Melvie’s journey to food business success

Before Transform, Melvie worked as an all-around helper at a stall in the local market. She woke up at 4 a.m., made her way to work, and spent hours standing—chopping meat, carrying supplies, cleaning, and selling. It was a daily grind that drained her strength, but her family needed every bit of extra income to supplement her husband’s construction earnings.

“It was really hard. I was the only one running the stall, and I was the one chopping all the meat. I even ended up cutting my own hands a few times. By the time I got home, I was exhausted—but I still pushed myself to get up and keep going for my family,” she recalls.

Then she was invited to attend Transform. During those weekly sessions, something within her began to awaken—a courage she didn’t know she had. She first tried the recipes for steamed rice cakes and then sticky rice cakes. Her neighbors loved them, and soon Melvie was on fire.

She made more as demand grew. She even prepared extras for her kids to sell in school; whatever they earned helped support their daily needs.

Soon, her business kept growing. Neighbors reached out for birthday and community celebration orders. Then she realized she also knew how to cook other dishes and desserts.

Melvie had a bright idea—why not offer a complete spread for birthdays and family gatherings, combining her Transform recipes with her own home-cooked specialties? Suddenly, customers had a one-stop shop for complete food packages for birthdays and family celebrations.

And as her business expanded, Melvie found another way to help her customers: she began offering pay-later, installment-based orders—making celebrations accessible even for families with tight budgets.

Today, Melvie’s business is growing. Her kids now help as her assistants, making sure every order is prepared well and delivered on time. With her steady income, Melvie supports her son’s college education. She has also been able to invest in small but meaningful comforts for her family—a sturdier double burner cooker, a washing machine, and even a big karaoke speaker that fills their home with music.

Melvie has come a long way from the days when she couldn’t feed her family. Through her hard work—and with the support and lessons she received from Transform—she unlocked the courage, confidence, and resilience that had always been within her.

“The key to our success has been our hard work, our trust and prayers to the Lord, and never losing hope,” Melvie shares.

Her home may be small, but Melvie’s strength is not.