EMPOWERING WOMEN IN 2022

SUBANG Jaya’s Centre for Women Empowerment (PWB) has been active over the last few years engaging women from all walks of life in the community in various activities. The group under the new leadership of its coordinator Prisca Leong Mae Jern and her team has set its sights on widening the scope of its outreach programs. We did a catch up with Prisca to get some insights into her vision and mission for PWB.

1. What is PWB in Subang Jaya?

Set up by the Selangor State Government. PWB which stands for “Pusat Wanita Berdaya” or the Centre for Women Empowerment in English serves as a platform to empower and encourage women to be active in the community and economy through the nurturing of useful and practical knowledge.

2. Since taking the reins of PWB as its coordinator, what do you think PWB should be in Subang Jaya?

We want to cover a broader audience than what was previously covered which goes all the way from school children up to the elderly. We want to represent all women in the area and be able to grow their potential.

3. PWB in the past used to be organizing cooking, sewing and other skills enhancement workshops. How will this change under your leadership and your new committee?

Those activities will continue; however, in order to stay relevant and be more inclusive, I intend to broaden the scope of activities. This will cover guidance for those about to enter the workforce; those who are returning to the workforce after a hiatus due to various reasons; family planning workshops and other initiatives for women to develop a stronger economic foothold in order to ensure a better livelihood. 

4. Tell us more about yourself – age, profession and experience in community initiatives in Subang Jaya.

I’m 35 this year and currently working as a Compliance & Legal Manager for a multinational company here in Malaysia. I believe that community service comes in different forms and shapes and is triggered in many ways — for me, it was seeing the relentless voluntary works done by the Neighbourhood Watch in USJ 6 to address issues related to safety and security vis-a-vis rising concerns over crime. Some of us gave our time, some gave our hearts, and others gave in kind. I was then involved in volunteering for the United Cyclist Community and soon was assisting to co-organize cycling events for the community. Everyone was so warm and friendly. I have learned that community initiatives are not only admirable, but “addictive” as well. The more you serve your community, the more you want to do it.

5. What lies ahead for PWB in Subang Jaya? What are your objectives and how do you intend to realise your vision for PWB under your leadership?

We have a diverse field of women from different backgrounds in our current committee and with the support of ADUN Subang Jaya Michelle Ng, we intend to achieve our objective of reaching out to a wider audience of women. My vision is for PWB Subang Jaya to be the first thing that women think of when it comes to advice, development and aid. Ultimately, my vision is to engage a wider circle; I want to get the students involved, youths, professionals, to be aware of why we exist and build a more inclusive PWB. I want activities to be targeting a wider audience. By doing this, we are able to look into greater visibility of PWB and create meaningful widespread initiatives which will empower our community.

6. Can women of all ages get involved? How about men? Can they get involved too?

Anyone can get involved! In fact, there are quite a few men participating in our existing initiatives as volunteers.

7. PWB has been noticeably involved in extending aid during the pandemic and the recent floods. Is this something we will see more of PWB getting involved in?

In times of crisis, we intend to always be able to do our part. Although our primary focus will remain to develop the right skill sets and knowledge for women in this day and age and a lesser focus on aid as we believe that these are the things which will empower women. 

8. How do you fund your initiatives? Can the public also contribute?

We fund our initiatives through various contributions from the state government, corporate and private donors. The public is always welcome to contribute to our cause and not everything is monetary. We welcome professionals and individuals to offer their services to run the workshops/give talks. As for public funding, from time to time when PWB launches donation drives/aid packages we do post publicly on social media and banners around Subang Jaya on how they can contribute.

9. What is your message to Subang Jaya women who might be thinking of getting involved in your work at PWB? How do they contact you?

We are always looking for volunteers, ideas for interesting initiatives and collaborations. Please reach out to us on any of them. Also do Follow Us, Like Us and share our initiatives on social media (IG: pwbsubangjaya Facebook: PWB Subang Jaya). We can also be reach at the following subangjaya.pwb@gmail.com