KUALA LUMPUR: Preparing a cup of coffee might seem simple, but for Sky Soong, it takes patience, practice and, occasionally, a helping hand.
The 44-year-old, who is vision impaired, sometimes struggles to locate ingredients, handle equipment or notice when something has fallen.
But these are challenges he is gradually learning to work around at Blind Brew, a drinks stall in Brickfields he has been running for the past two months.
“It is difficult to run a stall because our vision is blurry. Sometimes things fall or are hard to find, and we may need to ask others for help,” he told FMT Lifestyle.
Originally from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Soong began experiencing blurred vision at 17. His eyesight gradually deteriorated, although he never knew why.
The change brought uncertainty, particularly about his future and his chances of finding work.
“There are not many jobs available for blind people. Twenty years ago, even going to college was difficult because computers were not suitable for us,” he shared.
Determined to become more self-reliant, Soong enrolled at the Malaysian Association for the Blind’s Gurney Training Centre, where he learnt practical skills such as using a white cane, cooking and navigating daily life.
Just as importantly, he discovered a community. “I learnt how blind people live and realised there are others like me. Some are partially blind, while others are completely blind,” he said.
It was also where he befriended Foo Yi Xeng, who would become one of Blind Brew’s co-founders.
Soong went on to work as a freelance massage therapist for more than 20 years before deciding to try something different.
Blind Brew was established with support from Kuala Lumpur-based NGO Persatuan Amal Indah, which provided about RM5,000 to help get the stall started.
The menu includes coffee, soya bean drinks, mango and peach jasmine green teas, cendol and Chinese tea eggs.
For Soong, the stall is about more than earning an income. “I want to help more people understand how blind people live. Empathy is more important than pity,” he said.
Running the business has meant learning through repetition. Soong relies on familiarity to remember where ingredients are kept and to make each drink as consistently as possible.
“You need to keep practising and understand where everything is placed. After repeating the process many times, you become more familiar with it."
Mistakes still happen. Preparing cendol, for instance, has proved challenging, particularly when he needs to judge whether ingredients such as coconut milk are still fresh.
“When we make mistakes, we’re not happy about it. We just hope we won’t repeat them,” he said.
Thankfully, customers have generally been understanding, offering feedback rather than criticism.
And few things make Soong happier than hearing that his efforts are paying off.
“When customers tell us our offerings such as cendol are better than before, we feel very happy and appreciated. It shows that we’re improving,” he said.
Business may be unpredictable, but Soong has no intention of throwing in the towel. For him, improvement comes from turning up, practising and trying again.
“Every day, when you keep doing something, you improve,” he concluded.
Blind Brew
21, Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4
Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 10am-5.30pm