18/05/2026
REC1KL “𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧” project was developed as a long-term community empowerment initiative aimed at creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women from the PKNS Dato Harun Women’s Association in Petaling Jaya.
Implemented through a collaboration with 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐠 (𝐑𝐂𝐊) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐛-𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐛 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚 (𝐘𝐊𝐊𝐑𝐌), the project moved beyond the traditional charity model of simply providing aid. Instead, the initiative focused on equipping women with practical skills, production capability and opportunities for continuous income generation.
With a total project investment of approximately RM23,000 covering equipment, raw materials, consultant fees and training support, 10 women from the community were trained to produce reusable sanitary pads as part of a structured community enterprise initiative.
As a direct outcome of the programme, approximately 𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐬 were successfully produced during the initial phase of the project.
The immediate impact of the initiative extended beyond product production. The women gained hands-on sewing and production skills, exposure to basic quality control processes, teamwork experience and greater self-confidence through participation in a structured skills-based programme.
For many of the participants, this provided an opportunity to see themselves as 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬 within their community.
The project also created broader social impact by addressing issues of 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 through the production of reusable sanitary pads that can serve communities over a longer period while reducing waste (financial and environmental) generated by disposable products.
The second phase of the project, scheduled between June and July 2026, will focus on product usage feedback, market testing and basic marketing strategies. This phase is critical in helping participants understand 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 towards sustainable community-based income generation.
Most importantly, the initiative was intentionally designed with 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 in mind.
The sewing machines, equipment and production knowledge remain within the community, enabling the women to 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞. The longer-term vision is for proceeds generated from future sales of the reusable sanitary pads to be reinvested into purchasing additional raw materials, allowing production to continue independently and sustainably.
The project will also begin expanding into broader sewing and tailoring skills development for women within the community who currently do not possess sewing skills. Existing beneficiaries will also be encouraged to diversify their skills into producing other marketable items that can generate additional income opportunities.
This transition is important because it transforms the initiative 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦.
The model has 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 into other women’s associations and underserved communities. By combining skills training, equipment ownership, mentorship and community participation, the project creates a framework that can be adapted to support other grassroots women-led enterprise initiatives.
More importantly, the project demonstrates the s𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 — where beneficiaries are not passive recipients of aid, but active participants building skills, confidence and long-term economic resilience for themselves and their families.
Ultimately, the project shows how relatively modest community investments, when combined with mentorship, partnerships and sustainability planning, can create lasting impact that continues well beyond the initial funding period.
