SANDAKAN: The Sabah Women Entrepreneurs & Professionals Association (Swepa) has described the Urban Community Economic Empowerment Programme (PEKB) as a platform for participants to develop practical skills and pursue better economic opportunities for themselves and their families.
President Betty Epin said the programme was more than a training initiative, as it encouraged participants to step outside their comfort zones and work towards a more sustainable future.
“PEKB is not merely a training programme, but a platform for transformation,” she said in her welcoming speech at the PEKB 2026 dinner.
She urged participants to make full use of the experience, skills and networks they had developed throughout the programme, saying these would be valuable as they continued pursuing their entrepreneurial and economic goals.
“The journey of entrepreneurship and economic advancement is undoubtedly filled with challenges, but with resilience and knowledge, nothing is impossible,” she said.
Betty also expressed appreciation to the organising committee, trainers, strategic partners and others who had worked behind the scenes to ensure the programme ran smoothly.
Swepa project-in-charge Karen Wong said the association completed the final phase of physical monitoring for its PEKB 2026 programme in Sandakan on Oct 10, concluding six months of training and mentorship for 40 participants selected by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT).
She said this was the association’s second time implementing the programme, following its first implementation in 2025, with participants receiving training in mobile phone repair to equip them with practical skills and create opportunities to generate income.
Throughout the six months, Swepa’s project team and trainers monitored participants’ progress, provided coaching and mentorship, helped them address challenges and encouraged their entrepreneurial development while working towards the programme’s required key performance indicators.
Karen said the participants’ enthusiasm, perseverance and willingness to learn had been encouraging, adding that their progress reflected the value of providing practical skills and continued guidance.
“Although this final visit marks the end of our formal monitoring journey, it is only the beginning of their continued growth,” she said.
She expressed appreciation to the Swepa project team and trainers for their professionalism, commitment and efforts to deliver the programme in accordance with KPKT’s requirements, noting that they had remained united despite the challenges faced.
Wong also thanked KPKT for entrusting Swepa with the opportunity to support the 40 participants and their families through the initiative.
“This is what community development is truly about: empowering people with skills, confidence, opportunity, and hope,” she said.
