KUALA LUMPUR, The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Malaysia programme implemented across 11 states in the country has benefitted 240 women entrepreneurs over the past four years. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said this achievement has also positively impacted over 12,000 individuals in the communities. She said AWE has proven its success globally, and Malaysia is fortunate to have been selected to implement this programme following its strong relationship with the United States. 'The collaboration among AWE, MADCash and the Department of Women Development (JPW), under our ministry, is a testament to our shared vision of empowering women to seize opportunities in entrepreneurship,' she said in her opening speech at the AWE Gala Dinner 2024 here tonight. 'Congratulations to all involved in making this programme a success.This is a significant achievement, and we look forward to even greater outcome from this fifth cohort.' AWE, an exchange programme of th e US State Department, aims to empower women with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to launch and scale their successful businesses globally. In Malaysia, AWE is part of the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur's Wanita Empowered Campaign, which improves access to education, advances economic parity and overcomes barriers to equality. Furthermore, Nancy said the government has also consistently demonstrated its commitment to supporting women's access to financing. 'In 2023, under the SME Integrated Plan of Action, RM10.89 billion was allocated to small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) programmes, which included 60 initiatives specifically focused on women's development. 'In addition to that, the government invested almost RM2 billion through entrepreneurship programmes for women last year. Our goal is clear: to increase the proportion of women-owned SMEs to 30 per cent,' she said. In the event, Nancy officially launched the fifth cohort of the AWE and celebrated the graduation of the fourth cohort. On the l aunch of the fifth cohort, she said this programme, which is designed to empower women entrepreneurs over a one-year period through training, mentoring and ongoing support, will be implemented in the Klang Valley, Penang, Pahang and Sarawak. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Malaysia Edgard D. Kagan said the embassy has long recognised the pivotal role women play in shaping societies and driving positive change. 'Through our Wanita Empowered initiative, we have dedicated significant resources to supporting Malaysian women who aspire to lead and make a difference in their communities,' he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency