The Women and Family Department Sarawak (JWKS) has allocated RM200,000 this year for women’s non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including single mothers’ associations, targeted for capacity-building, said Datuk Rosey Yunus.

“The grant is open to all eligible Sarawak women’s NGOs based on the working papers that need to be prepared by the NGOs with the objective of empowering the association and its members in the socioeconomic sector,” the Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development said during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today.

She was responding to Dato Sri Tiong King Sing (GPS-Dudong) on whether the ministry has any allocation for single mothers’ associations in his constituency.

She explained that for the central region, including those from Dudong constituency, the ministry provided the NGO Empowerment Grant from 2020 to 2021, with a total of RM50,330 approved for four single mothers’ associations in Sibu, Mukah, and Kuching Divisions.

“Of the total, one is a single mothers’ association from Dudong, namely the Sarawak Central Region Single Mothers’ Association (Pitwits) with a total allocation of RM6,000 in 2020.

“Therefore, single mothers’ associations in Sarawak are encouraged to submit working papers to apply for government allocations through the ministry,” she said.

On assistance for single mothers intending to operate micro businesses to improve their economic status, Rosey said the ministry has several forms of aid channeled through the Sarawak Welfare Department (JKMS) and JWKS.

Assistance provided under JKMS includes the Launch Grant Assistance with a maximum RM5,000 per person in the form of equipment to start or expand micro businesses.

“This assistance targets recipients of monthly welfare assistance who are still productive, including single mothers. As of April 2022, a total of 364 single mothers have received assistance and guidance from JKMS and are still active in business,” she added.

Rosey said JKWS also provides training in an effort to improve knowledge and skills, including licensing programmes to help single mothers preparing to register their businesses.

Apart from JKMS and JWKS, other ministries and agencies also help women and single mothers in micro business, she said, citing the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) under the federal government, which offers a special one-off assistance for single mothers.

“It would be nice if Yang Berhormat Dudong, as a Member of Parliament, propose it in Parliament for this assistance to be continued for single mothers,” she added.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by ANTONIA CHIAM

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