Labour of love: Wong demonstrating her handicraft work at Penang Cheshire Home in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: She would start by drawing a pattern – sometimes of flowers, the environment or any other theme – before the stitching begins.
Paying close attention to every detail in the embroidery, Wong Jia Hui, a paraplegic, will spend a lot of time and effort doing the cross-stitch on the fabric.
Her hard work pays off as her pencil cases and coin purses always look colourful, stylish and lively, as well as showcase various characters based on her own ideas.
“It takes around three months to complete a single piece. I start off by drawing the pattern, sometimes of flowers, other times it has to do with the ‘I love Penang’ theme.
“The design is entirely up to me and how I feel. Once I draw it, my work will start.
“It can take a longer time to complete if the thread gets stuck at any point while stitching. Then I’ll have to remove the stitches one at a time and start all over again.
“The thread can also get tangled and it has to be redone,” the 25-year-old said when met at Penang Cheshire Home.
Wong said while the task is difficult and time-consuming, the joy she feels when people buy her pieces makes it well worth the effort.
“I feel good getting an income out of it. I’ve been here (Penang Cheshire Home) for a few years now and it has opened up opportunities for me,” she said.
Born in Kedah, Wong said she did not know what to do after she finished her studies.
“Here, I have the opportunity to try new things. Before moving here, I never tried any form of handicraft.
“I’ve even learnt to take part in performances like the one we just did,” she enthused.
The home’s president Andrew Koay said there are 49 people currently at the home, including 19 residents, with the oldest being 70 years old and the youngest aged 18.
All of them have some form of physical disability.
“We need between RM600,000 and RM650,000 a year to operate and we are solely dependent on public donations.
“Our main expenses are staff salaries, physiotherapy and rehab for the residents, maintenance of the home and utilities,” he said.
Koay said apart from giving them the treatment they need, the home’s goal is to motivate its residents in various ways including training them to be independent.
“They make handicrafts here and the products are for sale at our shop in the home.
“The residents get pocket money out of it.
“If they can go a step further, we will find them placement in a factory and have them live independently.
“Those who are unable to graduate out remain with us,” he added.
