Maharani programme helps to focus on goals – Nalini

Growing up in a single-parent household, P. Nalini, 22, looks up to her mother whom she describes as her role model in life. “My parents divorced when I was 12 years old and since then my mother has been working very hard to raise her four children. My mother is an ordinary woman who found strength in her children and I have always admired her perseverance,” Nalini said. Last year, she joined the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) at Kuala Lumpur to take up their tailoring course. There, she was introduced to the Maharani programme.

“I like the games and activities organised by the Maharani coordinators as it encourages teamwork and social interaction among the participants. I also made a lot of friends through the programme,” she said.

She also enjoyed the free yoga classes offered through the Maharani programme. “Yoga is a new experience for me. Yoga classes out there are expensive, and I have never had the opportunity to attended such classes. Through Maharani, when I started attending Yoga classes I really enjoyed it as it relaxes my mind and teaches me to be a calmer person,” she said. “Overall, the Maharani programme has pushed me to become a better person and given me the confidence to further improve my knowledge and skills in tailoring. I am more confident of myself and my strengths now,” she said. “Maharani taught me to have ambitions and to dream big. The programme coordinators helped me to set my goals in life. They helped me realise how important it is to have dreams inn order to achieve something in life. Their words of encouragement helped me to focus on my achievement and becoming a good tailor so I can help my mother to support my siblings,” she added. Nalini who wants to open her own boutique said the Maharani programme is a great platform for girls to work on improving themselves mentally, emotionally and physically.