NEWS
M'sian Woman Walks Over 3km Daily to Work as a Personal Shopper to Provide for Her Family
For the past two years, one Malaysian mother has been waking up early each morning to walk more than 3 kilometers to the Selangor Wholesale Market, where she works as a personal shopper.
Speaking to NST, Mahaniza Mohamad, 44, affectionately known as Kak Zah, revealed that she has been offering what she calls the “Pikul Pro” service ever since her husband, Muhammad Farhan Sedik, 43, was diagnosed with a nerve condition that left him unable to work.
Since she doesn’t own a car, Kak Zah chooses to walk from her home in Taman Pinggiran Putra to the market every morning.
Upon arriving at the market, she sits in a corner holding a piece of cardboard that advertises her personal shopper service. In addition to shopping for others, she also helps customers carry their items in exchange for a voluntary fee.
“I start as early as 6:30 am. The flexibility of this work allows me to care for my husband and two children, aged 11 and 15.
My husband can't walk like a normal person, so most of the responsibilities at home fall on me. After getting the children ready for school, I walk to the market. It takes me about 20 minutes,” she said.
“I believe that if we ease others’ burdens, God will ease ours in return.”
Besides working as a personal shopper to feed her family, Kak Zah also aims to ease the burden of market visitors by helping them.
When asked how much she earns, Kak Zah said the amount varies, and she usually accepts whatever people are able to give.
“On weekdays, I usually earn around RM40 to RM50 a day. Some give me RM2, RM3, RM5, or even RM10. I gratefully accept whatever they can spare,” she said, adding that her daily earnings are just enough to buy groceries for her family.
Throughout her two years of working, Kak Zah said she has faced rejection, but it has never deterred her from continuing.
Recently, Kak Zah has garnered increased attention after her photo and story went viral on social media.
“More people have contacted me offering help. For now, I plan to continue with this job, but I also hope to start a small business one day, if given the chance.”
Featured Image Credit: Harian Metro, NST
Featured Image Credit: Harian Metro, NST