BY INDY MAEALASIA
AT first glance, Susan Timi may seem like any ordinary housewife, but a closer look reveals a woman whose principles of patience, perseverance, and hard work have propelled her to success.
A proud Malaitan, Timi is not only a dedicated stay-at-home mum but also the founder of Malo Kitchen, a catering business. Her unwavering commitment to her small home enterprise has recently open doors of opportunity.
“My business started back in 2020, and when I went into it, I did not go out to sell products but I reached out to communities and teach mothers how they can preserve food for cyclones, droughts, and how to store food in the house,” Timi explained.
Her specialty lies in grinding herbs, spices, and crops from her garden into powdered form. Some of her unique and interesting homemade products include cassava flour, cassava starch, ginger powder, ginger tea, and turmeric powder.
“We cannot always purchase this at stores if we don’t have money,” she noted, It’s also important for mothers who want to cook nutritious food for their children to plant them and pound them into powder.”
Despite lacking a colorful formal educational background or attending training workshops, Timi tapped into her creativity and experimented with whatever she had available from her garden, using only her hands and simple tools.
“It took me years to master these things,” she said, beaming with pride.
Like any successful venture, Timi’s Malo Kitchen has faced its fair share of challenges.
“Sometimes when I do this, my children will laugh at me, they would say, mum you are wasting your time, don’t do that,” Timi shared. “But because of the positivity within me, it drove me to continue.”
She recalled numerous instances of failure but emphasized that she never gave up.
“I failed and do it again. I might fail three to four times in a row but I kept on doing it. At the end of my failures, my products turned out beautifully.”
Her dedication has finally paid off when Timi was announced one of three winners in the country’s first-ever Agri-Innovative competition last Thursday. She is set represent the Solomon Islands at the upcoming Pacific SIDS Solutions Forum in Fiji from November 5-8.
Reflecting on her milestone, Timi was thrilled and expressed her Joy: “I am happy and did not expect to win the competition.”
Timi hoped her journey inspires other women and mothers like herself. “I encourage stay-at-home mums and those who feel uneducated, thinking they can’t achieve anything, to stay positive. If I can do it, so can you! Positivity can drive you to create a better future for your children.”
As a mother, she understands the importance of being a role model. “What we show our children can have a lasting impact. Find your passion—whether it’s cooking or another skill—and be patient. With time, you’ll see improvement,” Timi added.
