Winning ladies: Nancy (standing, centre) together with award recipients during the Winners of Women in Entrepreneurship ceremony in Putrajaya. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
PUTRAJAYA: Social enterprises to help underprivileged Sabah women and empower persons with disabilities as well as a card game to improve English proficiency among youth were among five women-led businesses that have won funding in a Women in Entrepreneurship (WiE) programme.
Each of the five businesses received US$20,000 (RM94,080) in funding at an awards ceremony hosted by Standard Chartered’s Futuremakers initiative and the Mereka Innovative Education (Mereka) and will undergo a six-month mentorship with industry experts and Mereka trainers.
The training scheme will see them receive personalised guidance covering the essential facets of organisational development that include fundamental business operations, technological integration, impactful marketing and public relations tactics.
The awards ceremony was in conjunction with International Women’s Day that falls today.
ALSO READ: INTERACTIVE: Breaking down barriers
One of the winners was 21-year-old Syaarveeni Ashok, whose Edulab Dream Academy hopes to improve English proficiency among Malaysian youth with the Zing! card game, which she described as “Uno but with English instead of numbers”.
The Edulab Dream Academy CEO said she plans to use the seed funding to develop an online version of the card game.
“This will make it more accessible throughout the country by allowing teachers to customise their card games according to their syllabus from anywhere in Malaysia,” she said.
Another winner was LJD Corporation, a social enterprise that empowers underprivileged women and housewives in Sabah by providing them with a source of income.
It does this by employing and teaching women to make photo keychains and jewellery from plastic waste and environmentally-friendly materials to sell.
Another social enterprise was Enoku (formerly Enable OKU), that aims to foster accessible and inclusive workplaces while empowering persons with disabilities (OKU) by expanding employment opportunities for them.
Enoku does this by providing consultation and solutions to organisations on making their workplaces more inclusive for OKU employees.
Early Minds by Ripple Community won over judges for its special services for people with mental health and special needs.
The company provides on-demand, comprehensive, evidence-based, affordable and accessible mental health and special needs professional help through both virtual and in-person services via its web application, Early Minds.
Its vision is to deliver a one-stop solution for children, youth and families facing accessibility and financial challenges.
Lastly, Conscious Group Choice Sdn Bhd wants to address the country’s obesity crisis by giving Malaysians easy access to low-carb, keto-compliant foods and supplements that align with local tastes through its online Keto Mall platform.
Attending the event was Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri who underscored the importance of similar programmes in empowering women entrepreneurs.
“The WiE Programme has proven itself to be a leap forward in helping to close the inequality gap, as well as showcase the importance of the private sector’s contribution in helping the government to champion the women’s agenda,” she said in her speech at the award ceremony last night.“The women award-winners have demonstrated incredible grit and determination, and I hope their stories will pave the way for other Malaysians to follow in their footsteps.
“We need more programmes like this to empower and uplift women, fostering an environment where women-led organisations will not only flourish but also drive our nation’s advancement forward,” she added.
Recognising the importance of International Women’s Day today, Nancy also called on all Malaysians to don a touch of purple or lilac to show their support for women.
“Together, let us forge a legacy of empowerment and innovation, working towards a future where gender equality is not just an ideal but a fundamental aspect of our societal progress,” she added.
