KUALA SELANGOR: A total of 40 companies and agencies are collaborating with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) to assist women to get employment opportunities or become entrepreneurs through the 'Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM' initiative.

Its minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said since the initiative was launched on Sept 1, it had successfully assisted 1,744 women to secure jobs and generate income.

"Alhamdulillah, with the addition of five more companies, a total of 40 companies and agencies are collaborating with the ministry through the Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM initiative including Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and TEKUN Nasional.

"We expect about five or six more companies will come on board after this," she told a press conference on the Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM strategic partnership here today.

Rina said the implementation of the initiative was a continuation of the ministry's food basket aid by connecting female household heads, especially single mothers, housewives and those from the B40 and M40 groups whose income was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with employment opportunities and entrepreneurship platforms.

Elaborating, she said the ministry would act as the coordinator for the initiative by monitoring the participants of the programme for six months to ensure their future is better organised and planned through the economic empowerment process.

She said the Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM programme is expected to be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in early December.

-- BERNAMA