Assalaamualaikum wbt.

Greetings to Everyone!                   

It is a great privilege and honour for me to be entrusted with the responsibility to bring WENA, its present and future members, to new heights in the  current 2007-2009 term of office. 

WENA was conceived in 2003 against a background of the growing emergence of women entrepreneurs in this country. WENA is primarily aimed at providing a base for  such entrepreneurs, including those aspiring to be one , to get to know, to interact , and in the process, complement, support and develop each other in their respective businesses. 

WENA has a noble mission and, that is, to create a new generation of highly respected women entrepreneurs who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the business community with the men, against a range of criteria for comparison. Women entrepreneurs may be compared against our ‘brothers’ for strength of character, self confidence, resoluteness and mental resilience or perhaps, for the degree of  professionalism,  personal integrity, business ethics or, for our ability (or not) to  have an international mindset and global outlook.

 During 2007-2009, WENA will focus on two major courses – membership drive and enhancing members’ skills, intellectually and commercially, to achieve the mission outlined above.

 The membership drive is essential. We acknowledge the reality of “strength in numbers”. We can achieve much more as an organization as much as can individually, when we have a bigger and hence, more noticeable, representation. 

To attract new memberships as well enhance our members’ skill sets we have planned three activity clusters. Firstly, WENA will draw up and implement a calendar of Business Networking Sessions where members will be able to expand their business network and perhaps form synergistic partnerships in the process to enhance their business presence. Secondly, we will organize regular Business Clinics. Members will benefit tremendously from the assistance, support and guidance from Focus Groups to be formed under the Business Clinic Program. Finally, we will diligently pursue the establishment of an on-line Members Directory not only to facilitate contact amongst WENA members but also as a resource for visitors to our website to the services that each member offers.

 To cater for the various stages of maturity of members’ businesses, whether plans are still on the drawing board or the business is firmly established and ready or already at the international stage, the activities outlined above will be catered for start-ups, growing operations as well as businesses with international presence.

I take this opportunity to invite you to be a member of WENA, if you are not already. For the uninitiated, I urge you to speak with me or any WENA Executive Committee (Exco) Members to find out more. WENA provides Bumiputera women entrepreneurs the best platform to seek assistance, support and guidance to enhance their personal competencies and grow their business.

The world of commerce and industry is  truly challenging and very trying at times, but it is also very self-satisfying and fulfilling. As an emerging force in this sector, such mutual support, guidance and at the very least, a networking group which we can truly call our very own, is indeed very useful and beneficial for all of us.

 I look forward to welcoming more women entrepreneurs on board. 

 Good luck and Wassalam.  

Raja Azam Baeizah

WENA President 2007-2009