Maybank Foundation Launches 'Maybank Women Eco Weavers' Programme In Indonesia

By Azeman Ariffin LOMBOK (Indonesia), Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Maybank Foundation has launched the 'Maybank Women Eco Weavers' programme which aims to train 400 women from Indonesian provinces of Lombok and West Sumatera the art of traditional cloth weaving, in an effort to lift them out of poverty. Chairman Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor said under the three-year sponsorship programme, the foundation would provide equipment and other neccessities to weaving centres in rural areas to enable them to train these women. "We will kick-start the programme with 85 participants who will undergo several months of intensive course," he said when launching the programme at Mataram here Wednesday. Megat Zaharuddin said the programme covers four areas -- Central and East Lombok in Nusa Tenggara, and Sawahlunto and Tanah Datar in West Sumatera. "Besides the training, we will also provide micro financing for those who have completed the course to enable them to start their businesses," he added. Megat Zaharuddin said the programme was first introduced in Cambodia last year. Meanwhile, the foundation's Chief Executive Officer Shahril Azuar Jimin said it planned to launch the programme in Laos next year before expanding throughout ASEAN within three years. He said Maybank Foundation had allocated US$190,997 (RM800,000) under its corporate social responsibility programme to help the needy. --BERNAMA