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A Voice For the Voiceless

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The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

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eHomemakers

eHomemakers uses information and communications technology (ICT) to help improve the lives of women homemakers in Malaysia. The primary aim of the network is to provide women with business skills and technical training that will help them become economically independent. It uses networking via the Internet to supply disadvantaged women, such as single mothers and disabled women, with an e-platform for self-help and assistance. The organization strives to integrate the principles of sustainable development into its programs to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals at the national level, and also seeks to improve the lives of homemakers through training, e-businesses and news.



Founded in 1998 by single mother Chong Sheau Ching, eHomemakers moved into the international spotlight when it received one of the prestigious Gender and Information and Communications Technologies (GICT) Awards.  The award recognized eHomemakers for its innovative use of technology as a way to empower and elevate the status of women in Malaysia.

• eHomemakers trains women in ICT and business skills, skills that will give the women self-confidence to seek work on their own. One such woman who was helped is Jasmine, a woman with an inspiring story. 

• The Canadian High Commission gave a grant to eHomemakers in 2000 to publish a “how-to” guide for women who want to start home-based businesses.  The guidebook, titled Working @ Home, was printed in English, Malay, Chinese, and Tamil. Twelve thousand copies of the book were donated to NGOs and other organizations that help disadvantaged women.

• eHomemakers launched Salaam Wanita in 2002 – meaning ‘Recognizing Women’ in Malay – a project that draws attention to the needs of disadvantaged women in the Ipoh and Klang Valley of Malaysia. Salaam Wanita works directly with women who are homebound due to illness or disability. Staff provide the women with basic technical and business skills. This gives them the chance to work from home and gain support by networking with others.

• A part of the Salaam Wanita project is the creation of  "eco-baskets" -hand-made baskets made from recycled paper - to promote their model of women's empowerment in the United States and to build a business.

• In addition to having access to a variety of online tools, members are invited to attend seminars and conferences on entrepreneurship and new developments in ICT. According to Sheau Ching, seminars help women learn about taking better control of their lives. “Our society has seen an increase of divorce and single moms, so women are afraid of their destiny more than ever,” she says. “At the conferences we say to them: 'We have a choice, we don't have to cry like our grandmothers and mothers did. You can learn to work from home and set up a home business to be self-reliant.' This is a powerful message,” says Sheau Ching, “It changes the power relations in the family when women start to think for themselves.”

• eHomemakers sells eco-baskets in the United States to promote its model of women's empowerment and build a business. See our video page for a seven minute video about the weaving process and the weavers. Also, visit the "Purchase Baskets to Support Women in Malaysia" page for more information on how to purchase baskets.

• Press Releases

Read news from eHomemakers on the news section of their website.

• Reports

eHomemakers puts out a newsletter to friends and sponsors a few times each year. eHomemakers also sends out a monthly e-Newsletter.

In addition, eHomemakers posts their printed newsletter on their website.

The organization publishes other materials including research papers on their website.

• AdvocacyNet

• Blogs

• In the Media Highlights

August 8, 2007
Women Told to Embrace ICT
The Star Online

eHomemakere's About Us page lists other articles that have featured the organization.

Outreach Partners

• Global Knowledge Partnership
• MCA ICT Resource Centre
• Global Innovation Research Centre
• PAN Networking
• Lordman

• Website

Through its trilingual website, the network supports over 12,000 registrants who use the site as a portal for information exchange, business and family advice, and up-to-date news and advice for homemakers. Over 400 businesses are advertised on the website, showcasing a wide array of services that are offered. Some include financial and translation services, as well as advertisements for homemade quilts, baskets, and organic soaps. The free membership also allows members to post online ads and jobs notices, and receive monthly e-newsletters and printed bulletins.

• Institution building:
  • The group is working with a Microsoft Unlimited Potential grant to train 70 members in IT so that they can work from home as administrative assistants. eHomemakers has also been approached by community advocates in Nigeria and Indonesia about replicating its model.
  • Since many poor women rely on help through Salaam Wanita and other eHomemakers projects, Sheau Ching and her team have been innovating ways to continue operations without cutting programs.  For instance, eHomemakers is looking for private and public sector partners to take this knowledge across international borders so that it can replicate its proven model in Indonesia and Thailand.

• Employment:
  • Eight women who received computer training from eHomemakers are now employed.  Securing jobs for eight members is seen as a major breakthrough, because Malaysian businesses have been reluctant to hire women at home, where they could not be supervised. Wong Peck Lin, who manages the project at eHomemakers, said that officials at Genting will be able to oversee the women by listening to their phone conversations. This marks a change in the “mindset” of corporations that have long insisted on overseeing employees in the office, said Chong Sheau Ching, the founder and director of eHomemakers.

• Empowerment:
  • “More women,” says Sheau Ching, “are now taking risks and entering business areas that are not traditional for women here, like IT services, marketing homemade products on the web, and even selling directly over the internet. We are seeing women changing their husbands' minds when they become successful - earning more income than the husband, all from home using ICT!” Due to this, eHomemakers has contributed significantly to the redefinition of the image of women in Malaysian society.  Confidence has grown in the ability of Malaysian stay-at-home mothers to contribute to the family income and achieve work/life balance.  Sheau Ching has also succeeded in utilizing ICT and the eHomemakers network to draw attention to the needs of and provide help for disadvantaged women.

Contact:
Homemakers c/o Corpcom Services Sdn Bhd
PO Box 3031
Taman Tun Dr Ismail,
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Email eHomemakers

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