Malayan Banking Berhad : Maybank Group Launches “Maybank Women Eco Weavers”

Maybank Group Launches 'Maybank Women Eco Weavers'
Economic Empowerment Program for Women Weavers Community

Lombok, November 2nd 2016 - Maybank Group through its vehicle for Corporate Responsibility, Maybank Foundation, today launched 'Maybank Women Eco Weavers' a regional economic empowerment program for women eco weavers. The program was inaugurated by Chairman of Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation, Tan Sri Dato' Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd. Nor, President Director of Maybank Indonesia Taswin Zakaria, Board of Commissioner of Maybank Indonesia Umar Juoro, and CEO of Maybank Foundation Shahril Azuar Jimin. The Governor of Nusa Tenggara Barat Mr. TGH Muhammad Zainul Majdi and representative from the Ministry for Womern's Empowerment & Child Protection were also present to witness the launch at Lembaga Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan (LPMP), Nusa Tenggara Barat, Lombok.

'Maybank Women Eco Weavers' is one of Maybank Foundation's flagship programs which is essentially designed to promote commonalities in ASEAN countries by enriching and promoting traditional woven textiles in a sustainable manner for various communities in becoming economically independent whilst advocating financial inclusion at the same time.

Maybank Group initiated this empowerment program at the end of 2015, and currently it is running in two countries namely Indonesia and Cambodia.

In Indonesia, traditional weaving art can be found in many parts. Thus, together with Asosiasi Pendamping Perempuan Usaha Kecil (ASPPUK), the program is carried out in four areas, namely East Lombok and Central Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, and also at Sawahlunto and Tanah Datar in West Sumatra. In this program scheme, Maybank supports micro financing for working capital and conducts routine training for 400 women weavers in those four areas for a three year period. The training comprises of knowledge on weaving technique, natural dyes process, marketing, promoting, and financial literacy.

In Cambodia, partnering with Ngorn Vanntha and Color Silk, Maybank established 'Maybank Silk Weaving Centre' earlier this year. There are 25 women weavers at the training center with another 80 farmers to support the planting of mulberry trees which is essentials for silk thread production. Maybank plans to expand the coverage area of the program to Laos in 2017 to engage more women weavers to rebuild the traditional weaving industry and empower the lives of many women.

Chairman of Maybank Group and Maybank Foundation, Tan Sri Dato Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd. Nor said 'Our dominant regional presence, being the only ASEAN bank in all the 10 ASEAN countries, enables us to pursue integrated missions such as this. Thus, it's heartening that despite the short span, our efforts in both Indonesia and Cambodia have accelerated traction, setting a solid foundation for us to expand this program to Laos next year. Without doubt, this program will continue growing in weaving the road to empower the lives of the women in the communities we serve, revive the textile industry, and subsequently contribute to the economic development of the respective countries'.

'Economic empowerment is one of Maybank Indonesia's focused area for corporate responsibility program. In line with humanising financial services, we commit to always be in the heart of community and grow with the community, including women weavers community,' said President Director of Maybank Indonesia, Taswin Zakaria.

'This commitment is also a part of our efforts to give positive contribution in supporting Indonesia weaving preservation as a part of repertoire weaving prosperity in ASEAN, and promote the heritage to international market by supporting sustainable environment preservation as we use natural dyes. This gives positive impact on the women's economic condition, their family, and surrounding communities,' Taswin concluded.