‘I lost my income and was in survival mode’: Malaysian women turn to entrepreneurship during pandemic
KUALA LUMPUR - Women in Malaysia are better equipped than their men to capitalise on business opportunities brought about by the pandemic, but for many, the opportunity to get their ventures up and running is thwarted by issues of liquidity and access to finance made worse by miles of government red tape.
These are the views of a number of female entrepreneurs who spoke to Salaam Gateway about how lockdowns and changes forced by the pandemic have been affecting them. This is as Malaysia’s latest round of movement restrictions—its fourth since March 14 last year—was recently extended by another two weeks until at least the end of June.
More than anything, a belief in the ability of women to pivot when the chips are down shines through among these women. So too does the frustration that comes from fighting to secure access to the resources they need, despite government incentives, to build businesses to support their families amid an uncertain environment.
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