THE gates creak slightly as I attempt to let myself in to the modest double-storey house located in Klang, Selangor. The sound causes a friendly female face to peek out from between the front door grilles.
I wave and then hear a chirpy voice beckoning me in. “Come in… the door isn’t locked,” the woman says, before disappearing out of sight. I hasten my steps in case I lose her completely.
Once inside, I find myself looking at the woman who’s now posing by a towering pile of jeans neatly stacked by the wall near the door. The sound of successive clicking of a camera reassures me that the NST photographer had arrived a little earlier than me.
Salena Ahmad, the founder of a social enterprise called SURI, which empowers low-income single and underprivileged mothers in her hometown of Klang, continues with her posing, occasionally turning to me looking rather sheepish as she tries her best to follow the photographer’s instructions.
As a single mother to two children, Salena, or Sally, as she’s better known, runs SURI with nine other women like herself from this home office.
Relying only on each other for financial survival, they have taught themselves and learned from each other sewing techniques to up-cycle denims donated to them from the public.
Their hard work has resulted in various products ranging from small items such as pouches for keys and pocket tissue holders to more elaborate ones such as fashionable handbags, household items and even patchwork kimonos, which I see hanging on the railing beside me.
“Most of our products are sold in bulks to corporations as corporate gifts or to wholesalers,” explains Sally as she finally takes a seat beside me, photography session completed. The look of relief on her face amuses me.
In the last two years since the birth of this social enterprise, Sally confides that they have literally been running it through trial and error.
Fortunately for them, things are set to improve. After such a challenging couple of years, the ladies have been given a new lease of life and the opportunity to reinvent themselves thanks to Hong Leong Bank’s Jump Start Demi Kita programme.
This is where the bank steps in to help social enterprises to meet their social objectives by helping them to run a viable long-term business.
This CSR platform provides social enterprises such as SURI with the unique support they require from the financial institution’s stable of specialists and partners who are experts in the field. The mission is that it will help these enterprises to stay sustainable and continue making an impact in the community.
“It has been a real eye opener to be given the opportunity to learn from field experts such as Afiq Iskandar from Tarik Jeans!” enthuses Sally, eyes sparkling.
She adds: “He taught us so many things, including how to innovate our brand, for example through utilising new techniques in sewing denim, simple bleaching techniques to change the look of our products as well as the latest fashion trends that we could tap into.”
Looking bemused, she poses rhetorically: “Who knew that the colour of the denim could play such an important role in determining product appeal?”
Tough climb
The business is slowly thriving with strong support from the community and various large corporations in the city.
However, Sally is quick to admit that it hasn’t been easy or smooth sailing for her and the beneficiaries working with her.
“We all began with zero skills and no qualifications. We had to work several unskilled odd jobs just to feed our kids before SURI began. Times were very tough before we started all this,” shares Sally, her voice solemn.
Recalling her earlier years, Sally confides that after coming out from a rocky marriage, she took both her children — aged 20 and four then — back to her hometown in Klang.
It was by chance that she came across a workshop that taught people how to turn recyclables, such as old clothes, into sellable products.
That was when the initial spark of an idea was ignited. Over the ensuing months, she took some time from her already packed schedule to research on the various fabrics that could be up-cycled into valuable products, which she could in turn sell in order to generate extra income.
“I settled on using denim because I read somewhere that denim is the hardest fabric to degrade in landfills. This is why they last such a long time. And the only way to get rid of denim effectively is by burning it which is really bad for the environment,” says Sally, adding: “Besides that, denim is also one of the easiest materials to get your hands on! I’m sure everyone will at least have one or two denim apparels in their cupboard that they can’t wear anymore.”
Slowly, after countless experimentations and hours spent trawling through YouTube, she started producing a steady stream of products to be sold.
“I took a chance and bought my very first sewing machine through hutang (in instalments),” confides Sally, sheepishly
She started becoming acquainted with the other single mothers in the community through the village head whom she spoke to about her venture.
“Every time I thought my life was hard, trying to juggle work and having to care for two kids, I meet others who are in far worse situations than me,” says Sally, softly.
Most of the women that Sally eventually befriended had extremely low self-esteem and almost zero confidence in facing the world.
“I had to keep encouraging them,” she recalls, continuing: “I remember assuring them, “Kalau saya boleh buat, akak semua boleh buat. Kalau saya daripada zero, tak pernah pegang mesin jahit, tapi sekarang saya boleh menjahit, mesti akak boleh buat. (If I can do it, you all can do it too. If I started from nothing, never touched a sewing machine before this, but now I can sew, I’m sure you can too.)”
Getting there
After every struggle, it’s always meaningful when there’s some semblance of recognition at the end, no matter how small it may be.
And that’s what happened with the women recently when they graduated with a Level Three Skills Certificate from the government (SKM – Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia).
“We’re now certified as proper skilled workers. And this certificate will allow us to seek skilled jobs elsewhere. It’s extremely useful for the women working with me because now they can seek extra work to supplement what they earn here,” shares Sally, her smile broad.
In addition, it also allows them to be employed as certified trainers – a definite morale booster for them all.
Her eyes lighting up, Sally tells me that the certificate will motivate and inspire the single mothers to push themselves further and be more confident to stand on their own.
“I understand how demoralising it is to feel like there’s no support in life and to think that you can never get out of your predicament.”
Her expression earnest, Sally adds: “I believe that nothing is impossible provided diri sendiri yang nak berubah (provided you’re the one who wants change). With that, you tentu boleh keluar (sure to be able to come out) from whatever dark hole that you’re in.”
Through her time working with the women, Sally reveals that she has seen many positive changes in many of them – particularly their attitude and outlook.
They have become more open to ideas and there’s a willingness to learn which brings joy to her.
“It’s not like they were unwilling to do all that before I met them, but they’ve been handed too many lemons in life and had become less trusting of the world,” shares Sally.
“Society’s negative image of single mothers doesn’t help either. It’s not fair for people to think that we’re uncooperative or stubborn to change. Sometimes, when you’ve not been living in our shoes, you’ll never understand the hardship and uncertainties for people like us.”
Unexpectedly, a young boy in a Superman shirt comes rushing in and gives Sally a hug.
He’s hungry, he tells her, his pout growing more pronounced.
Sally turns to me and apologises for her son’s behaviour before assuring him that our chat would be over soon. He’s appeased – at least for now.
“There’s always this negative perception of struggling single mothers,” continues Sally.
“I’ve had people saying to me, “What if kita beli barang bagi mereka, mereka just ambil dan jual?’ (What if we buy them items to help them, they just take it and sell?) I always advise that if you want to help, you have to be genuine. You don’t just buy them something like a sewing machine and expect them to know what to do.”
Many wouldn’t even have the skills to begin with, or they won’t even know how to sell and market the things they produce.
“Just make sure that when you want to give someone a fishing rod, do also teach them how to fish. This is all we ask for when it comes to being given a second chance.”