MUKAH: A Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) initiative to assist women into the world of business has produced outstanding results.
As much as 90 per cent of participants of the ‘Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM MyKasih Kapital’ have been earning a sustained income by operating businesses from home.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said under the programme selected participants will undergo monitoring six months after receiving capital assistance and completing courses from the National Welfare Foundation.
Starting this year, she said the programme has been enriched with guidance, counselling, and psycho education from registered counsellors.
This approach aims to boost self-esteem, awareness, and new knowledge through emotional support, particularly for women experiencing income loss, divorce, abuse, or the burden of living costs.
The programme also offers shared experiences and business tips from mentor entrepreneurs to motivate and inspire participants while helping them build networks in their small-scale endeavours.
Additionally, she said participants will be referred to assistance under schemes provided by the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry, Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun), and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM).
“Through the initial three-month monitoring phase after receiving MyKasih Kapital assistance, we found that 90 per cent of participants can continue generating income by conducting businesses from home.
“The monitoring aims to identify participants eligible for advancement to the next phase, enhancing their businesses through the Women’s Income Generation Programme (Program Penjanaan Pendapatan Wanita or Wejana) by the Women’s Development Department.
“This involves developing capacities, including skill elements, through guidance and training,” she said at the ‘Wanita Bangkit @ KPWKM (MyKasih Kapital YKN)’ programme here Sunday (Dec 17).
In light of this, Nancy hoped the women in Mukah would seize the opportunity presented by the ‘Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM initiative.
She views it as the best platform to enhance women’s roles in the nation’s economy.
This programme, she asserted, not only helps women break free from the chains of hardship to become successful entrepreneurs but also provides job opportunities and encourages small businesses.
As such, Nancy called on all 500 participants of the programme to take advantage of this opportunity for the improvement of family economics and a better life.
Also present were Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib who is also Mukah MP, Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development secretary general Dr Maziah Che Yusoff, and the Foundation’s trustee Siti Rafidah Tan Sri Adenan.
