Zikry Kholil of Incitement on being the bridge of NGOs and volunteers
Empowerment comes in many forms and like we always say, "Youth is no handicap when it comes to helping those in need".
And now, it's time for you to meet our final personality for our "Change The World" series – Zikry Kholil of Incitement, a man who trailblazed the way as the bridge between NGOs and volunteers.
[On Zikry: Gucci Blazer; COS Top]
Although Zikry Kholil (@supzeek) had a colourful career consisting of being a national ice hockey player and radio DJ, deep down he knew that he had always wanted to help people, and work with the United Nations (UN).
After a stint with the UN, Zikry left and in 2011, co-founded Incitement, a platform that brings together NGOs and volunteers by organising talks.
Inspirational and a living example of one who aims to change the world, Zikry is another spectacular individual who represents Malaysia in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30: Social Entrepreneur list.
And here is his story.
So, how does the Incitement module work?
It’s a movement designed to invite positivity through sharing of visions, knowledge, and compelling stories in hope that the audience will take assertive action in helping underprivileged communities or solving real world problems.
We do that by having monthly inspirational talks, and we structure it in a way that is more focused on experience for the audience, so it’s not your typical 45-minute keynote with questions and answers.
We designed it in a way where speakers don’t just give a speech; they interact with you, engage you by asking questions and in between speakers, there are sessions where the audience gets to break the ice like pitching random ideas. It’s a very dynamic and fluid form of communication; it’s all about the people and inspiring them on a whole other level.
The best part is, the whole experience is free.
How does Incitement help inspire people to help the underprivileged?
At the end of each session we have in Incitement, there is an appreciation round, where the audience would share which speaker inspired and moved them the most.
This is impactful because they feel like they are a part of something and it’s the perfect moment for us to give them a cause of action by asking them if they would want to volunteer.
And if they are interested, what will happen after?
Then, we will channel to them projects that we have partnered with, so they can get a kick-start.
But Incitement has since evolved into becoming a middle person to connect both the clients (NGOs) as well as people who want to volunteer but don’t know how.
Our SOP (standard operation of procedure) is now channelling our audience to the social projects we partner with and projects that we have under our umbrella.
Plus, we get brands who want to brand themselves as one that does social projects, so we link them up with NGOs who are looking for sponsors and grants. We’re using the same model in all Incitement countries and as of now, we are already in 45 different countries with Malaysia being the biggest.
If you could change the world, what aspect of it would you change and how would you do it?
I want the gift of convincing people to see each other as equals, and not be segregated by beliefs and skin colours.
It’s human nature to judge, like it or not, so if I had that gift, I would like people to see each other for not what they seem, but who they are.
I want to incite and provoke people with love and positive actions rather than negativity.
To find out more about Incitement and to join in the conversation, you can visit www.theincitement.com.
Photography: Chintoo
Styling: Jeffrey Yan
Makeup: KF Bong
Hair: Cody Chua
This article is originally published in our L'Officiel Malaysia May 2017 print edition.
To read more exclusive stories, you can get your copy at newsstands and bookstores in Malaysia or subscribe to our digital copy here.
