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This is How Batik Changes the Lives of Mothers

This is How Batik Changes the Lives of Mothers
Our Better World | Batik Boutique

Most parents dream of seeing their kids succeed in life. But for many living in poverty, this remains unattainable.

For Kak Noor, a mother of seven, her living standards have improved since working at Batik Boutique.

“My dream as a mother must be to see my kids succeed. She says to Our Better World,  a storytelling initiative of the Singapore International Foundation. “Now that I have a job, I have my own income...I am able to help the family.”

Mothers in Batik Boutique. Image: Our Better World
Mothers in Batik Boutique. Image: Our Better World

 

Batik Boutique is a social enterprise that produces batik clothing, gifts, scarves and pouches. It aims to provide a fair and sustainable income for women living in poor, urban conditions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. To date, they have trained around 29 seamstresses, 10 of whom are now earning a sustainable income.

“I knew to really have sustainability to make a social impact, needed longevity for the livelihood of women,” Amy Blair, mother of 3, an expat from the United States, and Founder of Batik Boutique.

Batik Boutique. Image: Our Better World
Seamstresses at Batik Boutique. Image: Our Better World

Amy told Our Better World, that she was inspired to start Batik Boutique in 2013 when seeing her Bahasa Melayu teacher, Kak Ana, could sew fabric fabric into beautiful clothing and scarves.

Despite their cultural differences, the bond between Amy and the seamstresses runs deep. They also share something universal; motherhood.

As Amy puts it, “Maybe we don’t wear the same clothes, or eat the same food...but at the end of the day...I want what’s best for my children, and they equally want what’s best for their children.”

This mindset also inspires Amy to make Batik Boutique more family friendly. The Batik Boutique provides workplace childcare, allowing the women to work without worrying about their children or travel arrangements.

Batik Boutique impacts the life of the next generation. Image: Our Better World
Batik Boutique impacts the life of the next generation. Image: Our Better World

 

Munirah, is also one of the mothers, whose life has changed since joining Batik Boutique. But after training, she is one of the highest earners in the company.

She is also teaching her daughter to sew, and on a deeper level, her daughter is witnessing her success too.

Amy says, “When you impact the life of a mother, you are impacting the life of the next generation.”

 

Find out more about Batik Boutique, and purchase their products to empower the lives of women and low-income families in Malaysia.

 

A story by Our Better World – telling stories of good to inspire action. 

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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