Based on that philosophy, the six disabled workers have made the OKU Dobi Sdn Bhd launderette at the Mid-Valley shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur a real source of competition.

Despite having disabilities that range from learning disabilities such as Down’s Syndrome to physical disabilities, the six carry out their tasks normally.

The launderette was started in 2010 with the support of the AmBank Group, WorldwidePreneur and the Welfare Department and is open every day from 10am to 8pm.

Launderette manager Syazani Sazali, said OKU Dobi Sdn Bhd faced some challenges, such as unscrupulous customers who take advantage of the workers and pay less than charged.

“For example, we might charge them RM124; but they’ve realised that some of our workers cannot count as well, so they only pay RM100. This causes our income to occasionally not meet our expenses,” he told FMT.

Despite this and the stiff competition from other launderettes, Syazani has refused to give up, choosing to believe in himself and the workers.

“I hold on to my late father’s words: be trustworthy and responsible about your work. I always tell our customers to believe in us, and that we will give them our best service,” Syazani said.

With an average monthly income of RM2,700 to RM3,500, Syazani believes that the experience gained is worth more than anything else. “I will use my experience to help other disabled people who are looking for work. Perhaps my courage will inspire them in turn.”

Syazani plans to set up more such launderettes in the future, but is now focused on promoting the launderette via Facebook.