16/12/2025

TUESDAY | DEC 16, 2025

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Pokemon cards sold to fund Gaza aid

KUCHING: What began as a stay-at-home hobby has blossomed into a thriving enterprise for Kuching-based artisan Rena Kho, who brings the spirit of Christmas to life through intricately designed polymer clay jewellery and handmade accessories. Kho, 57, said her clay-crafting journey began in 2013 after she was introduced to basic techniques through church activities. She later refined her skills by attending specialised courses in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Japan. “My work initially focused on clay flowers and figurines before expanding into jewellery eight years later. Polymer clay really impressed me because with a simple piece you can create KUALA LUMPUR: Letting go of something you love is never easy, especially when it carries memories and has sentimental value. But it was different for Sabah-born Ayesha Assilla Watuna, who was willing to sell her personal collection of rare, limited-edition and hard-to-find Pokemon cards to raise funds to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is expected to conduct its next humanitarian mission to Gaza early next year. Pokemon is a popular Japanese media franchise centred around creatures called Pokemon. The franchise includes anime (Japanese animation), a trading card game, movies and other merchandise. With more than 3,000 cards featuring the cute animated characters that coloured her childhood, the 30-year-old homemaker said the idea to part with her Pokemon trading card game collection came after seeing many Malaysian women step forward and make sacrifices to help the people of Palestine. “I want to show that I’m able to contribute something meaningful to society and that makes everything worthwhile. Not only that, I’ll also be able to tell my children a meaningful story when they grow up – that I once sold my Pokemon cards so I could set foot in Palestine to o Sabah-born homemaker raises over RM15,000 for humanitarian mission

almost anything.” The Kuching native said polymer clay is well suited for jewellery-making as it is durable, washable and retains its colour for years when baked at a specific temperature. Each piece, she said, is entirely handmade – from conceptualising the design and selecting colour combinations to shaping, baking and finishing – with every pair of earrings taking at least one and a half hours to complete. “For this year’s Christmas season, I have created festive-themed designs featuring red roses and Christmas icons. Several items, such as Christmas tree earrings, have already sold out due to strong demand, but they will be help those in need,” she told Bernama. Ayesha began selling the cards online and at a weekend night market stall in Taman Melawati in late October. She has so far raised more than RM15,000 from the sales, with her card prices ranging from RM2 to several thousand ringgit each. “I am determined to channel 100% of the proceeds to the Global Sumud Flotilla fund. I don’t mind selling every card I own, even the ones I’m reluctant to part with,” she said, adding that she also has in her collection a Pokemon edition that is only sold in Japan, acquired for her by a friend. The mother of three, who started collecting Pokemon cards in June this year, said the hobby initially began as a way to fill her free time, but she never expected the cards to be valuable. Spending around RM2,000 a month to get the cards she wanted, Ayesha said card prices fluctuate based on the market, which collectors track using an app widely used by Pokemon fans and buyers. “It’s quite similar to gold, the longer you hold onto a card, the higher the value. Collectors usually sell their cards based on the market price shown in the Shiny app, where we just scan the card and the price appears. “Some card bundles I bought for only RM400 earlier are now worth double and may continue to increase in value. As long as the original plastic seal is intact, the price can rise higher.” Ayesha Assilla, who finds card collecting therapeutic, said her favourite characters include Charizard , while her preferred illustrator is Tomokazu Komiya.

Ayesha Assilla parts with her prized card collection to join the Global Sumud Flotilla which is expected to conduct its next humanitarian mission to Gaza early next year. – BERNAMAPIC

Christmas cheer crafted from clay

art (viscous organic substance from plants or synthetic polymer). She said the initiative allows women, including young mothers, to generate income from home while managing family responsibilities, transforming personal hobbies into sustainable livelihoods. Kho said festive seasons such as Christmas provide a significant boost to small craft businesses, with sales reaching up to RM30,000, including products made by fellow artisans. “Giving back is an important part of the Christmas tradition, so a portion of our earnings is donated annually to charitable organisations, especially The Salvation Army.” – Bernama

restocked soon,” said the mother of three. Kho also markets her creations through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, allowing her to reach a wider customer base beyond Kuching. Embracing Christmas as a season of love and sharing, Kho said she aims to reflect the festive message through her designs while spreading joy to customers from all backgrounds. Beyond her own creations, she has also brought together a small group of Sarawakian women artisans, most of them homemakers, to collectively market handmade crafts including micro-crochet accessories, macrame bags (textile art using knotting techniques) and resin