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Dr Billy Tang is a great example of not letting adversity define him nor his abilities.
After a car accident in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, left him paralysed from the waist down six years ago, he threw his focus into urban farming, developing a model to help poor and marginalised communities get access to fresh, nutritious food sustainably.
The 55-year-old agriculturist and researcher set up a social enterprise called PWD Smart FarmAbility and, last year, introduced the Hope Box Project, which offers organic vegetable terrariums for adoption or sale in aid of various beneficiaries.
The terrariums, which can self-regenerate for at least three months and up to a year without fertilisers, act as a form of fresh food bank conveniently located where the recipients live.
During the pandemic, Seven Tea One has focused on promoting online sales via e-commerce platforms, their website and through social media, offering gift sets for bulk purchases, among other things. Photos: Seven Tea One
When businessman Lai Chong Haur, 51, quit the corporate world to take over the Seven Tea One social enterprise from his co-founder in 2018, he knew he would not regret it.
In fact, he had also been using his own funds to keep the organisation afloat since the pandemic hit.
A set-up for people with special needs, the social enterprise employs and trains differently abled teenagers and the marginalised to earn an income in a non-discriminatory work environment.