Single mum with two autistic sons beats odds
Published on: Wednesday, July 28, 2021
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Shereen with the handsewn products sold on online.
Kuala Lumpur: A single mother of two sons with special needs has beaten the odds and turned her sewing hobby into a source of income amid the Covid-19 pandemic.Shereen Khoo, 65, initially did not know how to sell her handmade products online, but found breakthrough on the Tunku Azizah Handmade Market (TTAHM) platform.
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TTAHM, under the Malaysian Creative Sewing Arts Association (PSJKM), is a platform on www.sewingworld.com.my that was set up to assist Malaysian handicrafters affected by the pandemic.
Within a month of joining TTAHM in December 2020, Shereen had received up to 2,000 orders for owl keychains, which is among the products that she offers.
“I’m very thankful to PSJKM and Sewing World for this opportunity to be able to sell my products online, so that I can have income.
“Also for my two boys, I hope they can develop (themselves) in this area,” said Shereen in an interview video.
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Her sons Xiang Wei, 24, and Xiang Jian, 27, have Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges.
Owl keychains produced by her sons.
Both her sons have taken up sewing and helps Shereen in making products for the business, in which she hopes could leave a legacy for them.
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“Around the end of 2018 I discovered that my two special boys have a talent in sewing. So I want to develop something for them so that when I’m no longer around, they can be independent.
“This is the concern of every mother who have children with special needs,” she said.
Shereen’s two sons who have Autism Spectrum Disorder hard at work in this video screenshot.
In April 2019, Shereen experienced a hip injury from a fall which rendered her immobile for a few months, which is the time that her sons fully ventured into sewing.
“I fell down and broke my hip bone so I couldn’t walk for a few months. Hence, during that time I did a lot of sewing, and got my sons to help,” she said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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