Sarawakian wins outstanding achievement award in Shell LiveWIRE

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Imelda Bragie

KUCHING: With an innovative thought of creating edible straws, Imelda Bragie of Benak Raya Enterprise made the nation proud when she won the special award for Outstanding Achievement in the 2019 Shell LiveWIRE Top Ten Innovators Awards.

The event is a global competition which highlights and rewards businesses that demonstrate excellence in innovation as well as giving entrepreneurs a chance to shine on a global platform.

Imelda who was one of the Sarawak Shell LiveWIRE winners in 2017, owns Benak Raya Enterprise, which develops rice-based, edible straws from Bario rice that can be used to replace plastic drinking straws.

These straws do not just display innovation, but they also play an important part in reducing the usage of plastic, in a bid to save our environment.

“I am truly thankful and thrilled to have been announced winner for Outstanding Achievement as this is a testament of the hard work and dedication put in by Benak Raya Enterprise.

“I am truly motivated to know that people believe in my vision and am inspired to do more for a better tomorrow,” Imelda said.

This year, Shell LiveWIRE partnered with Shell Global Commercial, which supplies lubricants, aviation fuels, bitumen, sulphur and related services to one million business customers in 150 markets, to deliver a competition focused on the circular economy.

Shell aims to reward entrepreneurs that help move the world away from the linear economy model – taking, using, and disposing of products –towards an economy that designs waste out of the system.

“It’s been incredibly inspiring to see such passionate entrepreneurs across the world helping to tackle and eliminate waste,” said Huibert Vigeveno, executive vice president of Shell Global Commercial.

“Transitioning to a circular economy requires us to think creatively and do things differently.

“Working with innovators like these winners, will allow businesses, communities and society to move faster towards a truly sustainable future.”

“I am proud to see a Malaysian entrepreneur receiving a special recognition through the Outstanding Achievement award as it amplifies the local talent and innovation that we see every day, across our country,” said Datuk Iain Lo, Chairman of Shell Malaysia.

“I look forward to seeing more entrepreneurs come through the LiveWIRE programme where they can be a source of employment to other Malaysians.

“I also envision Shell Malaysia enhancing its efforts in creating opportunities for these entrepreneurs by identifying new ways in which Shell’s value chain can support the further growth of new businesses in Malaysia.”

Imelda, who is the Outstanding Achievement Award winner, will receive US$10,000, while the category winners will receive a top prize of US$20,000 and the two runners-up for these categories will win a prize of US$10,000.

The award package for all winners also include mentoring support by a Shell expert, an opportunity to benefit from market linkages and a possibility to be considered as a vendor to Shell or Shell’s customers.