By: Nurzatul Hakimah Mahmud Mahayudin

KAJANG, August 5 – Based on the data in the Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020 released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, six thousand female participants have participated in the I-KeuNita WANITA skills (I-KeuNITA) or DeWI (Development of Women Entrepreneurship Initiative) programme under the Women's Development Department (JPW), Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM).

Meanwhile, in Selangor, a total of 9,768 Malay women entrepreneurs were recorded in 2020, according to the data provided by the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia.

In view of the current situation where more women are involved in business and entrepreneurship following challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic for two years, the School of Business and Economics (SPE), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), took the initiative to be actively involved and organised a free women's entrepreneurship development programme for the community of Bandar Bukit Mahkota recently.

Thirty participants consisting of small traders and single mothers attended the Entrepreneurship and Single Mother Development Programme: Let's Do Online Business with Shopee at the Bukit Mahkota Community Centre on July 23, 2022.

The programme was officiated by the Chairman of CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, CIMB Bank Berhad, and CIMB Bank PLC Cambodia, Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad, who is also the Chairman of the M6 ​​Association, Bandar Bukit Mahkota. The programme was also attended by representatives of the Bandar Bukit Mahkota Resident Association.

The programme is a joint programme with the Bandar Bukit Mahkota Resident Association that aims to transfer knowledge related to entrepreneurship to women entrepreneurs and single mothers from Mahkota 6, Bandar Bukit Mahkota and provides advice and guidance in starting and maintaining a business.

Head of the Programme, who is also a lecturer at SPE, UPM, Prof. Dr. Rozanah Ab. Rahman, said the association had expressed its intention to help women entrepreneurs and single mothers gain business knowledge and be successful entrepreneurs.

"Many small and medium-sized women entrepreneurs who conduct businesses from home lack the basic and current entrepreneurship knowledge, so this is one of the small initiatives that we have started, and we hope it will continue to grow," she said.

The representative of the M6 ​​Association of Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Datin Paduka Rusmani Abd Rani, was elated at the opportunity to collaborate with the School of Business and Economics (SPE) in realising their wish to help the surrounding residents.

According to her, most entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs, wanted to expand their business but lacked the confidence to utilise digital applications.

"Most participants conventionally run their business face-to-face either from home or a business site. In addition, they only concentrate on nearby locations in the surrounding area," she said.

SPE lecturer, Saadiatul Ibrahim, shared her experience with the programme participants on the procedures for opening up Shopee accounts, selling through Shopee, and handling customers via the online platform. Participants were also exposed to marketing through the Tik Tok application.

The programme also involved a continuous training module or a coaching system. The module will guide participants who are truly committed and make it easier for them to get advisory services. Continuous monitoring also involved access to marketing advisory services, business ethics, and business account management. Participants will be awarded a training certificate that has added value, especially in securing funding from the government or relevant government agencies.

Members of the Community Knowledge Transfer Programme Committee included Dr. Zariyawati Mohd Shaari, Dr. Saira Khairudin, Dr. Yusniyati Yusri, Nurzatul Hakimah Mahmud Mahayudin and Mohd Yunus Mt Desa. Also present was the Deputy Dean (Research, Funding, Corporate Networking and Community) of SPE-UPM. - UPM

Date of Input: 05/08/2022 | Updated: 10/08/2022 | hairul_nizam