Boutique making a difference for PwD
MARANG: The TAPAi Boutique at Wakaf Tapai in Terengganu has provided an avenue for seven persons with disabilities (PwD) to hone their skills in making batik products.
One male worker and six female workers, all aged 20 to 41, craft batik items, with guidance from five teachers of the Wakaf Tapai Community Rehabilitation Organisation and two special teachers, who successfully implemented the Economic Empowerment Programme by the Social Welfare Department for PwD.
TAPAi manager Wan Nur Akmal Wan Ibrahim said she has been running the boutique since 2017 after receiving a one-off grant of RM18,000 from the Social Welfare Department to enhance the programme, specifically for sewing work.
“With that allocation, we purchased sewing machines and raw materials such as batik to produce handmade bags.
“At the time, TAPAi operated with only five workers who have conditions such as learning and physical disabilities, and speech and hearing impairment. Now, we have workers with Down syndrome and autism.
“We have seven workers and five of them are trainees from the organisation.
“One trainee has a mental condition and one is from the Integrated Special Education Programme from a nearby school.”
Wan Nur Akmal said all workers, including scheduled workers and five TAPAi graduates who work from home, have shown positive development in their work and social skills, adding that they are able to generate their own income.
She said initially, they only completed one pencil case a day. But with continuous training, some of them can produce 30 bags a day.
“They also have confidence to talk to strangers. Some even do (live streams) to sell the products on their personal TikTok (accounts) during working hours.”
On TAPAi’s success, she said their products achieved outstanding sales at the Global Village in Dubai, which ran for six months in 2022.
She added that the accomplishment is a result of government initiatives and foreign ambassadors in Malaysia, who visited the boutique to buy batik products to take back to their countries.
Siti Zulaikha Abd Muin, 33, who was born with a physical disability, said working at the boutique since 2017 has helped her believe in herself.
She said she began her career in TAPAi without any sewing skills and through continuous support from teachers and family, she has produced many products.
Nurul Syakirah Ahmad Jais, 23, who was born with dwarfism, began working at the boutique after completing SPM in 2019 and now, she makes various types of bags, including handbags, mini pouches, ketupat bags and coin purses.
“I intend to set up my own business in the future.” – Bernama