TASEK GELUGOR: Rural and Regional Development Ministry has allocated RM20 million under Harapan Entrepreneurship Realisation Strategy (HERS) Fund to boost participation of more women in rural areas to become entrepreneurs.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun said there are 83,693 registered entrepreneurs in the country but only 27 per cent of them are women.
Through the programme, she hopes that the figure will go up to 40 per cent.
“Through HERS Fund, five successful women entrepreneurs will coach and assist over 40 other entrepreneurs to expand their businesses further.
“We hope to see the housewives, especially those in rural areas, to be involved in business and under this programme, we can help them get the necessary information and knowledge for them to become one.
“Even if it is just to sell 'nasi lemak', this programme will help them market their products better and they too can one day become a successful entrepreneur,” she said in a press conference at Midtown Perda here today, after launching the Rural Entrepreneurs Carnival (KUD) Northern Zone.
There were 218 exhibitors including 162 rural entrepreneurs’ in the four-day carnival.
She said the carnival will also be held at other regions, including Terengganu and Sabah, before the main event in Putrajaya.
Also present were Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister R. Sivarasa and Penang Health, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin.