HULU TERENGGANU: After suffering in silence for 16 years from an abusive husband, Norhamiza Mohd Nor decided to leave her marriage and fend for her four children on her own.
Despite the difficult start, Norhamiza, 42, is a now successful entrepreneur earning an average of RM3,000 a month. She has also single-handedly brought up two sons, aged 21 and 20, and two daughters aged 18 and 15.
Norhamiza’s Ismadu Enterprise in Kampung Pasir Gajah, Kemaman is much sought after by consumers looking to purchase madu kelulut, which is known for its nutritious properties.
“My business venture began four years ago after I came across a programme from a local cooperative that was sponsored by Ketengah (Central Terengganu Development Board) to nurture less fortunate women as entrepreneurs.
“I chose to produce madu kelulut from portable bee hives that can be placed at the back of my house,” said Norhamiza who was one of a pioneer group of 26 single mothers and young women selected to take part in a four-day ‘Madu Kelulut Product Entrepreneur Course’ facilitated by the Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation, in collaboration with ExxonMobile and the Agriculture Department.
Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation board of trustee member Datuk Mohd Fadzil Yusof said that they would monitor the progress of the participants and send industrious ones for advanced courses to further improve their entrepreneurial skills.
“By doing so, we hope to encourage these poor and less fortunate women to be successful entrepreneurs who can stand on their own feet,” he said.
Fadzil added that a similar programme to grow mushrooms cottage industry-style that began eight years ago was very successful with some of the women easily earning RM5,000 a month.
Some of them, he said, also took the initiative to sell complementary products such as sauces and soup that supplemented their income.
“We hope to continue with such entrepreneurial programmes by selecting 30 women each year for the madu kelulut or mushroom business,” said Fadzil.