Former kindergarten teachers find niche in farming

ALOR GAJAH: Five kindergarten operators, badly hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, have found a new vocation – farming.

The five enterprising women have converted a former rubber plantation into a diverse agricultural project with an eco-tourism concept.

Besides, they have also employed former prisoners, giving them a second chance at life.

One of the five, Chahaya Abdul

Manan, 59, said when they had to close their kindergartens after the movement control order was imposed in March, they began to monitor global developments on the pandemic.

“The economic uncertainties led us to believe that we had to start looking for alternative ways to generate income.”

In June, the five set up a company, Mokpek Agro Sdn Bhd, and invested

RM290,000 to purchase a 2.02ha piece of rubber land in Brisu, near here. Chahaya’s partners are from Malacca, Selangor and Johor.

“We decided to combine cultivation of crops with livestock and fish breeding and added the ecotourism concept to attract visitors.”

They not only hired two former prisoners, aged 27 and 49, but even accepted them as equal shareholders in the enterprise, she said, adding that they have planted crops such as ajwa dates, vanilla, black turmeric and Bentong ginger.

They then began breeding kelah (golden mahseer), tilapia and catfish, and eventually moved on to raising deer, pygmy goats and ponies.

To sweeten the deal, they also breed stingless bees, known as kelulut in Malay, for the honey. The farm is a training ground for villagers and an eco-tourism spot.– Bernama