659 recipients now have better lives
BY NOOR SYAHHIRA HADY
KUCHING: A total of 659 people out of 3,675 individuals have become successful micro-entrepreneurs (UMKs) from 2013 until July this year.
These former welfare recipients had successfully increased their incomes to surpass RM1,000 monthly, said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
These entrepreneurs, she pointed out, were now not dependent on monthly assistance from the Social Welfare Department Sarawak (JKMS).
“Today’s Sarawak Welfare Micro-Entrepreneurs Day (HUMKS) 2020 gives recognition to recipients of productive welfare assistance who have been successfully guided as UMKs and have passed the Poverty Line Income (PLI) level of RM1,020 per month.
“All UMK development programme recipients are given a grant of RM5,000 in the form of business equipment.
“They will be guided for over two years,” she added at HUMKS 2020 at Pullman Hotel on Wednesday (Sept 30). The event was officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Fatimah added that the Skills and Career Training Development Programme (PLKK) had been successfully in helping former welfare recipients to acquire new skills to improve their lives.
“The programme has been implemented since 2017.
“With an allocation of RM1.7 million, a total of 225 participants had undergone training in skills such as Culinary, Pastry, Automotive, Informations System and Oil & Gas and 73 of them managed to get jobs.
“This year, with an allocation of RM444,600, 39 people are undergoing training at AMAIDA Company in the field of oil and gas for three months. The training is expected to end in November this year,” she added.
Fatimah pointed out that this year, a total of RM94.2 million had been allocated by the state government for various welfare initiatives which benefited 186,128 people.
