Interactive session: Siti Nur Hanisah engaging primary school pupils in a sock puppet activity as part of Mearpet’s programme. (Below) Some of Mearpet’s handcrafted puppets.
KOTA KINABALU: You would likely have done it before – putting a sock over your hand and playing a puppet game.
For one teenager, that simple childhood game sparked an idea that would go beyond playtime, turning scraps of fabric into a movement for education and sustainability.
Siti Nur Hanisah Omar Hashim, 19, founded Mearpet, an initiative that transforms fabric waste into hand puppets for storytelling and learning.
Mearpet, which is derived from My Earth Puppet (M + Ear + Pet), began as a way to reduce fabric waste by upcycling old clothes and soft toys into puppets, especially for underprivileged children.
Siti Nur Hanisah and her team use these hand puppets to engage children in interactive storytelling sessions featuring indigenous folklore and promoting environmental awareness.
One of Mearpet’s most popular stories is Tambuakar (The River Dragon), an ancient tale teaching children the importance of protecting nature.
Another, Mekau Serin (The Werecrocodile and the Healer), carries a message of respect for all living beings.
These traditional narratives, once told by elders, are now being passed down through puppetry, helping to keep Sabah’s rich Bajau and Brunei heritage alive.
“I have always been passionate about upcycling since I was in secondary school. Living near Kota Kinabalu, I often saw plastic waste polluting waterways, which inspired me to take action,” Siti Nur Hanisah explained.
“I launched Mearpet after enrolling in Keningau Vocational College.”
Little did she know that the simple idea would grow into a project benefiting hundreds of children and teachers across Malaysia.
The initiative quickly gained traction.
Keningau Vocational College soon became a collection hub where the public could donate pre-loved clothes and stuffed animals.
“We put up a poster to encourage donations. Some people from the peninsula even mailed their toys to us,” she said.
Seeing its potential, Hanisah and her peers decided to turn the project into a social enterprise, creating novelty items and educational tools while promoting sustainability.
“Working on Mearpet has given me a deeper connection to my cultural roots. It has been an enriching journey to explore the traditions, languages and stories of my ancestors and share this heritage with younger generations,” said Siti Nur Hanisah, who is the eldest of three siblings from Papar.
She is currently pursuing Early Childhood Education at Keningau Vocational College, a course she shares with her 17-year-old brother, Omar Hishammudin.
Their youngest sibling, Omar Hassanuddin, 16, is studying automotive technology at the same college.
Beyond education, Mearpet also champions inclusivity.
Siti Nur Hanisah has involved students with disabilities, particularly those in Keningau Vocational College’s special needs programme, as trainers in puppet-making workshops, empowering them with new skills and opportunities.
Mearpet’s impact has not gone unnoticed, earning a US$500 YouthMADE Festival Amplify Grant last year from the US-based education association Digital Promise.
This has helped Siti Nur Hanisah expand the project, positioning it as one of her college’s emerging social enterprises.
