International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March, and we at Batik Boutique, want to introduce you to two women in Malaysia who inspire us in our Women of Impact highlight.
First, meet Deborah Henry. Deborah Henry is a former Miss Universe Malaysia, a television host and model. But beyond her successful career is a heart of gold.
Deborah began the Fugee School almost 10 years ago, has a launched a socially conscious brand called Fugeelah, which Batik Boutique helped launch and also sells in-store (hyperlink our address), and now runs an umbrella organization called Payong.
Payong is the embodiment of Deborah’s work with refugees in Malaysia, and focuses on the 3 pillars of education, enterprise, and empowerment.
Alena Murang is one of the only female sape dancers, a musician, and a singer. She is part English, Italian, and Kelabit, and is part of the first generation to be born outside of her village in Borneo.
Her journey with music aims to bridge the urban/rural divide. In 2018, she played the sape to a collective audience of over 100,000 people globally.
She is most proud of the process of learning the music and folklore of her aunties, whose hard work and dedication are her inspiration.
We interviewed both Deborah and Alena to find out what contribution they are most proud of, who inspires them, and what message they have for women in 2019. You can watch the full interviews here:
Happy International Women’s Day from Batik Boutique.
