From the Edges of Borneo to the Heart of Impact

Entrepreneurship in Sabah, and in many other developing regions today, was never about scaling to millions or pitching to investors. It was about
𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍. Mothers weaving handicrafts to put food on the table. Disabled youths finding work. Local artisans who are not forgotten. Communities holding on to their culture and dignity while searching for hope.

Everyone thinks scaling is always the goal for entrepreneurs, but what if it isn’t? At its heart, entrepreneurship is about the people - beyond profits, it is a way to uplift others. Women artisans at Craft Batu Luan in Sabah are not just weaving products, but their stories their traditions their survival. Their craft carries the soul of their community that is sold across markets, beyond their kampong, so that they are not forgotten. Young people with disabilities who once felt left out of the economy - today they run kayfair. They employ others. They inspire us to rethink what ability truly means.

This is the journey of how Sabah emerged as one of Malaysia’s top three states for social enterprises. When social entrepreneurship was still a foreign concept in many parts of Malaysia, Sabah stood quietly on the sidelines – home to fewer than 5 accredited SEs, often operating in isolation and with little systemic support. Under the leadership of Viviantie, then CEO of SCENIC, Sabah’s ecosystem began to transform, not through replication, but through reimagination – daring to reimagine what entrepreneurship could mean.

In Sabah, social entrepreneurship was already being practiced – except they did not know it had a name. The community needed the right partnership, positioning and resources, otherwise they remained invisible. Yet they understood resilience and survival better than anyone else. Their struggles for survival leave them with no choice but to innovate. That is why some of the greatest solutions to our national and even global challenges can and will come from these very communities.

From championing local founders in rural areas to unlocking government and corporate partnerships for social procurement, SCENIC’s model of community-rooted innovation (turning local resources into value added products) has proven that great impact can come from the margins.
When social entrepreneurship is able to provide sustainable livelihoods, access to essential services and economic empowerment for marginalized communities, through poverty reduction, we can create a more inclusive and equitable society.

Change does not always begin at the center. Sometimes it starts at the edges, in the quiet, overlooked, and underserved. But given the chance, these voices can move nations and shape the future. Just ask Sabah.