Kuala terengganu: Being a person with disabilities (PWD) has not stopped Norhaslina Suria Mohamed, 43, a single mother from Jalan Pusara here, from learning new skills to support her family.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Norhaslina suffered a spinal cord injury after giving birth to her first child in 2011, which left her unable to move and bedridden for eight years. During this time, she was unable to work and relied entirely on her late husband, Mohamad Ridhuan Mohd Yusoff. Before her illness, she worked as a clerk at an oil and gas company, while her husband took on contracts to clean hospital items and clinical equipment. He had to quit his job to care for her and their child, making life very difficult without a stable source of income. Their second child was born three years later.
Norhaslina began her path to recovery by undergoing rehabilitation at the Terengganu Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) Rehabilitation Centre. She later enrolled in a sewing course, leading to a small business venture at the Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT) bus terminal. After rehabilitation, she was able to move around using a wheelchair. PERKESO offered her a three-month sewing training programme, during which she stayed at a hostel while her husband cared for their children, aged 15 and 12 at the time. She also attended a weaving course organised by Kelab Ikon Wanita Malaysia to create an additional source of income.
The loss of her husband to complications from kidney stones in 2024 nearly broke her spirit, but she found strength in thinking of her two children.
Meanwhile, KWIM president Datuk Normaziah Sheikh Mohamad explained that since its establishment in 2017, the Malaysian Women Icon Club has provided various forms of assistance to over 10,000 women, including single mothers, domestic violence survivors, youths, students, and the Orang Asli community. Economic empowerment programmes offered include live-streaming, weaving courses, digital skills training, and more. The organisation also provides free legal services to women who are victims of domestic violence, with 13 branches nationwide and over 20,000 members from diverse professional backgrounds.