Brunei, Muara - Since the age of six, Hjh Nooraini Md Yusof was always keen in joining her grandmother on "jungle expeditions" to search for herbs, roots and plants for their medicinal values. Forty years later, the entrepreneurial mother of two now has a small shop in one of the busiest shopping complexes in Kiulap, selling an all-Bruneian brand: NatureCare.
Hjh Nooraini said her main purpose of setting up shop was to share with the public the rich benefits that could be derived from Brunei‘s vast jungle.
Arranged atop her shop counters are bottles of ointments, shampoos and tea leaves, standing side by side.
"Everything I sell here is homemade and home-prepared. The ingredients are hand picked from the jungles of Brunei. Each item has its own unique medicinal value to treat many ailments," said Hjh Nooraini who commercialised her home business four years ago. Her small enterprise has attract an agent from the Belait district to sell her products.
"A few years ago, I was invited to join an exhibition at the ICC (International Convention Centre) to showcase my traditional medicines during the World HIV Day," she said, adding that she was surprised to see how well received her products were and decided that it might be a good idea to sell them commercially.
When Hjh Nooraini first started selling, she only had four products on her shelves, now, almost five years later, she has managed to increase the amount of products she offers by more than ten-fold. Altogether, there are more than 45 NatureCare products.
Asked how much she earns a month, the 47-year-old lady modestly replied: "It depends usually just slightly over $1,000.
"However, my main purpose is really just to help my customers live a healthier life and offer them a chance to revert back to traditional Bruneian remedies."
Among the top selling NatureCare products are Raja Emas Herbal Tea and Talapa Hair Shampoo. The herbal tea is said to benefit those suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes while the shampoo is most suited for migraine sufferers.
She packages her products in sterile bottles imported from Malaysia.
"In order to bring down cost of packaging, I order the bottles in bulk usually 10,000 pieces a month. The labellings are all done at home. My son is a very good designer," she said.
With such unique and refreshingly all-natural products, it‘s not surprising that Hjh Nooraini has almost 200 regular customers. She also noted that many young Bruneians are also stopping by to enquire about her products.
"Its rewarding to know that our younger generation are curious and are wanting to know more about Brunei‘s rich medicinal heritage."
Source: www.bruneitimes.com (25 September 2007)
