IPOH: Facing life's challenges has not stopped cancer survivor Ramlah Ahmad Rozali from pursuing her passion as a traditional tekat bag crafter.
The 55-year-old has successfully boosted her home-based income after participating in the Khadijah Artisans Mentoring Programme (KAMP 2.0) Perak Edition.
"I have a lot of spare time at home, so I wanted to refine my crafting and marketing skills," she told reporters following the KAMP 2.0 graduation ceremony on Thursday (Oct 15).
Organised by the Khadijah International Waqf (L) Foundation (KIWF), the programme was conducted in strategic partnership with the Perak Women’s Development Office and supported by sponsoring partner CIMB Foundation. Perak Women’s Development Office director S. Kavaramma was also present at the event.
Ramlah shared that her home business previously generated less than RM1,000 a month, but her earnings have grown significantly depending on the trade events she attends. Through the programme, she gained essential business skills, including product pitching, customer service, costing, and branding.
"As a cancer survivor, participating in this programme was therapeutic—it brought me happiness and the strength to keep going," she said.
Another graduate, 34-year-old full-time songket bag crafter Noor Anisa Ahmad, noted that while she previously relied on social media for sales, she lacked proper costing techniques for her products.
"I used to sell each bag for around RM180, but after learning proper valuation techniques, my pieces now fetch above RM200. The programme was invaluable, and I hope more artisans get this opportunity," Noor Anisa said.
Meanwhile, former visual arts teacher Hamidah Suratman, 63, who produces batik art kits, expressed gratitude for the guidance that helped elevate her craft into an exclusive product line. Hamidah now hopes to establish a dedicated craft centre to showcase local handicrafts like batik and weaving, while offering workshops for aspiring artisans.
KIWF chairman Rohani Datuk Mohd Shahir said 15 participants completed the eight-month mentorship, which launched in March. The initiative specifically targets underprivileged crafters needing guidance to scale their businesses and reach broader markets.
"We aim to equip them with core entrepreneurial skills—especially branding, which is vital even in the artisan sector," Rohani said. "We identify crafters with existing products and help them develop their businesses to access commercial marketplaces."
