Nur Akmal (right) with Siti Zulaikha, who says her experience producing batik bags helped boost her confidence.
A boutique in Marang, Terengganu is providing opportunities for people with disabilities (PWD) to hone their skills in making batik products.
Butik Tapai in Wakaf Tapai employs one male and six female workers, aged 20 to 41, who are guided by teachers from Wakaf Tapai Community Rehabilitation Organisation (PPDK) and two instructors under the Social Welfare Department’s Economic Empowerment Programme for PWDs.
Tapai manager Wan Nur Akmal Wan Ibrahim said she began running the boutique in 2017 after receiving a one-off grant of RM18,000 to further enhance the Economic Empowerment Project, specifically for sewing work.
“With that funding, we bought sewing machines and raw materials such as batik to produce handmade bags.
“At that time, the boutique operated with five workers who are deaf, mute and with physical disabilities. Now, we also have workers with Down Syndrome and autism.
“We have seven workers – five are trainees from Wakaf Tapai PPDK, one with mental deficiency and one from the Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI) from a nearby school,” she told Bernama.
Wan Nur Akmal said the workers had shown positive development in terms of working and social skills, and could generate their own income.
Display of exclusive batik products available at the boutique in Wakaf Tapai, Marang. — Photos: Bernama
She added that initially they could only complete one pencil box a day, but with training, some could now produce 30 batik bags a day.
“They also have the courage to talk to outsiders.
“Some even do ‘live’ presentations to sell the products on their personal short video applications,” she said.
On Tapai’s success, Wan Nur Akmal said the products achieved outstanding sales at Global Village Dubai for six months in 2022.
She credited the boutique’s success to government initiatives as well as foreign ambassadors in Malaysia stopping by to purchase batik products to take home.
Siti Zulaikha Abd Muin, 33, who has physical disabilities, said the experience of working at the boutique since 2017 has helped her believe in herself.
She said she began her career at Tapai without any sewing skills, but with the support of teachers and family, she had gone on to produce a variety of bags.
Nurul Syakirah Ahmad Jais, 23, who was born with dwarfism, began working at Tapai after completing her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia in 2019.
She can now expertly produce various types of bags, including handbags, mini pouches and coin purses.
“I intend to set up my own business in the future,” she said.
