One young mum found herself having to look for a new way to earn a living.
School closures meant art teacher Megan Koh Suet Cheng had to stay home to care for her eight-year-old special needs son.
She suddenly needed an income stream she could generate from home so she would be continually on hand to take care of her son and her mother, a recently diagnosed dementia patient.
Forced to rethink how she was going to survive, she put into action an idea designed to earn money but also to bring a glimmer of hope to those still struggling.
The talented 42-year-old channelled her energy into starting a small business called Jarco.my selling her uniquely decorated glass jars and bottles.
Equipped with only her paintbrushes, her artistic gifts, and her cooking skills, she started decorating jars and filling them with chocolate and cookies while her family slept.
“I work on my jars from around eight in the evening, when my husband comes home from work and takes over caring for our son. I usually work extremely late and go to bed between one and four in the morning,” she told FMT at her home in Balakong, Selangor.
“Just one jar takes me at least 12 hours to decorate. I apply several layers of paint, each of which has to dry, and then I add some decoupage, which is gluing on coloured paper cut-outs. Then I do the other special paint effects and decorative features.”
It’s painstaking but fulfilling work.
“I have to make everything safe for children, so I sterilise all the jars and bottles before I decorate them,” she said. “All the paint I use is non-toxic and water-soluble, so it’s really safe.”
During the day, the devoted mum takes care of her son, Phang Yong Shen, who suffers from spina bifida occulta, a condition caused when one or more vertebrae do not fully form during gestation. He also has developmental issues which have yet to be fully diagnosed and which sometimes affect his behaviour.
“I have to watch him like a hawk as he might take it into his head to climb up somewhere dangerous and end up hurting himself,” she said.
Her mother’s dementia means Koh must be on hand to give her all the increasing care and attention she needs.
She hopes the income her one-woman, fledgling business generates will enable her to pay her considerable medication bills.
It’s a struggle, and she’s often exhausted but she is not about to let that dampen her spirits.
With her jars, she is creating small but meaningful gifts that carry a positive message for anyone struggling against adversity in these especially trying times.
“I want to motivate people and let them know that hope is always there so long as we make an effort and don’t give up,” she said. “I hope my jars will raise a smile and motivate others to go on when they are facing difficulties.”
For Christmas this year, she has designed a limited-edition line of jars.
Customers can choose from three designs which she and her family then fill with homemade peanut butter cookies, crunchy chocolate chip cookies and assorted chocolates.
Each jar ordered is personalised with the recipient’s name and a Christmas wish from the gift giver.
“I came up with the slogan, ‘There is always a reason to smile’ for my business. I just want to bring a little hope to those who are suffering,” she said.
Her message to those caring for special-needs children is: “Be persistent; be patient; be positive. Hope is always alive so long as we make an effort and don’t give up.”
Her Christmas wish this year is that each of her jars finds its way into a home where it will bring comfort and joy to those who really need a boost.
Check out the beautiful jars painted by Megan Koh at Jarco.my on Facebook.