Fatimah (seated centre) poses with event’s committee members, guests and participants at the event. 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. �.