Have confidence and always try – that’s the motto of Nafesah Daud also known as. The 35-year-old, bona fide supermom has a grit and determination that would put many soldiers to shame.
Nefesah (2nd from the right) and the team at The Nail Social.
Prior to her current job as the salon manager at socially conscious nail salon, The Nail Social, the single mother of six had difficulty finding full-time employment due to her hiatus from working life and family commitments. As prospective employers could not understand how she could possibly split her time between work and managing her kids.
“School holidays, if a child is sick, school closure, staff retreat or childcare arrangements. They will question me and will ask me things like if one is sick, what will be your arrangement, do you have any alternative care. So sometimes, it left me really speechless because I do not know what to say,” Fyza confesses.
So she took the plunge to improve herself in other ways when prospective employers cited her outdated skills for their rejection, she dedicated time and effort to attend courses and upgrade her skills
“I said to them – if you are keen to teach me then I am willing to learn. I completed everything, all my courses, went job hunting and yet they still gave me lots of reasons for not giving me the job.”
Dejected after her fruitless job-hunt, she got in touch with Daughters of Tomorrow (DoT). a registered charity in Singapore aimed at helping to facilitate livelihood opportunities for underprivileged women.
Photo from: Daughters Of Tomorrow
“Since you have not been working for so long, your confidence will definitely be very low,” Fyza says. At DoT, she was enrolled into a confidence curriculum and put in touch with the founder of The Nail Social, Cheryl Ou.
Working at The Nail Social allowed her to juggle her commitments between taking care of her family and work with flexible working hours and arrangements. 3 years on, Fyza has climbed up the ranks and now manages the salon – a far cry from her days of job hopping from odd jobs.
“Being super to me is, being a mother who can make her kids smile. After a long day of work, it makes it all worth it when you look at your kid’s face knowing that at the end of the month they are looking forward to a good feast,” she says.
Her advice to those who are struggling? Find the confidence in yourself.
“If she can do it why can’t I. Those words shouldn’t come from anyone else but yourself. Imagine yourself in the same boat as someone you admire and find the confidence in yourself to try.”
#SuperladyStories in an initiative powered by the drive, passion and ambition of #Superladies everywhere. Ladies in tech, ladies leading the charge and ladies who challenge tradition. Do you have a super lady in your life? Join the conversation and share her story with us by hashtagging #superladystories and #kinohimitsusg on Facebook & Instagram.
