KUALA LUMPUR: Three women from different backgrounds faced various obstacles to turn things around for themselves.
They shared their stories after taking part as mentees and coming out tops in a six-episode television series called "Resipi Berani Maggi", which ended last Wednesday.
Nur Hidayah Jeffri from Pantai Dalam, here, who emerged victorious in the programme, walked away with the top prize of RM8,000 in seed capital.
The 25-year-old runs an online business providing lunch boxes with four different menus such as Tauhu Bergedil, Sambal Ayam Hijau, Ayam Hitam Kaw, and Sambal Udang.
It is not only a means to support herself, but also to support her parents and ailing, elderly grandmother. All of them live together under one roof.
"I do lunch boxes daily as a means to support myself and my family. It has not been easy for me as competition is very, very stiff. There are so many people who are providing similar food services and customers are spoilt for choice.
"Before the pandemic, I used to cater for events and functions for added income. In the past year-and-a-half, I have had to anchor on lunch boxes in order to put food on our table as it is only my elder brother and I who are working in our family of six.
"I am an introvert and a very shy person by nature. I'm not comfortable speaking in public, so I was initially wondering if I could cut it taking part in a television series. Then my dear mother, who helps me with the lunch boxes, coaxed me. I decided to go for it."
Nur Hidayah was motivated as she wanted to learn new things, while becoming a better cook and entrepreneur.
"I was gauging myself to see if I could compete against other women in an open, competitive environment and I was so ecstatic when I won.
"With the RM8,000 seed capital, I am going to move my cooking operation out of our home kitchen and into a better equipped central kitchen where I could increase my products.
"I owe it all to my dear family for supporting me and being my pillar of strength, especially my dear mother. Thanks to her not only did I win, the experience I gained will enable me to become a better entrepreneur and businesswoman," said the soft spoken Hidayah with a smile.
Hidayah's sentiments were shared by second runner-up winner, Mazzaton Miza, 43, a mother of two from Sri Manjong, Perak.
She endured heartache and tough times after losing her job last year due to the pandemic.
She said she pulled herself together and thanked her 14-year-old eldest son for encouraging her during prior to her journey on "Resipi Berani Maggi".
"After I lost my job last year, I was quite dejected and felt down. Even though my husband is still working, but with two children, I knew I could not wallow in self-pity.
"I joined online cooking classes which was not something easy as it was a totally new experience.
"My children, especially my eldest son who is 14, kept supporting me and even taught me how to use online applications such as Google meet. He is the one who told me I should take part in Resipi Berani Maggi.
"I never expected to finish in second place let alone make it to the final. My son is a blessing as he would wake up with me at 3am or 4am when I prepare all the food."
Mazzaton said she plans to use the RM5,000 seed capital she won to take a course in food packaging and labelling, and register for and complete the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM).
She wants to provide the very best food from her home kitchen while setting a good example for her children.
"I will buy new cooking utensils such as a better cooker, blender and fridge to expand my small business while also promoting it online on various digital platforms thanks to what my son taught me earlier," said a beaming Mazzaton.
First runner up Bibiaminani Abdul Ghani, 49, a single mother of two from Johor Baru, works with a telecommunications company.
She said she will put the RM5,000 seed capital she won to good use by expanding her business of making and selling homemade pastes.
"Taking part in Resepi Berani Maggi was very tough for me because I had to juggle between looking after my children, work, running my homemade food paste business, and studying part-time for my degree which I have now completed.
"Being the first runner-up was such a bonus. It's an incentive for all my hard work and sacrifices."
Bibiaminani said she will use her experience from the show to market her products to more places in the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.