KUCHING, May 20: Several forms of aid channeled through the Sarawak Welfare Department (JKMS) and Women and Family Department of Sarawak (JWKS) aims to assist single mother to elevate their economic status.
The aid includes the Launch Grant Assistance with a maximum RM5,000 per person in the form of equipment to start or expand their micro businesses.
Additionally, this assistance targets recipients of monthly welfare assistance who are still productive, including single mothers.
“As of April 2022, a total of 364 single mothers have received assistance and guidance from JKMS and are still active in business,” the Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Rosey Yunus said during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today.
She was responding to Dato Sri Tiong King Sing (GPS-Dudong) on the amount of assistance allocated to single mothers intending to operate micro businesses.
Other than that, to further enhance knowledge and skills, JKWS also provide training for single mothers in the effort to prepare them for their businesses.
Meanwhile, on another matter, a total of RM200,000 has been allocated for women’s non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including single mother’s associations which aims to empower the association and its member in the socioeconomic sector.
She further reiterated that the grant is open to all eligible Sarawak women’s NGOs.
“ For the central region, including those from Dudong constituency, the ministry provided the NGO Empowerment Grant from 2020 to 2021, with a total of RM50,330 approved for four single mothers’ associations in Sibu, Mukah, and Kuching Divisions.
“ Of the total, one is a single mothers’ association from Dudong, namely the Sarawak Central Region Single Mothers’ Association (Pitwits) with a total allocation of RM6,000 in 2020,” she said.
Therefore, she urged single mother’s associations to submit working papers to apply for government allocations.
