Kota Kinabalu: The strategic collaboration between the Hawariyyun Welfare Organisation and Etiqa Family Takaful Berhad through the Etiqa asnaf (tithe recipient) fishermen modernisation programme is helping to widen the economic net for the fishing community who are in the hardcore poor and poorest groups of Sabah. Head of Strategic Planning and Development Division at Koperasi Kemajuan Perikanan dan Nelayan Sabah (Ko-Nelayan), Salleh Obong said that currently there were 3,096 asnaf fishermen recorded in Sabah who needed assistance to break free from the poverty trap.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Salleh Obong expressed his satisfaction with Etiqa’s initiative to sponsor a digital application transformation course for fishermen, with Hawariyyun as the organiser of this programme which includes exposure to the use of digital technology (e-smart) to improve the economy of asnaf fishermen. Among the fishing districts with the largest number of people in the eKasih data are Pitas and Semporna, hence the focus of Ko-Nelayan is to help these asnaf fishermen get out of the poverty line. This statement was made after the closing ceremony of the Etiqa asnaf fishermen modernisation programme.
Sixty asnaf fishermen from Tawau, Semporna, Kunak and Lahad Datu participated in the programme organised by the Hawariyyun Welfare Organisation, with Etiqa Family Takaful Berhad donating RM250,000 for fishing equipment through its corporate social responsibility initiative. Meanwhile, Etiqa Family Takaful Berhad chief executive officer Zafri Ab Halim stated that as an insurance and Takaful operator company, Etiqa strived to empower the less fortunate, including fishermen.
Zafri Ab Halim emphasized that the Etiqa asnaf fishermen modernisation programme demonstrates their concern in improving the lives of rural fishermen by providing them with the equipment, knowledge and technology they need. The hope is that this programme will improve the economy of asnaf fishermen.
Al-Ikhwan Rahmatullah, chairman of the Hawariyyun Welfare Organisation, highlighted that the collaboration with Etiqa aligns with the organisation’s vision in empowering the asnaf fishing community in Sabah. By providing resources, training and technological assistance, they aim to open sustainable income opportunities for asnaf fishermen. The programme encourages fishermen to modernise fishing methods, which in the long run, is expected to create a positive impact on their lives.
A fisherman from Kunak, Azlan Iskandar, 30, shared his experience, stating the programme was highly beneficial as it exposed participants to various information, including the use of digital technology for a more bountiful catch. He highlighted the use of e-smart technology, an application that provided fishing locations based on satellite data, making for more efficient fishing. Azlan revealed that since using the e-smart tech, his catch of anchovies has significantly increased from about 100 kilogrammes (kg) a day to 300 to 400 kg a day.