Aida Zunaidi

Aida Zunaidi of Ibupreneur discusses how she deftly manages parenting demands along with the rigours of running a social enterprise that enables other mothers to pursue their dreams

- Chong Jinn Xiung

Single mothers often have to manage household duties, childcare and earning an income. The weight of these responsibilities may cause elevated stress levels and fatigue, affecting their personal well-being and their capacity to take on other roles or pursue passions.

With these challenges in mind, Aida Zunaidi and Wong Wei Qi were inspired to start their social enterprise Ibupreneur in 2019 while still in university. They were both participating in the Youth Leadership Academy programme by McKinsey and Company, which focuses on equipping young Malaysians with skills to be entrepreneurs. “We were given the topic of women’s economic empowerment, which I [could resonate with] because I grew up with a mother who had to hold our family together and was the sole breadwinner,” says Aida. “Having witnessed the drive my mother exhibited, I wanted to follow in her footsteps.”