Can a humble piece of pastry change one’s course of life?

Ask single mother Ismaliza Ismail and she would give a resounding “yes”.

In 2008, when her husband died, 48-year-old Ismaliza’s world collapsed. With six children between the ages of nine and 20, she found herself not only grieving, but also carrying the double duty of being a breadwinner and a parent.

“Every bill, every fee, every meal was a source of anxiety,” she recalls. “There were nights I lay awake, terrified, wondering how to keep us afloat.”

With no steady income and no safety net, her small kitchen in Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, became the unlikely stage for a new beginning.

Out of desperation, she turned to her late mother’s curry puff recipe, a family favourite.

Her first steps were modest. She sold frozen curry puffs from home to neighbours and friends. She earned just about RM300 a month, barely enough for school expenditures, groceries and rent.

But each sale gave her hope. “I told myself, maybe this recipe could be my lifeline,” she says.

For years, she kept going for her children’s sake. “Their future depended on me. That was my source of strength,” she adds.

Turning point

Ismaliza’s curry puff business has grown by leaps and bounds. Photo: People Systems Consultancy

Change came when she joined the Entrepreneurial Equalisation Programme by People Systems Consultancy (PSC), a Malaysian social enterprise helping communities create sustainable livelihoods.

For the first time, she saw her kitchen venture as a real business.

“It taught me financial planning, product pricing, marketing, even how to approach cafes with samples,” she shares. “Most importantly, the programme gave me the confidence to believe in myself as a businesswoman.”

With new skills and mentorship, her curry puff venture began to grow. No longer limited to home orders, she started supplying to cafes across the Klang Valley, including branches of Richiamo Coffee and government office cafeterias in Putrajaya.

She diversified her products too, with jackfruit burgers and festive cookies.

Today, at 65, Ismaliza earns between RM5,000 to RM8,000 monthly, more than seven times what she started with.

“Before PSC, I only saw myself as a single mother who could cook. Now I see myself as a businesswoman with a vision,” she says.

Paying it forward

For Ismaliza, success lies not only in her own stability but in lifting others along the way.

Inspired by PSC’s mentorship model, she now actively supports and trains other single mothers.

“I share my journey; my struggles, failures and small victories,” she says.

“When they feel like giving up, I tell them, don’t think about building an empire today. Just take one step at a time. Your children are watching and every step forward is for them.”

Her proudest moment came when one of her mentees secured her first bulk order from a corporate office.

“She called me with so much joy. It felt like one of my own children had succeeded,” she smiles.

Beyond mentoring, she also creates income opportunities by involving single mothers and persons with disabilities in her supply chain.

“Success only has true meaning when it helps others,” she says.

Part of her strength, she believes, lies in the symbolism of food itself. The curry puffs that once sustained her children now sustain her community.

“What started as a recipe for survival became a recipe for empowerment,” she explains.

Known as Mummy in her community, she says the nickname is something she treasures.

“It means being cared for, through the food I make and the advice I share. To me, it represents family.”

Discipline and strategy

Ismaliza (seated, second from right) raised her six children by selling curry puffs. Photo: People Systems Consultancy

The programme has instilled not only business knowledge but also the discipline of reinvestment.

She recalls how saving 20% of her income allowed her to buy a bigger freezer, enabling her to accept bulk orders without hesitation.

Small, steady steps, she says, create long-term stability.

She hopes to see her products on supermarket shelves, in boarding schools and in hospitals. Ismaliza also hopes to launch new items like jackfruit sambal and eggless mayonnaise.

“With the right support, I believe it's possible,” she says.

But above all, she says her journey is about dignity.

“Financial independence is what matters. It’s not about being rich, it’s about having choices. Being able to pay bills and school fees on time gave me back my dignity. That independence is the foundation of empowerment.”

If her late husband and mother could see her today, she believes they would be proud.

“Not because of how big my business is, but because I didn’t give up when life was at its hardest,” she says.

Her story, she hopes, will inspire other women to believe in themselves.

“I started with RM300 and six mouths to feed; no support and no safety net. But taking small steps leads to something bigger. Don’t be afraid to dream, even if your dream starts off as small as a curry puff,” she concludes.