Cover Self-taught woodworker and law grad Aida Ihsani is on a mission to empower women to build their confidence in woodworking (Photo: Fady Younis)
Self-taught woodworker and law grad Aida Ihsani is on a mission to empower women to build their confidence in woodworking (Photo: Fady Younis)
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Self-taught woodworker and law grad Aida Ihsani is on a mission to empower women with the (literal) tools to build their confidence in woodworking
You’d be surprised at what you can achieve on your own.
Aida Ihsani learned this life lesson early on when starting her own woodworking business years ago with her ex-husband. After parting ways with him, Aida was faced with the decision of whether or not to continue woodworking on her own. Moved by necessity more than choice, she kept at it–a decision that ultimately paid off.
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“The hardest part was deciding whether or not to do the business on my own. Before, I had someone to bounce ideas with, but now I don’t have that. I also had zero money. But I did have jobs coming in. Initially I didn’t want to take on orders, but I had no choice because I needed income. I said yes, and I had to figure out how to do the rest,” says the law graduate who enjoys hiking, gardening, and up-cycling old furniture in her spare time. “That’s when I discovered my ability that I didn’t know I had.”
Above Aida Ihsani founded the Women's Woodworking Workshop in 2019
Aida Ihsani founded the Women's Woodworking Workshop in 2019
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Despite facing uncertainty, Aida was never averse to doing things solo. From attending self-defence classes to hiking and mountain climbing, venturing into the unknown was never a fear as much as an adventure to this fiercely independent creative.
“I was always volunteering or joining different activities on my own, just being awkward and putting myself on the spot,” she laughs good-naturedly, adding that her volunteering stint building orang asli homes as part of Epic Homes collective first sparked her interest in woodworking and carpentry.
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An HRDC-certified trainer, Aida eventually founded the Women’s Woodworking Workshop in 2019, determined to impart practical skills and know-how to other women who are interested in woodworking. Since starting, she has trained around 2,000 women from all walks of life, with some participants travelling all the way from Sabah and Singapore to attend her workshops of around 15 to 20 participants at a time. She also teaches woodworking classes at an international school and facilitates woodworking workshops for corporate clients when her schedule permits.
“At the time, I felt there were very few avenues for women to learn woodworking, and if there were, they were mostly led by or attended by men. As a self-taught woodworker, I figured if I could learn it, so could other women,” says Aida, adding that her first few woodworking classes over a three-month pilot period were fully booked.
Above A row of wooden kits built by Aida
Above From bookshelves to montessori chairs, Aida also keeps busy with custom furniture orders
A row of wooden kits built by Aida
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Above A tool cabinet that Aida built herself
A tool cabinet that Aida built herself
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Dressed in denim overalls, work boots, and safety goggles and perched over her workbench with a sander or power tool in hand, Aida cuts a unique and inspiring figure. A firm believer in the power of community, Aida enjoys bringing women together to learn new woodworking skills, embark on a hike, or even learn how to change car tires together.
“From Gen Z women to baby boomers, this community is so multicultural, and it bridges the gaps between the ages,” says Aida. “Nowhere else will you get incredible conversations between strangers, anything from postpartum depression to mother-daughter relationships. They learn from each other, and they benefit from the knowledge that they are not alone.”
One of Aida’s favourite things is seeing participants open up during a workshop and learn that making mistakes is okay. “The thing about us women is we are so afraid of making mistakes. I always say that woodworking is about unlearning things as much as learning a better mindset. In my workshops, I start by telling women, ‘It’s not going to be perfect, and that’s okay.’
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“I think many of us grew up seeking validation, or maybe we’re conditioned always to ask for permission, to make sure we don’t fail. Even when they’re taking measurements, they feel everything has to be perfect and exact,” Aida muses. With a hint of amusement, she recalls experiences teaching a woodworking class full of men and the stark differences from an all-female group.
“I think it is very important to understand the different dynamics between men and women—which is not a bad thing. What I observed is men will just try and do it even if they don’t know how. Women, on the other hand, would wait for approval, wait for instructions or directions and aim to get everything right on the first try. I realised there’s so much of that unlearning that we have to do, and hopefully, I can teach other women to ‘unlearn’ through what I do.”
In her own life journey, running her own business was the fastest way to ‘unlearn’ the more traditional viewpoints about women in society, whether that be that woodworking isn’t a ‘woman’s job’ or that success is unattainable without a man at your side.
Above Law student-turned woodworking trainer Aida says unlearning is an important part of the creative process
Law student-turned woodworking trainer Aida says unlearning is an important part of the creative process
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So what does it mean to be truly empowered, in Aida’s books?
“It’s so interesting, we just had this conversation about how some women may want to stay at home as housewives, and that can be just as empowering, even though society and the corporate sector might look at them and say otherwise,” says Aida. “It gets harder when women feel that there’s only one way to be empowered. The reason I started this workshop was because I felt there was a lack of support among women, a lack of something that is so important for us to empower each other, which is community. Seeing that happen makes me so happy, and I feel empowered in turn.”
Credits
Photography: Fady Younis
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
