CARE programme for PwD entrepreneurs - Noh

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) has drawn up a special programme , known as CARE: Capable and Reliable Entrepreneurs, to assist entrepreneurs among people with disabilities (PwDs), with focus on those who are mentally disabled.

Its minister, Tan Sri Noh Omar said the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (TEKUN Nasional) would be the implementing agency for the CARE programme with the PwD Development Department (JPOKU) and the Malaysian Mental Health Foundation as its strategic partners.

He said 24 participants would be selected for the programme, which involved an allocation of RM240,000, and scheduled to be implemented in November this year.

The selected participants will undergo a three-month training at the Malaysian Mental Health Foundation Skills Training Centre, he told the Dewan Negara today.

He said this in response to a question by Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi who wanted to know whether MEDAC had plans to introduce a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Empowerment Programme for the PwDs and the number of PwDs who have become successful entrepreneurs through the ministry's programme.

Noh said MEDAC also provided several programmes for the PwDs, including special financing scheme under TEKUN Nasional.

Cumulatively, TEKUN Nasional has provided financial assistance totalling RM8.4 million to 759 entrepreneurs with disabilities from 2000 until September this year, he said.

Apart from that, he said, there was the Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE) programme by SME Corp Malaysia, which has benefitted 57 PwDs who were given business grants totaling RM765,000 and also those organised by the National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN) which included INSKEN Coaching-Mentoring programme, Online Onboarding Coaching and Sportspreneur programme.

According to Noh, a total of 20 PwD entrepreneurs have registered with INSKEN to participate in its programmes.

-- BERNAMA