuring no one is left behind in the shift to the digital economy. The project also fosters collaboration among universities, government agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners to develop localized digital training content and regional knowledge-sharing platforms. Malaysia plays a leading role in implementation, innovation, and community engagement under this multi-country framework. Through AKCF’s support, IDEAS not only equips Women MSMEs with the tools to grow but also strengthens ASEAN-Korea ties in promoting inclusive, sustainable development. By the end of the project, IDEAS aims to benefit thousands of MSMEs, create new cross-border market access opportunities, and build a vibrant ASEAN digital ecosystem.
Finalist
Female Entrepreneurship Empowerment Award Award
IDEAS: Increasing Digital Skill and E-Commerce of ASEAN Women MSMEs
Finalist Female Entrepreneurship Empowerment Award Award
APWINC (AsiaPacific WomenNetwork Information Centre);Universiti Malaysia Kelantan;the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Malaysia - Malaysia
""Unlocking E-Commerce Potential Across ASEAN""
Engage on social media
https://www.facebook.com/p/IDEAS-Project-Malaysia-100093380179670/(Collaborative project between 10 ASEAN countries and the Republic of Korea to empower women entrepreneurs through ICT training and online business tools. Led by DESB Training with partners like UMK, UiTM, and WELL, it runs from Jan 2022, to Dec 2026.)
Summary
Key People
Dato' Prof. Dr, Nik Maheran Nik Muhammad
IDEAS MALAYSIA - Project Leader
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Aspiyati Jusoh
IDEAS MALAYSIA - Lead Consultant
DESB Training and Coaching PLT
Dr. Nurul Fadzlyn Enche Nadzmy
IDEAS MALAYSIA - Project Manager/Trainer
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Asoc. Prof. Dr. Noorsheela Mohd Nawi
IDEAS Malaysia - Lead Trainer
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Assoc.Prof Ts. Dr. Hasyiya Karimah Adli
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Malasia Kelantan
Dr Noor Raihani bt. Zainol
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Dr Syamsuriana Sidek
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Dr Siti Afiqah Zainudin
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Asoc. Prof. Ts Dr Sitti Fatimah Mhd Ramli
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Asoc Prof. Dr Fairos Yaacob
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer/Lead Researcher
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Dr Nurazleena Ismail
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Dr. Wan Marhaini Wan Omar
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Nurul Farhain Enche Nadzmy
IDEAS Malaysia - Trainer
Entrepreneur - Corlyn Enterprise
Wan Zulkifli Wan Abdullah
ideas Malaysia - Trainer/Mentor
DESB Trainning and Coaching PLT- Legal Expert
Rizal Razak
ideas Malaysia - Trainer
Entrepreneur - WEB Impian Sdn. Bhd
Nur Fardeana Enche Nadzmy
IdeaS Malaysia - Trainer/Mentor
Entrepreneur - Beautifully Bloom Sdn Bhd
Nurhusna Zulkifli
ideas Malaysia - Trainer
Entrepreneur -Enescorp International
Nuraizah Shamsul Baharin
IDEAS MALAYSIA - Local Consultant
Entrepreneur- MADCash
Acknowledgements
We extend our deepest appreciation to all those who made the IDEAS project a success.
To the dedicated trainers—thank you for your tireless commitment, expertise, and passion in empowering MSMEs with digital and e-commerce skills. To all the participants across ASEAN, your enthusiasm, resilience, and willingness to embrace change have been the true driving force behind this initiative.
Our heartfelt thanks to APWINC, Sookmyung Women’s University, Korea, for their technical leadership, coordination, and collaborative spirit in driving regional implementation. Special appreciation goes to the Project Coordinator and the project teams who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure smooth execution across 10 ASEAN countries.
For Malaysian Chapters, a sincere thank you to Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and DESB Training and Coaching PLT for its leadership role and unwavering support throughout the project. We are also grateful to the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Malaysia (KUSKOP), other Government Agencies (e.g. MARA, Tekun, AIM,etc.), and Digital Technology's experts for their guidance and endorsement, which helped strengthen outreach and impact nationally.
Finally, we express our deepest gratitude to the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF) and the ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ASEAN-ROK) partnership for funding and supporting this transformative five-year journey. Your vision for inclusive, digitally empowered communities has made IDEAS not just a project, but a regional movement.
Together, we have planted the seeds for a more connected, resilient, and competitive ASEAN.
Images
IDEAS Project Action Plan Workshop at Sookmyung Women’s University, (SWU) Korea. It features key members from Malaysia: On the most right - Dato’ Prof. Dr. Nik Maheran (Team Leader), Most left - Pn Aspiyati (Lead Consultant), and 2nd from the left - Pn Noraizah (Local Consultant), alongside the SWU Vice Chanselor and IDEAS Project Coordinators, the Director of APWINC.
IDEAS Project Action Plan Workshop at Sookmyung Women’s University, Korea. It features representatives and leading experts from all 10 ASEAN countries, together with the project team from Korea, including APWINC and Sookmyung Women’s University. These participants are key drivers of the IDEAS Project (Increasing Digital Skills and E-Commerce of ASEAN MSMEs), working together to empower 3,760 women entrepreneurs across the region. The workshop served as a platform to strengthen collaboration, share best practices, and plan future strategies under the support of the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF).
This newspaper clipping from BERNAMA highlights the graduation ceremony of Malaysian participants who completed a one-year digital and e-commerce training under the IDEAS Project. The event marks a significant milestone in empowering women entrepreneurs with future-ready skills. The certificate presentation was officiated by Puan Noor Afifah Abdul Razak, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), seen third from the left in the photo. The ceremony celebrates the dedication of 242 womenpreneurs who have successfully upskilled through IDEAS, a project supported by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF).
Azura, one of the participants of the IDEAS Project, proudly displays her batik craft products at a Malaysian expo. Her creations—ranging from bags to small accessories—reflect not only her artistic talent but also her determination to survive and succeed. After leaving her engineering career to care for her ill husband, Azura turned to craft as a source of income. Through the IDEAS training, she gained digital skills to grow her business online while promoting the beauty of Malaysian heritage crafts to a wider audience.
Training sessions under the IDEAS Project involving 242 women entrepreneurs from across Malaysia. The participants were divided into five groups of around 50 each to ensure effective, hands-on learning. Through interactive workshops and mentorship, these womenpreneurs gained practical digital skills to strengthen and expand their businesses online.
IDEAS Training for Trainers (TOT) in Korea: Building Regional Expertise with 150 Trainers from 10 Nations
Malaysian Trainers present national capacity building plan for IDEAS Project
Digital Empowerment in Action: IDEAS Training session with essential skill in e-commerce, digital marketing, and online business tools.
A proud moment from the IDEAS training as a participant demonstrates her new digital content creation skills using AI tools
Recognising for their outstanding performance and dedication, they graduate with distinction under the IDEAS Project
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
“From Market Stalls to Global Clicks”
Azura, a wife and mother from Kelantan, Malaysia, leave her job as an engineer to take care of her ill husband. At home, to cope with the emotional strain and financial pressure, Azura began making small handicraft using leftover batik cloth. She used to rely solely on weekend markets to sell her craft work. Through IDEAS, she learned how to build a digital storefront, use mobile payment systems, and market her craft online. With new skills and confidence, Azura launched her brand 'BatikCraft' online. Orders began to flow in—not just from local buyers, but also from across ASEAN. She now sells regularly through TikTok, Shopee and Instagram, and her income has grown significantly. Today, her handmade BatikCraft reaches customers in Singapore, Indonesia, and even Europe. Azura’s income has tripled, and she now mentors other local women through the IDEAS network. Her journey exemplifies how access to digital skills can transform a local MSME into an international success story.
Azura also collaborates with local batik makers and has started mentoring other stay-at-home mothers on starting digital craft businesses.
“IDEAS helped me find a new purpose". “From being a caregiver at home, I became a business owner connected to the world".....Azura
Azura’s story reflects the core mission of IDEAS: empowering ASEAN MSMEs, especially women to thrive through digital skills, no matter their background or circumstances.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
"Lead with Purpose, Learn with Passion"
The IDEAS project revealed that real transformation begins with the willingness to learn, adapt, and lead with empathy. Across ASEAN, many MSME owners had the passion to grow but lacked access to digital knowledge and confidence in navigating new technologies. Through IDEAS, we learned that effective learning happens when training is hands-on, practical, and community-based.
Participants grew most when learning was peer-supported and locally relevant. Teaching MSMEs how to set up an online store or use mobile payment apps may seem basic, but for many, it was a life-changing experience. The most successful entrepreneurs were not the most tech-savvy, but the most resilient, curious, and open to learning.
Leadership in this context means more than running a business. It means leading change in the community, becoming role models for digital inclusion, and inspiring others to embrace innovation. Many IDEAS alumni, like Azura, now mentor others, proving that leadership grows when we uplift others.
For future changemakers:
• Start small, stay consistent.
• Don’t fear failure—it’s part of learning.
• Share what you know. Leadership grows through generosity.
• Digital is not just about tools; it’s about mindset.
IDEAS has shown that with the right support, even those with the least access can become digital leaders—powering not just their own growth, but the progress of their communities.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
"Scaling Digital Empowerment Across ASEAN"
Building on the momentum of the IDEAS project, future plans are focused on scaling impact, strengthening market access, and deepening digital capabilities for ASEAN Women MSMEs.
Key initiatives include:
• Certification Programmes: Introducing micro-certifications and digital badges for MSMEs who complete IDEAS training modules. These certifications will boost credibility and help entrepreneurs access financial services, grants, and partnership opportunities.
• Global Marketplace Access: Expanding training to include onboarding and selling on international platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba, enabling Women MSMEs to export their products globally.
• Sector-Specific Expansion: Developing advanced modules for high-potential sectors like halal products, handicrafts, eco-tourism, and Agri-based businesses.
• ASEAN Digital Marketplace (e-store): Establishing a regional e-commerce hub to promote ASEAN-made products, supported by unified branding and logistics partnerships.
• Policy Advocacy: Collaborating with ASEAN member states to enhance digital trade policies, improve MSME access to cross-border logistics, and reduce digital taxation barriers.
"IDEAS: Women Acceleration Center" established in 2024 under Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Linkages (WELL) will also deepen its collaboration with universities, chambers of commerce, and private sector platforms to ensure the sustainability of digital up-skilling efforts.
With continued support from the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF), IDEAS is evolving from a training project into a regional movement—building a generation of digitally empowered entrepreneurs ready to compete on the global stage.
