Wai-ling was a housewife before being a member of a shop. The only in her world was her family. She lacked of self-confident and she had never expressed her point of view as she thought she did not have any knowledge. She had never thought that she would have her own business one day. It was not her dream because she had never thought of. 2001 was one of the most important years in her life and it changed her future.
Yan Oi Tong held a project to teach housewives about some simple knowledge of opening a shop. A social worker invited Wai-ling to join this program. There were 7 members in this project and they learned how to arrange a store. She did not want to join as first because she thought that she did not have any knowledge nor experience. She did not think that she would succeed so she rejected the social workers but the social worker kept on encouraging so she did join this project. At the beginning, her family also did not think that she would do it. After joining this program, she and the other members opened a store in Lingnan. They worked as a team and on a shift. From ordering the stuffs to looking after the store, everything was done by them. However, Wai-ling was still lack of confidence. She always replied on the other members and she had never given call for ordering any stuffs. During the meeting, she had never expressed her thought or given out any ideas. Though she was still lack of confidence, she thought that it was already a big step for her progressing as she stepped out to her comfort zone. In the past, she seldom left home. She only went out to the place that she was familiar such as market. For her, opening a store with other was already an unbelievable change. She has learnt a lot whiling cooperating with others. She has learnt to be with others, cooperate with others and express to the others. She is much more convenient while comparing to the past.
Unfortunately, the store was closed in 2007 and she lost her job and become a housewife again. A year later, Lingnan invited her to go back and reopen the store. However, no one was willing to do so except Wai-ling. Therefore, she re-opened the store by her own. She has never thought that she could do it. If she never joined this project, she would not be as brave as now. Re-opening the store was a big challenge for her because no one would help her anymore. She must settle everything. In the past, she was working for others but now she is working for herself. It was already 15 years and she is progressing a lot. She is glad for the change.
Success is not because of the luck but effort. From a housewife to a boss, Wai-ling story tells us ‘simple is never being an excuse’. The ideology of female is oppression; housewife is a no paid job and low position in the society; does it mean that housewife is useless? It seems impossible from being a housewife without knowledge to a boss. In fact, everything is possible but the choice is always in your hand.
Written by Ng Hoi Lam