Wan Azizah hopes Girl Guides Association will continue to grow

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- The prime minister’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has expressed hope that the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia will continue to grow and expand to enable its members and young leaders to gain various useful knowledge and skills.

Delivering her welcoming address during Singapore President’s Halimah Yacob state visit to Wisma Pandu Puteri here today, which was also graced by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, she said she hoped the cooperation between the Girl Guides of both countries will further strengthen and form a lasting bond.

Wan Azizah said the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia is now 107 years old, having come this far after facing many trials and changes along the way, adding that the association reached the 300,000 mark in its membership at the end of last year.

“Our girls and young leaders are undergoing informal training and education through our recently introduced Progressive Journal. In addition, adult training and leadership development programmes are also in place for adult leaders,” said Wan Azizah, who is also the association’s president. 

Besides running national activities and programmes, they also collaborate with other member organisations, through various international activities and programmes, she added.

Among them is a collaboration with Girl Guides Singapore under the umbrella of Temasek Foundation, in the fields of leadership and governance.

“Through this collaboration, we hope to produce many young and capable leaders. There is also a collaboration between Malaysia Girl Guides Association with Bharat Scouts and Guides, India on a Reach Out Project entitled ‘You, Me and Us Forever: Strategy for Growth and Community, Juseon Beon Leadership Fund for young leaders and Asia Pacific 3L (life-long learning) Batik Canting project,” she said, adding that she hopes Girl Guides Association of Malaysia will continue to grow through the collaborations.

Also present at the event was Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

-- BERNAMA