Ministry to continue to empower women, assures minister

MUKAH (Dec 18): Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri has given assurance that her ministry (KWKPM) would continue all programmes meant to empower women.

They would include business capital assistance, guidance and motivational programmes, and matching women entrepreneurs with experienced mentors.

“A total of RM3.1 million in allocation has been set aside specifically to Sarawak for ‘Wanita Bangkit’ programme,” she spoke at an event in a hotel here yesterday, involving the symbolic handover of the ‘Wanita Bangkit’ programme to Deputy Economy Minister and Mukah MP Dato Hanifah Hajar Taib.

It is informed that to date, a total of 6,208 women have taken part in this programme, said to be have shown high effectiveness in that up to 90 per cent of that participants have managed to maintain good income by running their business from home.

Adding on, Nancy said the selected participants would continue to be monitored after six months of receiving assistance and undergoing courses run under National Welfare Foundation (YKN).

“The monitoring is meant to identify participants who would be referred to the next phase to business development, namely through the Women’s Income Generation Programme (Wejana) under the Women’s Development Department.

“The participants would also be referred to the Ministry of Entrepreneurs Development and Cooperatives, Tekun Nasional, and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, making use of the assistance schemes available under them.”