BY Rokiah Mahmud

Vendor Nurmahirah binti Abdullah said Hari Berkarih Yayasan is an opportunity for her to reach out to more customers to promote her product, songkok. She said this when the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (Yayasan) held an official opening ceremony for Hari Berkarih Yayasan at the Yayasan Complex in the capital on Friday.

The event provides a platform for 24 entrepreneurs under the Usahawan Berkarih programme to showcase their products.

Meanwhile, local entrepreneur Mohammad Ali bin Haji Awang Enchi, passionate in arts and handicraft (wood), shared it was his first time participating in the event and it helps promote his products to the public.

The event will be held until November 27 from 10am to 9pm daily except on Saturday, from 3pm.

Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof as the Yayasan Chairman of the Board of Directors launched the event.

The event is part of Yayasan’s initiatives to provide a strategic space in supporting local entrepreneurs to strengthen their business portfolio and broaden their product marketing networks. The programme and business assistance is in line with one of Yayasan’s strategic goals (SG) in supporting the level of self-sufficiency and to uphold the government effort to level up self-sufficiency among target group through the entrepreneurship programme to improve their standard of living.

Fourteen entrepreneurs comprising recipients of the Entrepreneurship Empowerment Programme under Yayasan strategic partners including BIBD SEED, Muallafpreneurs Consortium, PROPAZ and Prisons Department also participated.

An exhibition disseminating information pertaining to Yayasan’s contributions and assistance; the role and activity by Yayasan’s volunteers as well as the Centre of Islamic Calligraphy and Arts Studies of Yayasan is also showcased and open to the public. A number of activities are also being carried out including fun fair, blood donation campaign, health check, archery and colouring contest.

Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohamad Isham bin Haji Jaafar as Deputy Chairman of Yayasan Board of Directors; Minister of Home Affairs Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman and Deputy Minister (Energy) at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw as members of the Yayasan Board of Directors, were also in attendance.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin