For the sake of earning a living, a differently-abled (OKU) woman has dedicated her time and energy towards learning how to make doughnuts via YouTube, before turning her new-found expertise into a business.
According to a report by BERNAMA, 35-year-old Zaitun Ibrahim spent almost 8 months learning doughnut recipes on YouTube, to ensure that her doughnuts are fluffy and soft.
She sells her doughnuts at the Polo Field in Ipoh, to help generate an income for her family and as a result of the doughnut sales, she manages to earn about RM100 a day.
She shared that since cooking classes are rather expensive, she, who lost her legs and left arm since birth, has been using social media as a guide on how to make the scrumptious doughnuts.
“The money I have is just enough to feed me, my husband and my 17-year-old daughter, to continue surviving and because of that, I only refer to YouTube to learn how to cook.”
“Based on the videos (on YouTube), I improved the existing recipe in order to maintain the quality of my doughnuts and I help my family by selling them,” she explained.
Zaitun sells her doughnuts at the Polo Field at 5pm, for RM5 per set of 3 delicious and colourful doughnuts with various flavours such as strawberry, chocolate and banana.
She also recalled the hardships she has to endure as her family is struggling to stay afloat and she does not have an identity card (IC) because her birth was not registered as her parents are Thai citizens.
“I was born at home by a midwife without adequate birthing equipment. I was also tested by family problems at the time when my father left us.”
“Because of that, I am not eligible to apply for aid or incentives for the differently-abled from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and it is even sadder when I cannot receive treatment at the government hospital and have to rely on pharmacies because I cannot afford to go to private clinics,” she said whilst crying.
Despite all of that, Zaitun is optimistic to continue changing her family’s fortune by working on various other businesses from basket weaving to flower arranging. Though, she is saddened that she is unable to expand on her businesses due to her lack of an IC.
She hopes that the appropriate parties in the government can help her gain an IC so that the future of her and her family can be better protected.
In the meantime, if you want to support Zaitun by purchasing her doughnuts, you know where to find her (the Polo Field in Ipoh at 5pm)!
We wish Zaitun and her family the very best and we hope that her businesses will bloom in the coming future.
Also read: This Disabled Māsian Sells Scrumptious Biscuits! Hereās How You Can Support Him
