Sabah ultra-trail runner turns jewellery-making de-stress therapy into small business

 By Olivia Miwil - September 25, 2023 @ 10:43am

Jess Boubie, 40, will be showcasing and selling her handmade traditional jewellery at the KL Telekom Museum. - Pic by Jess Boubie.

KOTA KINABALU: An international ultra-trail runner had never thought that making bead bracelets as a way to de-stress would turn into a business opportunity for her.

Jassica Lintanga, 40, from Kota Belud, said that she was hit with depression in 2018 when she failed to finish her race at Rinjani mountain in Indonesia.

"I had tried many ways to recover from the sadness. I learned to make bead bracelets, sew and farm, but I eventually found peace in the process of making brass bracelets. Perhaps I needed a loud sound to cover the noise inside my head.

"But I never thought that this 'therapy' would now become my small business, 'Jess Boubie Craft'.

"From there, I noticed that the brass bracelet is more unique when crafted by women," said Jassica, adding that she hopes through her work, more youngsters will learn about Sabah accessories and their connections to people's beliefs and culture.

Jessica's business is among 15 social enterprises that will be taking part in the "Festivscape: Buy For Impact" event on Sept 30 and Oct 1 at Muzium Telekom in Kuala Lumpur.

She said it was her second time joining the event and she hopes that visitors will support her artwork.

The two-day event is hosted by the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC) which includes 30 social enterprises from across Malaysia.

Last year, SCENIC's general manager Viviantie Sarjuni, said that they had brought 10 social enterprises from Sabah to participate in a similar event at Rumah Tangsi in Kuala Lumpur.

"In an astounding 48 hours, these enterprises generated total sales of RM70,000, significantly contributing to their initiatives in Sabah.

"Building on this achievement, SCENIC sees this as a strategic platform for market access and is now reviving the effort through 'Festivscape: Buy For Impact' at a national level.

"This movement seeks to encourage consumers, private companies, and the public sector in Malaysia to make mindful purchases from impact-driven enterprises that are actively addressing pressing challenges in the country."

During the event, collaborator Yayasan Telekom Malaysia is also helping to provide a networking platform and business opportunities for participants and uplift entrepreneurship through digital and technology.