Many people in low-wealth communities have big dreams, but no way to put them into action. Those in underserved neighbourhoods often have difficulty getting start-up funding for businesses due in part to poor credit, lack of capital, and limited access to bank services. With middle-income jobs in decline, entrepreneurship offers an increasingly promising pathway out of poverty; but few low-wealth PPR folks are currently taking this route to economic self-sufficiency.
Program Keusahawanan Taylor’s-CIMB Islamic is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs from PPR Sri Pantai. The programme, led by Group Communications & CSR department’s Taylor’s Community team with the aim to give encouragement, innovative and sustainable solutions that contribute to the reduction of poverty, exclusion and unemployment within the urban poor.
Through partnership with CIMB Islamic Bank, the programme three phases – motivation, education and implementation phase. The education phase was kick-started last Saturday in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus with 31 passionate small business owners from PPR Sri Pantai. The participants were selected from 46 applications that have met the criteria of having a valid business. They come from various business backgrounds ranging from tailoring, food & beverage, online businesses, tutoring and transportation.
The 5-week education phase that will be taking place in Lakeside Campus is facilitated by lecturers Taylor’s Business School to equip participants with business and marketing skills. The first session kick-started on 5 Aug 2017 with Dr Nurlida Ismail and En Mohd Muttaqin Mohd Adnan as the facilitators. Participants were led to discuss on business clarity, product marketing and the important characteristics that create successful entrepreneurs. This session has opened the minds & empowered our participants to review their business in a new perspective with new opportunities to be uncovered.
In the next 3 weeks, the participants will be further equipped with skills that will allow them to have a concrete business structure & marketing strategies in hopes to expand their business outside of their community; creating a sustainable lifestyle for themselves. They then need to do a simple business proposal and presentation to grab the business grant up to RM50,000 in value.
Happening simultaneously with the adult class was the workshop for children of the participants that facilitated by members of Taylor’s University Debaters. 11 children between 6 to 16 years of age will be undergoing personal development workshop that ins tills and encourages confidence, communications, leadership and creativity skills.
