Ministry focuses on capacity building with approval of women empowerment grant

MUKAH (Aug 26): The Ministry of Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development aims to promote women’s economic empowerment by providing them with essential business skills and grants.

Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said various short-term skills development courses such as sewing, culinary arts, beauty, and wellness therapy had been conducted by the Sarawak Women and Family Department (JWKS) as its implementing agency.

“Several of these courses were conducted online, and we also have a community sewing centre set up in Dalat,” said the Dalat assemblywoman in her speech at the closing of the Sarawak Women’s Career Tour Series 3 at Dataran Pehin Setia Raja in Mukah here yesterday.

The Sarawak Women’s Career Tour 2024 programme, meant to increase women’s access and participation in the economic sector, started off in Sibu on March 2 and 3, followed by Limbang on May 25 and 26, and Mukah on Aug 24 and 25.

Touching on the ‘Ketua Isi Rumah Wanita Sarawak’ (KIRWaS) assistance grant, she said it serves as additional business capital for household heads, particularly for single mothers and women entrepreneurs from the lower-income groups (B40).

“This cash assistance of RM500 has benefitted 1,218 recipients since its introduction in 2022, with 22.56 per cent of recipients generating a monthly income above the current Poverty Line Income (PGK) of RM1,298.

“This year, the KIRWaS assistance has been revised to allow Sarawak women entrepreneurs, aged 18 and above with an income below RM1,298, to apply,” she said.

The ministry, through JWKS, is anticipating over 600 women entrepreneurs to benefit from this assistance, she added.

Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had also approved an allocation of RM2.5 million under the Sarawak Women Empowerment Grant, she disclosed.

This grant, she said, would ensure that the women would not be left behind as the state is steering towards achieving development goals outlined in the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

“These targets include lifting the households out of poverty and achieving an average monthly income of RM2,150 to RM3,750 by 2030.

To date, she said the ministry has 9,398 women entrepreneurs registered under JWKS; 5,597 entrepreneurs under the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS), and 51 under the Social Development Council (MPS).

She also revealed the ministry’s plan to have the products produced by the micro-entrepreneurs under the guidance of her ministry and agencies, to go through a value-added process that covers packaging facilities, grading and quality accreditation, as well as halal certification at the ministry’s One-Stop Collection Centre (OSCC) in Kota Samarahan.

Thus, Fatimah called upon the women community, especially those in the rural areas, to seek and grab these economic opportunities.