KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Sin Chew Daily) — Lina Abdullah is a strong mother for her nine children, five of whom dyslexics.

Lina, 48, a leukemia patient herself, sews bags, tissue boxes, face masks, water tumbler bags, hand phone bags and others to make a living.

Prior to that, she was selling herbs before she was diagnosed with leukemia. 

After losing her job, she tried to look for other jobs but to no avail.

Someone suggested that Lina learn to sew.

Lina and her husband are from East Malaysia seeking a better life in the city. They settled down in Sabah Bernam.

Her 53-year-old husband is an odd-job worker while her nine children are aged between nine and 26.

Lina's eldest daughter has been diagnosed as a dyslexic and a hyperactive child.

Her daughter used to cut her clothes and had difficulty getting along with others.

Lina's clothes used to be "redesigned" by her daughter with scissors.

She used to be sad and feeling hopeless until a specialist told her to change her perception.

Lina did not only had to deal with her eldest daughter but her other children seemed to be testing her too

"My children are God's gift to me," said Lina, despite the hardship.

Subsequently, she joined Sewing World Gallery in Subang Jaya to learn sewing, a place which is 120km away from her home.

Sewing World Gallery is teaching low-income group sewing skills free of charge and is providing a platform for them to sell their products to improve their lives.

The trainees are supplied with sewing machines at home too.

Lina was under tremendous stress when she was learning how to sew as she felt tired easily being a leukemia patient.

She also has a child diagnosed with leukemia and she has to travel to hospital regularly to pick up the medication.

Sewing World Gallery sells products sewn by Lina at http://sewingworld.com.my under Lina Tailor.

Besides sewing, Lina also sells greens and flowers planted by her whenever she takes a break from sewing.