KUCHING, Sept 30 — A total of 659 Welfare Micro Entrepreneurs (UMK) have succeeded in increasing their income by more than RM1,000 per month and have been removed from the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS) monthly beneficiaries list.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Child Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said from 2013 to July 2020, 3,675 people have been given guidance on becoming welfare micro-entrepreneurs with each participant given a maximum grant of RM5,000 in the form of business tools, for two years.
Apart from the UMK programme she said starting from 2017, the ministry had also organised a Training and Career Development Programme (PLKK) to empower households receiving welfare assistance and former residents of Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS) institutions, to enable them to undergo skills training and gain employment opportunities.
“This year, with an allocation of RM444,600, 39 people are undergoing training in the field of oil and gas for three months which is expected to end in November this year,” she said in her speech at Welfare Micro Entrepreneur Day (HUMK) which was officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg here, today.
She said with the state government’s allocation of RM1.7 million, 225 people have undergone skills training in culinary arts, automotive technology, information systems and oil and gas, adding that 73 of the participants have already gained employment. — Bernama
