JOHOR BARU: Eradicating poverty has become the main mission of the unity government, which is in line with the goals of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The Prime Minister’s wife said that besides eradicating poverty, AIM also wants to provide free quality education to the children of its Sahabat Usahawan or microentrepreneurs programme.
“AIM is personally close to me as it started with an effort by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“I am fully aware of his effort to fight poverty in the country, besides ensuring that our children have access to education.
“Now that he has become the Prime Minister, this effort has become his main agenda and I believe that he would be proud that the number of registered Sahabat has now grown to more than 320,000 people nationwide,” she said at the AIM Rewang Merdeka programme at Padang Kampung Pasir here yesterday.
The 320,000 AIM members consist of single mothers whose monthly household income is RM5,300 and below. Dr Wan Azizah also said AIM’s free tuition programme has helped 4,400 children of AIM Sahabat nationwide since July last year.
AIM chairman Datuk Seri Syed Hussian Syed Junid said the Rewang Merdeka programme is a means to help their members expand their business horizons with other Sahabat.
“We have about 2,500 members who have participated in our Rewang Merdeka programme, which is our way of conducting a business matching session between our members.
“The majority of them are microentrepreneurs from B40 families, so we hope that with this programme, they can expand their network and perhaps their business as well,” he said.
AIM was established on Sept 17, 1987, as a private trust body incorporated under the Trustees (Incorporation) Act.
