[ID] Shopaholic sells preloved clothes to raise funds for orphanage

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Tia (@gloryysl888) is a self-confessed shopaholic. “Fashion and shopping are two things that I can’t live without. I have an uncontrollable desire to shop. One day I had trouble closing my cupboards and decided to do something about it. I decided to turn my habit into something that is useful to me and also others,” shares Tia. This led her to start with a cycle of selling her preloved items as she buys new ones, setting up a mini “store” in her garage. 

Tia’s “store” in her home garage

“I tried so many marketplaces until I found Carousell. I started selling my own preloved items, and decided to do more and sell clothes and accessories from online suppliers as well. I have even become a fashion advisor to my customers. I’m happy to help them feel more confident with themselves. Many of my Carousell customers have become my friends,” said Tia. In fact, she found an old friend who happened to buy an item from her on Carousell!

Besides helping with fashion advice, proceeds of sales go to an orphanage in Makassar. “I donate 30% of sales to the orphanage. For some listings, I upload as ‘ikhlas (sincere in Indonesian) price’, which means customers can pay whatever price they wish and 100% goes to charity. I’ve known the orphanage since 2010, and if I don’t have money, I will share my knowledge with them. I teach these special kids how to speak basic English,” said Tia. 

Old photos of Tia and the children in the orphanage

She believes strongly in giving back. “Life is not always nice to me, sometimes It feel like riding a roller coaster but for me no matter if I’m on top or at the bottom of my life, helping and sharing to others is a must. I would like to share in whatever way I can. Sharing is the way I feed my soul,” she shares. 

It is with this giving spirit that Tia hopes to focus on growing her business so she can offer employment to those who are out of work. “I love running this business. My motto is ‘Good for the kids, Good for the customers, Good for me,” said Tia.