Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) celebrated five female entrepreneurs who have successfully completed the Special Entrepreneurial Empowerment & Development Scheme (BIBD SEED) as part of the fourth cohort of the BIBD SEED programme, which began in August 2021.
Present to hand over certificates to the graduates was Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mazanan Haji Yusof, Assistant Mufti (Buhuth) at the State Mufti’s Office in his capacity as Chairman of BIBD’s Shariah Advisory Body.
Speaking on the programme, BIBD’s Chief Marketing Officer Hjh Nurul Akmar Haji Mohd Jaafar said, “Evidence shows that empowering women can have a positive impact on their families, on the community and the country as a whole.
BIBD has always believed in empowerment through entrepreneurship and the BIBD SEED program is a manifestation of this belief and our commitment as a Partner in Progress, as we seek to uplift and upskill these women into successful, sustainable business owners that can make an impact in their personal lives and give back to the nation.”
She added, “We are extremely proud of our BIBD SEED women and pray that they will continue to enjoy success and for their business to grow further contribute to the entrepreneurship ecosystem”.
This year’s cohort comprises five female entrepreneurs, with three following their passions in the F&B industry while the remaining two are business owners in the service industry.
The event also saw the handover of Letters of Acceptance to 14 female
entrepreneurs that will make up the upcoming fifth cohort of BIBD SEED.
These female entrepreneurs comprise underprivileged groups under the Islamic Dakwah Centre, Ministry of Religious Affairs; the Brunei Islamic Religious Council; the Community Development Department under the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports as well as the Single Mothers Association.
All BIBD SEED participants are given training workshops focusing on entrepreneurial skills, product development, practical business skills as well as branding and marketing.
Participants are also given the opportunity to participate in various pop-ups and marketplaces as a way of gaining practical experience in interacting with customers and to begin building their customer base. Additionally, participants are also encouraged to make use of sustainable packaging for all their products, as part of BIBD’s commitment to sustainability under the BIBD Sustainability Framework.
Hjh Nurul Akmar added that it was not just celebrating the five successful female entrepreneurs, but also welcoming 14 new entrepreneurs into the programme.
“Through their diligence and determination, In Shaa Allah, we will soon see them pursuing their passions and running their own businesses. Not only will they be given training, but Alhamdulillah, the previous cohorts of BIBD SEED have also been extremely generous in sharing their knowledge and experiences with the new cohort,” she said.
“Our SEED entrepreneurs will also be onboarded into the SME360 ecosystem, with dedicated Relationship Managers to support them as they grow. This is all part of our efforts to ensure that our entrepreneurs succeed, not just in the program, but once they complete the training,” said Hjh Nurul Akmar.
To date, 41 female entrepreneurs have participated in the program, where 27
participants have qualified for Dana Zakat funding.
Meanwhile, a total of 221 women have gone through the BIBD SEED boot camp, which focuses on the basics of entrepreneurship.
Since the inception of the BIBD SEED programme, B$118,740 worth of
funding under Dana Zakat has been disbursed and is hoped to be a catalyst toward success in their chosen fields.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
