There is nothing ordinary about how Jafri Abdul Manaf got to where he is today. From a dropout to a failed contractor, to a trash picker, and now a successful businessman of over 11 years. Still, he never forgets his humble beginnings and the lessons that he learned all those years ago.

His willingness to share his story caught me off guard. He held nothing back and wears his past on his sleeves. His honesty shows in his text reply written in Malay shorthand. That was how we conducted the interview.

He began from the beginning, from the failures that became the bedrock of his success. I rarely see that level of honesty in anyone, it is admirable. He explains how he named his business as a reminder of what he once had to do and how he aims to use his business to help others who were once in his position.

In the middle of his story, he credits his wife for being his persevering pillar of strength. And that was how the lead of the story came to be.

The Picker’s Bundle is located in Shah Alam. They are also on Facebook and Instagram.