A place to begin again: The women behind Moms Village Asia

In homes across Malaysia, something powerful is happening. It doesn’t start with big announcements, but quietly at kitchen tables, in living rooms, and in small conversations between women who want a better life for themselves and their families. It’s a movement led by women, for women. And it’s built on a simple belief: when mothers thrive, families thrive. And when families thrive, whole communities change. 

As we recognise International Women’s Day this March, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship is celebrating the women driving positive change through social innovation. Throughout the month, we’ll feature stories from women across our network—leaders, innovators and collaborators who are creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and inspiring change every day. 

This is the story of Moms Village Asia, a women‑led social enterprise supported by IKEA Social Entrepreneurship together with Biji‑biji Initiative through the SEAM programme. Their journey reminds us how far women can go when they’re supported, believed in, and not left to walk alone. 

Two women, one purpose 

Moms Village Asia began with two women, Vatsala Nair Manoharan and Roselin Das, who came together with the same intention: to create a space where mothers could rebuild their lives with dignity and confidence. 

For Vatsala, this work comes from a deeply personal place. After leaving an abusive marriage of 16 years, she started over with her young twin boys. It was a long road, and along the way she learned how many women face challenges that aren’t always visible. 

“I wasn’t just a survivor of physical and mental abuse,” she says, “but, like many housewives, I suffered from financial abuse.” 

Her experience showed her that women don’t just need income they need community, support, and a safe starting point. What began as a small co‑working space grew into an online community of more than 15,000 women. That shift made it easier for women who couldn’t travel, needed privacy, or simply wanted a safe place to connect. 

Roselin brought a different kind of experience from years of working on social impact and community‑based development. She understood how structure, training and entrepreneurship pathways open doors for women who often get overlooked. 

In one of their early conversations, they asked each other: 
“How would the world look like if every mother had a safe, flexible way to earn an income?” 

Moms Village Asia became their answer, a space where women learn, explore entrepreneurship, build confidence, and step into independence one small step at a time.  

One of the most powerful outcomes of this model is the #10Ringgit campaign. Simple yet transformative, the campaign encourages women to start with what they have even if it’s just 10 ringgit (about €2.17) and take their first steps toward self-sufficiency. For many, it’s not just about the money; it’s about proving to themselves that they can start small and grow. 

Understanding the barriers mothers face and creating space to rise 

Across Malaysia, many mothers want to work, but life makes it hard. Some don’t have childcare. Some have limited mobility and some face cultural expectations. Others depend on their partners financially, even when they want to break free from difficult situations. 

Moms Village Asia understands this complexity and builds around it. They offer women practical skills, flexible ways to earn, and a supportive community that fits into real life.  

One of the ways this becomes practical is through Magic Seed, the organisation’s sustainable manufacturing arm. Through Magic Seed, women are offered full-time and project-based employment producing eco-friendly seed paper products and sustainable corporate gifts. For mothers rebuilding after financial instability or difficult life transitions, this is more than work. It provides structured income, skill development, and the dignity of contributing to their households independently. By linking women’s economic participation with the circular economy, the model ensures that empowerment is not only encouraged, but economically sustained. 

This approach supports single mothers, women starting over after difficult circumstances, caregivers who need adaptable hours and anyone looking for confidence and a fresh start. Every step learning something new, making a product or earning even a small income helps build something bigger: a sense of independence and the belief that “I can do this.” 

As one mother shared simply, “Before, I felt invisible. Now, I feel capable.”

Growing with support from IKEA Social Entrepreneurship 

Through the SEAM programme, Moms Village Asia strengthened the way they work and planned for the future with more clarity. IKEA co‑workers Fredrik Edling, Fredrik Engman and Omar Hadid, together with industry mentors joined them along the way, offering ideas, asking questions, and supporting them in sharpening their business model. 

And the learning went both ways. 

“Being able to mentor the great team at Moms Village was a great experience, I think we really made a difference. I wasn’t prepared to learn as much as I did, and neither prepared for how important those learnings have been for my ordinary work.” 
— Fredrik Edling, M&C Planner, IKEA Marketing & Communications 

Scaling impact, one woman at a time 

Looking ahead, Moms Village Asia wants to reach even more women. They’re planning to grow their community, offer more types of training, and create more ways for mothers to earn an income that works for their everyday lives. The hope is simple: more women stepping into confidence, more families feeling supported, and more mothers lifting one another up. 

Around International Women’s Day, their story is a reminder that women’s empowerment isn’t something abstract it shows up in everyday moments, it’s intentional actions. When a mother gains confidence, learns a new skill or starts earning on her own, things change at home, children see new possibilities, families feel more secure, and communities grow stronger. 
 
Hear Vatsala and Roselin talk about their journey and impact.