But far from letting her financial status hold her back in life, she worked hard to improve herself. Today, she is a businesswoman, running a baking studio and academy in the heart of Ampang.
Grateful for her blessings, Sarasvathe, popularly known as Nija, now hopes to give back to the community by offering free baking lessons to children from orphanages.
“My father was a lorry driver, while my mother worked as a laundry assistant. When I was young, people used to tell me that I would never be successful.
“But now I am successful with the blessing of God. That’s the biggest reason that I’m eager to help people, something I never got when I was a child,” Nija, 38, told FMT Lifestyle.
Today, “Nija Delights Studio” specialises in biscuits, cakes and other pastries for private events. In 2024, the studio supplied 3,000 fancy cookies for a bank.
The venue also hosts baking workshops: recently, she organised a sponsored session for 50 single mothers there, alongside her husband Puvaneswaran and friend Sureindra.
The bubbly baker, who has over 20 years of baking experience under her belt, said she first learnt baking to pass her time whenever her husband, a seaman, went abroad.
While looking after her two children, she would take classes on pastry-making and Facebook marketing. She also improved her skills by training under her uncle Baba, a well-known baker in Ipoh.
Nija, then a clinic accountant, began selling the cakes and biscuits she baked to her colleague. This was sometimes a challenge, she said, as it meant baking late into the night after a full day’s work at the office.
But the persistent young baker never gave up.
“It was tiring sometimes. But I just kept on going, because I really wanted to achieve something,” Nija said.
Opening her baking studio in 2018, she said she was eager to share the skills she’s learnt with others, especially the underprivileged.
So she collaborated with several NGOs to conduct free baking courses for children from B40 communities.
Nija said her plans for the future include holding free training sessions for orphans about twice a week, with participants receiving certificates upon completion.
Those attending her free courses will learn the basics of baking, especially how to bake great tasting cookies.
The baker hopes her training will inspire them to become entrepreneurs, who can earn an income by selling their baked goods online.
“I enjoy sharing this knowledge from my heart, and hope the children can learn all they can from these free lessons,” she said.
When asked why she is not charging even a nominal fee for her baking courses, she had this to say: Yes, money is important, but I’m doing this more to pay it forward, and for it to be a blessing.”
She added: “God has given me my customers, and I am happy for them. So, I hope to give this chance to others.”
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Nija Delights Studio
7-1, Jalan Dravidian
Bandar Baru Ampang
68000 Ampang
Selangor
Business hours
10am-10pm daily
Contact: 019-2405502