CALLING themselves ‘Mommy Gojes’, four enterprising mothers have joined forces after attending the Penang Women Entrepreneur Mentoring Programme 3.0 last year.
Noorharyantie Ismail, Siti Fairuz Noor Hazlan, Noor Leilawati Abu Hasan and Jamilah Ismail, who have individually operated their businesses for over five years, decided to collaborate and establish ‘Mommy Gojes.’ The group sells various products, including cakes, biscuits, kuih raya and ‘kerepek’ (chips).
“We hit the idea of collaboration after taking part in the course. At first, we operated a booth together under the name ‘Mommy Gojes’ during a fair in Seberang Jaya last year,” Noorharyantie, better known as Kak Yong, explained.
“We made quite an impact on the people visiting the fair. We realise that after only a few weeks of collaboration, people easily know us as ‘Mommy Gojes’.
“Then, we expanded our business by operating in a shop lot in Pekan Lama, Tasek Gelugor, from September last year to March this year. While we were there, we received a total of RM70,000 in grants from two government agencies.
“From April this year, we relocated to a bigger shop lot in Pokok Sena, Tasik Gelugor to continue our operation.
“Two of us are in the bakery business, and the other two are involved in kuih raya and other dry stuff business. Besides selling our own products, we also collaborate with other vendors to sell additional products.
“Now, we have just come up with our maiden product under Mommy Gojes and it is called ‘Sambal Strawberry’. We have received a fairly good response since we launched it two months ago.
“We’re aware that from the time we have collaborated, the collaboration has accelerated our journey to success.
“I am still in touch with my mentors for continuous improvement and idea-sharing. To me, the PWEP programme which we participated was very beneficial.”
They credit the knowledge gained from the mentoring course for their achievements. Sales for ‘Mommy Gojes’ range from RM11,000 to RM16,000 per month.
The PWEMP and Wanita Jana Rezeki programmes are initiatives promoted by the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC).
PWEMP offers mentorship and networking opportunities to new entrepreneurs while WJR prepares entrepreneurs with specific skills in sewing, cooking and post-delivery care.
Bharati Suresh Chand, who has been a mentor since PWEMP 1.0, said the programme provides a fantastic network for mentors and mentees.
She said mentors and lead mentors have also been challenged to be better businesswomen because they need to set an example for their mentees.
She expressed her gratitude to leaders like Chong Eng, the caretaker of the state non-Islamic Religious Affairs and Social Development, and Ong Bee Leng, the chief executive officer of PWDC, for organising the course.
“I urge all the mentees out there to come on board, and we also need great mentors to come on board to guide the mentees. Let’s make PWEMP 4.0 another successful event, and let’s see the women in Penang grow together.
“It is one of the best events that I have been a part of,” said Bharati, the founder and director of Global Edge Pharma.
Zurilaili Ishak, a business consultant and mentor, expressed her delight in assisting participants, particularly single mothers, in becoming self-reliant.
Through the course, Zurilaili, the chief executive officer of EIA Academy, said she discovered some of the participants were really in need of help. She also thanked Chong Eng and PWDC for providing an opportunity to uplift women’s living standards.
Chong Eng said since the programme began three years ago, the response has been very encouraging with the number of women participants increasing every year.
She added that more than 300 female entrepreneurs have taken part in the programmes organised by PWDC to empower themselves economically.
“The challenges are great because the business world has been dominated by men for years. We are, however, providing an opportunity for women to level the playing field so that they can compete with confidence,” Chong Eng said.
The programmes’ adviser Lim Siew Khim, who is also the former Sungai Pinang assemblyman, said the state government has always placed the development of women in the economic field as the main agenda.
She urged more women to take part in the fourth edition of both programmes to acquire new skills and knowledge.
The programme will run for four months from August to November.
Others present at the press conference included PWDC directors Datuk Rohana Abdul Ghani and Datuk Dr Florence Sinniah, PWDC chief executive officer Ong Bee Leng, WomenBizSENSE chairman Tebby Tan Ting Ting, representatives from PWDC’s strategic partners – UiTM branch (Bertam), UiTM branch (Permatang Pauh) and Kolej Komuniti Bukit Mertajam, and representatives from several organisations.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Siew Chia En
