Empowering women to roll in the dough

Lim (seated right) and Goh enjoying a cup of coffee at the social enterprise bakery they established.

ACROSS the bustling cities of Selangor, social enterprises are rewriting the narratives of single mothers.

Instead of passively waiting for change, these resilient women are actively shaping their futures through the art of baking.

In Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang, community-driven organisations are stepping up to bridge economic gaps, collaborating with local councils to provide skills training that fosters financial independence.

Norazila offers short courses in baking and cooking in Shah Alam. —Courtesy photo

Supermum Bakery in Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya, is among these success stories.

This social enterprise has up­­skilled 260 single mothers from low-income households since it was established 13 years ago.

Currently, the bakery offers free seven-week baking courses, with classes held every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 9am to noon.

Participants who complete the programme also receive a RM300 incentive.

The bakery is the brainchild of Jack Lim, 86, and co-founder Goh Seng Chuan, 89.

Despite their age, both men remain driven by a vision to transform lives.

Lim, a past president of Rotary Club of Petaling Jaya (RCPJ), said the initiative was a bold decision to offer an avenue for income generation.

“Supermum Bakery has trained women to make cakes, pastries, biscuits and traditional Malay kuih.

“This community project, a collaboration between RCPJ, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Perlis Plantation Bhd (PPB), is specifically designed to empower the women,” said Lim.

PPB funds the RM300 incentive under its corporate social responsibility programme.

Lim said the mission of the three partners was to enable deserving mothers to become financially resilient by equipping them with lifelong skills and confidence.

“Empowering them helps lift their spirits, provides economic opportunities and creates a ripple effect of change for families.

Puspalatha with some of the bread she baked during a workshop at Klang’s Bengkel Daya.

“Supermum Bakery has enabled single mothers to challenge norms, build careers, achieve financial stability, overall well-being and aptitude to make informed choices, leading to personal fulfilment,” he said.

Goh said the bakery connected mothers with experienced professionals.

“Apart from baking, the training imparts soft skills like basic communication, problem solving, negotiation, emotional intelligence, and stress management.

Suraya was so successful in the baking course, she was hired to manage Supermum’s cafe.

“Skills training has empowered these mothers to invest in their children’s education and improve household health,” added Goh.

Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon expressed MBPJ’s support for Supermum, noting its financially viable business model that also addressed social challenges.

“We see the programme helps uplift women in a way that is economically sustainable and creates financial independence,” he said.

Mohamad Zahri added that the city council provided the facility, which RCPJ renovated into a cafe, giving mothers a supportive workplace.

For baking instructor Dina Ah­­med, 37, the mission is personal.

A single mother herself with a Masters in Project Management, she has a degree in Culinary Arts and 20 years of industry experience.

Her passion for baking also gives her a sense of purpose as she guides others through each training session.

“I have seen mothers discover their dreams during the seven- week programme, as they learn to bake bread or ice a cake.

“It gives me great satisfaction to see them turn simple ingredients into beautiful cakes,” said Dina, noting that baking allowed the mothers to embrace creativity with joy.

She said the course, which taught participants to make popular baked goods, also included essential business modules such as costing, starting a business and digital marketing.

Dina (right) guiding Rahmawati (left) and Parveender as they prepare the flour and ingredients to make brownies.

“Our aim is to ensure they have a flexible, home-based income stream so they can be present for their children,” she added.

The impact is evident in students like Parveender Kaur, 38, who has a teenage daughter.

“Baking has always been a passion and hobby.

“But, this course has provided me with the skills to turn my hobby into a home business,” she said.

Another participant, Suraya Ismail, 46, said she was grateful that the training sessions included the ingredients for the recipes and access to baking equipment.

“I find the programme helps participants become pastry chefs or even start a career in marketing, as business training is provided,” she said.

Suraya, who has four children aged five to 15, was so successful in the baking course that she was hired to manage Supermum’s in-house cafe.

Mother-of-two Rahmawati Rahmat, 50, encouraged single mothers to join the baking course as it was easy to understand.

Similarly, Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) offers professional one-day baking or cooking workshops on weekends to accommodate mothers with childcare constraints.

Shah Alam mayor Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim said these classes, organised by MBSA’s Community Development Department and local councillors, were designed to be flexible, allowing women to work or train around their schedules.

“The free cooking classes foster social connections while building self-confidence,” he said.

MBSA started the weekend courses one year ago and estimated that 200 women have been trained in baking cakes, biscuits and bread.

Social enterprise Nutri Bakers Enterprise founder Norazila Jabar, 54, collaborates with MBSA to move women from dependency toward self-reliance.

“I have been offering short courses in baking, cooking and making traditional kuih.

“By providing both technical skills and business acumen, we are helping women achieve financial security and take on leadership roles,” she said, adding that she set up the enterprise in 2019.

Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) coordinates training with Bengkel Daya, an institution under Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

The training sessions began about five years ago with about 400 being trained through the weekend baking courses.

Klang mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain said the one-day workshops on bread and pastry- making were evidence-based tools for lifting individuals out of poverty.

Mohamad Zahri says the programme helps uplift women in an economically sustainable way.

He said MBDK provided free skills training and enhanced job opportunities for low-income earners.

Participant Roslida Udin, 47, who is married with three teenage children, said she learnt to bake a variety of breads.

“I enjoy bread-making. I am able to earn RM400 to RM500 a month selling bread at local markets.

“It has been therapeutic and helped me save a little for the household,” she said.

Another participant Puspalatha Subramaniam, 56, who is married with two children, said she attended the workshop to bake bread at home.

“Baking bread at home is a cost-effective way to take control of our family’s health, reducing preservatives and refined sugars found in convenience store-bought loaves,” she said.

Puspalatha added that the process of kneading and baking could act as a stress reliever and was a way to practise mindfulness.

Selangor women empowerment and welfare committee chairman Anfaal Saari commended the local councils for these initiatives.

“Baking is a specialised skill that helps women transform their interests into practical, income-generating business opportunities,” she said.

Anfaal said the courses were designed to teach more than just culinary techniques.

“They cover inventory control, food safety and packaging, allowing women to run successful, independent businesses,” she added.