Nearly a decade later, that perseverance has borne fruit for Meley Alug, 36, from the Temiar tribe in Kampung Dusun Raja, Kuala Betis Resettlement Plan.

Today, she no longer travels from door to door; instead, her many clients show up at her doorstep to have a wash, blow-dry, trim or perm at the hair salon she now runs from the comfort of her own home.

Looking back, Meley said the greatest challenge of running a mobile salon was having to keep her two children calm during the long hours at her clients’ homes.

“At that time, they were still very small, so I constantly had to soothe and manage them while working,” she recalled, saying that work would sometimes take up to four hours.

However, her business began to flourish two years ago when she received support from the department of Orang Asli development (Jakoa).

They provided her with a hairwashing chair, a hair dryer, and a hair steamer, she told reporters.

“Now, customers come directly to my home to have their hair washed and for other treatments,” she said, adding that she has four children now, aged one through nine.

Meley also implemented creative marketing strategies, such as discounts during festivals and a re-grooming guarantee, to attract more clients and retain those she already has.

She said she can make up to RM2,000 a month, especially during festive seasons. Prices for her hairstyling services are reasonable, from RM10 to RM150 for adults, and just RM5 for children.

Meley dreams of one day opening a salon in an even more comfortable space, and hopes her success will inspire other Orang Asli women to boldly utilise their skills and pursue their own business ventures.