Sari 1Malaysia helping poor Indian families with new skills

The Sun - By Natalie Heng

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12, 2010): Luxuries don’t come easy for Punitha Selva, 33. As a mother of two in a low-income household, finances must be managed with care.

However, the gift of a RM2,000 sewing machine recently will make a world of a difference.

For her and 15 other Indian women from low-income families in the Pandan constituency, this means empowerment to fend for themselves and their children.

They were the first batch of the "Sari 1Malaysia" programme and attended a graduation ceremony at the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council auditorium after a five-day vocational course.

"It’s all about teaching them how to fish," said Pandan MP Datuk Ong Tee Keat who with Deputy Minister for Women’s Affairs Senator Heng Sai Kee initiated the programme.

Punitha and her friend Sumathi Marimuthu, 37, are eager to begin using their newly gained skills straight away, now that they have their brand-new Janome sewing machines which were sponsored by the Ministry for Women, Family and Community Development.

The Sari 1Malaysia Programme is an initiative by the ministry to help empower marginalised, low-income communities.

In this case, the programme focuses on single mothers of Indian ethnicity from the Pandan area.

Punitha and Sumathi’s batch are part of a pilot project which Ong says will be extended to other marginalised groups in January.

Heng said the objective of the initiative was to empower women by giving them life-long skills to generate an alternative income source. Punitha and Sumathi are convinced this is the ticket to unlimited entrepreneurial opportunities.

Their group have big dreams for the future, and if all goes well they intend to form a company comprising all 16 participants who will band together to sell their products.

"We will be going to a tailoring institute to learn more about the skills necessary to turn creative sewing and handicrafts into a business," said Sumathi.

Aside from sewing patterns and techniques, the course will also furnish them with marketing and business administration skills.

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