Determined to earn an honest living so that she could feed her family, a woman has taken on the arduous task of walking several kilometres every day to the Selangor Wholesale Market, where she works as a personal shopper.
There, she would sit at a corner while holding a piece of cardboard box detailing her services in hopes that someone would hire her for the day.
M’sian woman walks 3km daily to offer to shop for others
Speaking to NST, Mahaniza Mohamad, also known as Kak Zah, said she started working as a personal shopper two years ago after her husband suffered a nerve condition which rendered him unable to work.
Given her husband’s condition and the fact that she doesn’t have a car, Mahaniza would walks from her home in Taman Pinggiran Putra to the Selangor Wholesale Market—a journey that’s 3km long.
“There, I’d offer to shop and carry items for customers in exchange for a small, voluntary fee.
“I start as early as 6.30am and end at noon before walking home. 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, which takes about 20 minutes,” she said.
‘I want to lighten the load of others’
Aside from providing for her family, Mahaniza said her other goal in becoming a personal shopper is to assist in easing the load of those who hire her.
I believe that if we ease others’ burdens, God will ease ours in return. I accept whatever people are able to give.
“On weekdays, I usually earn around RM40 to RM50 a day. Some give RM2, RM3, RM5 or even RM10 – I gratefully accept whatever they can spare,” she said, adding that her earnings were enough to purchase groceries for her family.
Mahaniza said although she had faced rejection in the past, it doesn’t deter her from working as a personal shopper.
“For now, I plan to continue with this job, but I also hope to start a small business one day, if given the chance,” she added.
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