KOTA SAMARAHAN: The establishment of the One Stop Collection Centre (OSCC) here will be able to uplift the lives of micro women entrepreneurs from the B40 group.
Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the centre would be able to help them upskill themselves and generate more income as well as.
“Those who are in the B40 group who earn below the poverty line are our target and we need to help them.
“With the right kind of support and assistance, I believe it will be able to empower them and improve their socio-economic status and at the same time get out of poverty,” she told reporters after visiting the centre here, today.
In addition, Fatimah said the micro entrepreneurs involved will also be given advanced training and guidance through the incubator approach to carry out activities relating to product production, packaging and digital marketing.
She explained that the products collected will go through a value-added process with packaging facilities, grading and quality accreditation of food content as well as halal certification to increase marketability and make prices competitive.
“Besides that, the OSCC will also help in the marketing and promotion of the products,” she added.
According to Fatimah, once the centre starts operating by early January 2024, some 30 incubators will be placed in the building.
The OSCC building which was completed in December 2022 at a cost of RM7.3 million consists of two components, namely the building infrastructure implemented by the Public Works Department (PWD) and OSCC management and operation consultancy by the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA).
The objective of the collection centre project is to be the catalyst for micro-entrepreneurs from among the B40 group through marketing management training, innovation and technical assistance based on digital technology.
It also acts as a one-stop facility for the integration of collection, packaging, grading, promotion, sales, entrepreneurial incubators, technical assistance, supervision and consultation.
The centre also helps in improving the quality and innovation of products produced by the micro-entrepreneurs and acts as a good practice reference centre for micro entrepreneur products that can be groomed to a higher level.
Fatimah said the centre could also potentially become a tourist attraction to showcase Sarawak’s own local products.
“We can hold a live demonstration on the products which becomes an added value for those who want to buy it,” she said.
