Princess and chef help empower kids
Baking session held for the underprivileged
KLANG: A princess and a celebrity chef joined hands not just to teach a group of underprivileged children to bake but to empower the young to have an enterprising spirit.
The girls of Rumah Kebajikan Anak Yatim Alkhairiyah here learnt to bake alongside Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah during her visit in conjunction with Ramadan.
It was organised by NGO Selangor Youth Community.
Under the guidance of celebrity chef Anis Nabilah, the children and teens had fun whipping up red velvet and chocolate chipflavoured cookies, which would be sold by Segi Fresh, a grocery shopping store for traders and consumers.
The proceeds from the sale will be channelled back to the welfare home.
Tengku Zatashah said that the concept originated from the idea of Girl Guides in other countries selling cookies and baked products.
“We want to look at this (activity) as empowerment; it’s about making it sustainable as well.
“We want to empower the girls and show them ‘you are making your own things, this is your own hard work that you’ve put in’,” she said.
The princess said it was the first time the NGO, whose royal patron is her brother Selangor Raja Muda Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, organised a cooking session like this.
Anis was encouraged by the enthusiastic response of the girls, most of whom had not tried baking before and were eagerly waiting to start when she arrived.
“Instead of just teaching them how to bake, we are also instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in them, because they are not just baking for fun or for their households, but baking to sell as well,” she said.
One of the participants, Latifah Abdul Karim, said she was happy with the experience and hoped buyers liked their products.
“When we were baking, we were not too confident but we tried our best.
“We’re not sure how delicious our cookies are but we did it with all sincerity of heart,” said the 16yearold.
Nurul Nabila, also 16, said she was excited to be selling the cookies she had made with her very own hands.
“To sell something you made with your hands, that’s something to be treasured,” said the lass proudly.
Tengku Zatashah also gave out donations such as Raya clothing to the 48 orphans and needy children aged between seven and 17.
The Selangor Youth Community also spruced up the boys’ dormitory with furniture, carpets and curtains donated by textile company Jakel Trading.