AT 51, mechanic Imelda Kwan has spent more than two decades under car hoods.
She has rebuilt engines, restored classics and has even diagnosed vehicle problems that have eluded others.
But beyond fixing vehicles, she says she is driven by something bigger: the desire to pass on what she knows so that other women can stand confidently, both in workshops and in life.
"My main quest is to empower other women,” she says.
And as we celebrate International Women’s Day 2026 on March 8 with #GiveToGain as its global campaign theme, Kwan’s embodiment of the theme is a reminder that when women share knowledge, time and opportunity, we all gain from accelerated gender equality.
“Empowerment begins with giving,” says Kwan, who was born and bred in Kuala Lumpur.
She practises this daily in her workshop. Kwan says she has met many women who felt uncomfortable or were dismissed in other workshops.
“Most of the time, they say the mechanic changed a whole bunch of stuff. When they ask questions, the mechanic gets impatient or angry,” she shares.
Her approach is radically simple: explain to the customer everything and clearly.
“A generally good mechanic will check the car first, take pictures, give you a list of what’s happening and take the time to explain,” she says.
“After they fix it, they keep the parts and show you. The process should be very transparent.”
If customers don’t understand technical language, she adapts.
“Sometimes I use human parts to explain, so that they can relate,” she laughs.
She also offers second opinions – when sought – freely.
“Advice is free. It doesn’t cost you anything.”
Giving information, she believes, builds trust. And trust builds confidence.
“When I was growing up, my mum said I always liked to tinker with stuff. I would take things apart and put them back again,” she recalls.
“I told my sister I wanted to further my education, and she said, why don’t you try mechanics or carpentry since you like working with your hands.”
So after she finished school, she chose an unconventional path: enrolling at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Vancouver, Canada, where she completed her diploma in engineering mechanics.
She went through a four-year apprenticeship and sat for a government certification exam.
“With the qualifications and experience, I can go anywhere to work – and that’s cool,” she says.
In Canada, she spent over a decade working on British marques like Jaguar and Land Rover. One highlight for her was a full restoration of a classic Jaguar E-Type convertible.
“You strip everything down to bare metal and then build it up from scratch,” she explains. “Basically, it’s like it just came out from the factory itself. That’s a full restoration.”
Those years gave her technical mastery. But returning home to Malaysia in 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic, gave her purpose. “Malaysia is home,” she says.
More than 20 years ago, female mechanics were rare.
“Of course, definitely,” she says when asked if she faced scepticism.
In Canada, she found greater acceptance. But back in Malaysia, attitudes took longer to shift.
“If you talk to the older generation, they are still a bit sceptical. But a lot of people – especially the younger generation – are more accepting now.”
Interestingly, she says customers are often intrigued rather than doubtful of her skills. It is the suppliers who are surprised.
“They will say, ‘Ask your technician to do this or that.’ And when I tell them I’m the technician, they’ll be like, ‘Oh!?’ ”
Still, she remains unfazed.
“I know I can do the job. I’m just making an honest living.”
She believes women can thrive in technical fields.
“If women learn and know the trade well, they can excel because we are meticulous and detailed,” she says.
She hopes to conduct half-day workshops covering tyre pressure, fluid levels, jumpstarting a battery and changing a spare tyre.
“If you get a flat tyre, you can fix it in 10 or 15 minutes. You don’t have to rely on others to rescue you.”
She also highlights something many Malaysians don’t realise: comprehensive car insurance policies often include free towing and roadside tyre changes.
“Most people don’t know that, so please check with your insurer,” she stresses.
Instead of panicking on the roadside, women can call their insurer. “That service is there.”
For her, this is what #GiveToGain looks like in practice: give knowledge, gain independence.
“Women should educate themselves, not just rely on their partners. Women today are more independent than ever before,” she says.
Being a mechanic, she says, is a “dying trade”. “Worldwide, not many want to do it anymore. They don’t want to get their hands dirty.”
In Malaysia too, fewer young people are entering technical fields. Yet these trades offer something powerful: mobility, financial independence and global opportunities.
“If you have any of these skills – being a plumber, electrician or mechanic – you’ll be in great demand and can go anywhere in the world to work.”
But she admits that the work is tough. “It’s hard. Some days I go home and I’m so tired. But it’s very fulfilling.”
When she successfully diagnoses a difficult issue – especially when other workshops could not – she feels a deep sense of satisfaction.
“I’m just happy and satisfied that I can help.”
If #GiveToGain is about reciprocity, the determined woman’s long-term vision embodies it fully.
She dreams of opening an all-women mechanic workshop – a space where women can train, work and eventually launch their own businesses.
“I really want to encourage women to be in this field,” she says. “If they want to return to their villages or go to smaller towns to open their own
workshop, I will even help them.”
She wants to mentor. “I want to empower them to be their own boss.”
Even now, she is searching for young women interested in learning the trade.
“I’m still looking for people who want to be in this trade because I would like to pass on my knowledge.”
She is also honest about her limitations.
“I may not know everything. I’m quite straightforward and want to be as transparent as I can.”
But what she does know, she is willing to give.
She has heard negativity before, including people saying she couldn’t make it when she first started out.
“Don’t let other people talk you down,” she says. “If you have the mind and soul to do something, don’t give up.”
To her, action isn’t theoretical. It’s daily and practical. And sometimes, it’s greasy and physically exhausting, but it’s transformative.
“Because when one woman learns how to check her own tyre pressure or change a punctured tyre, she gains more than a skill. She gains confidence.
“And when one young girl sees a woman rebuilding an engine, she re-imagines possibilities,” she shares.
Gender equality doesn’t only happen in boardrooms and doesn’t just involve policy papers. Sometimes, it begins on the ground, in a workshop with those who are willing to get their hands dirty to get the job done.
Driven by purpose
It's important to empower girls and young women in technical fields, says Kwan.
Kwan encourages more young women to take up technical careers.
Kwan says it's important for women and men who drive to have basic knowledge about their cars.
International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 and this year's theme is #GiveToGain. Photo: Vecteezy
Kwan has enjoyed tinkering with cars since young.
Kwan working with one of her staff at her workshop.
It's important to empower girls and women to achieve their dreams, even in male-dominated fields, she says.
Women shouldn't have to feel intimidated or afraid when visiting a car workshop, says Kwan.
