From food aid to future-proof farming, Heineken Malaysia’s community programme continues to make a lasting impact where it matters most.

Now in its fifth year, the Heineken Cares programme has officially wrapped up another cycle of impactful initiatives, reinforcing Heineken Malaysia’s long-standing commitment to community resilience and sustainable development. Through targeted partnerships and under the banner of its global Brew a Better World sustainability strategy, the brewer has channelled over RM1.9 million into programmes aimed at improving lives across Malaysia.

What began in 2021 as a pandemic-driven food aid response has evolved into a multifaceted platform that prioritises long-term empowerment. Today, Heineken Cares focuses on critical areas such as clean water access, food security, and sustainable livelihoods — particularly for underserved communities in remote and rural areas.

These initiatives include innovative projects like community aquaponics systems, small-scale farms that nourish local families, and vermicomposting facilities that support both income generation and environmental responsibility. Each initiative reflects the programme’s goal: to go beyond short-term aid and foster resilience for the future.

“Heineken Cares started with the intention to meet urgent needs, but we quickly realised the value in creating sustainable solutions,” said Renuka Indrarajah, Corporate Affairs & Legal Director of Heineken Malaysia. “By supporting local changemakers and building strong, collaborative partnerships, we’re not just providing help — we’re enabling communities to thrive. That’s the true spirit of Brewing the Joy of True Togetherness.”

The latest chapter in Heineken Cares brought together a powerful coalition of impact-driven organisations — Hopes Malaysia, PWD Smart FarmAbility, Soroptimist International Region of Malaysia (SIROM), and MyKasih Foundation — to address pressing needs across the country. These collaborations were made possible through a strategic partnership with Sokong, a digital platform supporting grassroots fundraising efforts by NGOs. With RM220,000 allocated in 2024 alone, the programme continues to expand its footprint of support and transformation.

Delivering Clean Water in Rural Sabah with Hopes Malaysia

In Sabah, Heineken Cares extended its long-standing partnership with Hopes Malaysia for the third year running. After delivering vital clean water solutions to Kampung Pinolobuh and Kampung Kiau Taburi, the 2024 initiative focuses on Kampung Naragai Tuguson. Here, upgraded gravity-fed water systems will directly benefit 41 rural families by improving year-round access to safe, clean water.

“Hopes Malaysia worked with the rural community of Kampung Kiau Taburi to reconstruct their damaged gravity water system’s storage, sustainably improving clean water access for 1,050 villagers,” shared Aaron Bosuang, Public Executive of Hopes Malaysia. “Thank you so much to Heineken Cares for your tremendous belief and support in our humble team’s impactful work for the third year running, and Sokong for supporting and funding our sustainable initiative!”

Growing Food Security with PWD Smart FarmAbility

Meanwhile, in the Klang Valley, PWD Smart FarmAbility is equipping marginalised communities with the knowledge and infrastructure to grow their own food and raise fish through satellite aquaponics systems. From welfare homes and orphanages to elderly care centres, these regenerative micro-farms are changing lives by teaching self-reliance and improving nutrition.

“One of our most impactful initiatives was deploying the Soil-U-tion Aquaponics Satellite Farm Proprietary System to underserved communities,” explained Dr. Billy Tang, Project Manager for PWD Smart FarmAbility. “These systems enable marginalised groups to sustainably grow vegetables and farm tilapia using regenerative practices. We are deeply grateful to all who contributed—you are making a real difference in building resilience and sustainability.”

Five years on, Heineken Cares remains a meaningful pillar of Heineken Malaysia’s corporate responsibility journey, demonstrating how collective action can deliver measurable impact — and build stronger, more connected communities along the way.