Why Penang YWCA is Such a Landmark
By Koay Su Lyn, Pan Yi Chieh
June 2017 WINDOW INTO HISTORY
Founded in 1909, this organisation has helped generations of despairing women and needy children.The Penang Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was formed during a time when girls suffered from fewer options, limited access to education and exploitation1 to tackle the problem across ethnic and religious lines. Although its role was later taken over by the Welfare Department and other women’s organisations, the YWCA still retains its legacy as one of the oldest women’s organisations in Penang, having served as an...
Koay Su Lyn
reads and writes of the past to make sense of the present. She is a research analyst in the History and Heritage Programme of Penang Institute.
Pan Yi Chieh
is a research analyst at Penang Institute who was born in Taiwan but now lives in Penang. She is proud to be nurtured by the two beautiful islands she regards as home.
