KUCHING: Sarawak has consistently introduced programmes and training to empower women to be self-reliant and contribute to the socio-economic development of the state.
Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said her ministry’s programmes could help the government to achieve Sarawak’s aspiration to be a developed state by 2030 under the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“Women and families are basic and essential building blocks of society to support the development of the country. They are the crucial manpower to achieve the aspiration.
“Nowadays, the potential and contributions of women as equal partners, especially in the socio-economic transformation, are being recognised.
“Therefore, my ministry is continuing to initiate various programmes and training schemes to empower women to be self-reliant and capable of contributing to the development of the state,” Fatimah told a media conference after the Women and Family Department Sarawak (JWKS) meeting at Wisma Wanita, here today.
She spoke of the importance of the family structure, stressing it influenced both children and adults.
“A stable family usually has higher productivity and is resilient enough to cope with hardships. Thus, it is important for my ministry to empowerment both women and families in every possible way,” she said.
On entrepreneurial schemes by JWKS Fatimah said there were programmes like the Female Head of Household Micro Assistance (KIRWaS), Women Skills Training (WST) and Bounce Back Your Business.
“KIRWaS is a micro assistance scheme amounting to RM500 for the female head of household (KIR) or single mother.
“This assistance is given to eligible recipients in the 82 state constituencies based on the approved allocation for 2022 to 2025 so that women in Sarawak can earn their own income,” she said.
As for WST, it is a short-term skills course aimed at training women, especially single mothers, low-income women and housewives to increase and improve their skills to be independent and sustain their families.
“A total of four skills courses are provided by JWKS, namely dressmaking courses, culinary courses, beauty courses, and spa and massage courses,” she said.
Fatimah said the Bounce Back Your Business programme aimed to support and motivate small entrepreneurship by rural women at every division which contained three components, namely coaching on social media marketing technique, entrepreneurial motivation, and product design and packaging.
During the media conference, Fatimah announced the new JWKS director, Salmah Jobeli, and the retirement of outgoing director Norita Bawi on July 31.
