US Embassy's ‘Women Empowered’ campaign benefits over 2,000 Malaysian women
KUALA LUMPUR - The US Embassy in Malaysia's Women Empowered campaign for the past two years has benefited women who lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic as they learn entrepreneurship skills to boost income.
US. Ambassador to Malaysia Brian D. McFeeters said the ongoing campaign has benefitted about 2,000 women so far and focuses on 3 programmes.
It consist of Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) to equip women with the tools needed to create and grow their own businesses, raise capital, and network effectively with other successful business owners, as well as a business mentorship programmse for them to learn from the experts in the field.
It also consists of programmes women as agents for change and organise campaigns on human rights and economic issues.
Women empowerment programmes are crucial to developing a nation, he said. “Not only does it improves the economy, society but a family as a whole,” he told Sinar Daily.
Cultural Affairs Officer Katherine Diop said the programmes established by the U.S. Embassy looks into the role of culture as the foundation as it touches on education, business and family to empower women.
“The main objective of the US Embassy is to create bridges between Malaysians and the US and to bring together the two counties amidst issues of mutual interest through these programmes," she said.
Women Entrepreneur Network Association (WENA) President Nuraizah Shamsul Baharin said they received an overwhelming 700 applications for 30 placements.
She said the programme is targeted at those needing to boost entrepreneurship skills after losing jobs due to the pandemic.
One of the components of the programme is to use DreamBuilder, an online training programme developed by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management.
“The impact is great because one of the biggest components is the online learning system where no one needs to go to school to learn how to conduct business in Malaysia.
“Besides, it gives women encouragement and educates them with the mentality that it is alright for them to do well and to be seen doing well in entrepreneurship,” she added.
