Why 5 Malaysian mums of children with autism launched a podcast

(From left) Dr Choy, Nik Nadia, Desiree, Nori and Anit gather to discuss their journey of raising neurodivergent children, advocating for a more inclusive community. Photos: KitaFamilyPodcast

They share the same dream – to see a world where every child, regardless of neurological makeup, can thrive.

In a move towards achieving that goal, five mothers of children with autism have launched KitaFamilyPodcast, advocating for diversity and hoping to encourage everyone to recognise that each person is unique, whether autistic, dyslexic, having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or living with any other condition.

One of the founders, Desiree Kaur, 40, says the podcast, launched in February, aims to be a source of information and inspiration as they work together to build a truly inclusive world.

From left: Dr Choy, Anit, Nori, Desiree and Nik Nadia share their journey as mothers of neurodivergent kids on KitaFamilyPodcast.

“The podcast is our way of telling our stories, sharing our hopes, and calling for action from public and private entities to help advance the inclusion agenda in our country,” says Desiree during a recent interview in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

The other co-founders are Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer Anit Kaur Randawa, 48; Kota Kinabalu-based homemaker Nik Nadia Nik Mohd Yusoff, 43; businesswoman Dr Choy Sook Kuen, 58, who runs a multidisciplinary intervention centre for children and adults with learning differences in KL; and 48-year-old Nori Abdullah, who operates an autism-focused kids’ gym in KL.

These women believe that discussing inclusion on a podcast is crucial as it amplifies diverse voices and fosters understanding. In the bigger picture, by addressing inclusion, it can challenge stereotypes and build a more inclusive community for everyone.

Nik Nadia (left) enjoys recording sessions as she is able to share her experience in raising her neurodivergent kids, Aufiya (right) and Emilea. Photo: Nik Nadia Nik Mohd Yusoff

Recording session in progress

Desiree explained that they chose to start a podcast over other social media platforms because they believe it would be the easiest format for people to digest.

Desiree believes that with encouragement, her son Nevyr can reach his full potential. Photo: Desiree Kaur“A podcast fulfills the requirement of both types of viewers – the ones who enjoy videos with people speaking and those who just prefer listening. We thought podcasting would be the best avenue to get what we want to share across to the community and beyond. This podcast is not only for parents like us. It is for everyone who wants to be part of an inclusive community,” shares Desiree, whose eight-year-old son, Nevyr Haans Narajeevan, is on the spectrum.

The mothers call themselves a “rojak” podcast because they speak Bahasa Malaysia and English interchangeably.

Nik Nadia says they discuss matters related to living in the special needs community, appreciating uniqueness and celebrating our diverse community.

“The word ‘kita’ was (suggested) by Nori; it means ‘we’ or ‘us’ in BM, and refers to both those being addressed and the speakers themselves. ‘Family’ is intentionally spelled in English because, as we often say, we are a rojak podcast,” says Nik Nadia, a mother to two autistic girls, Aufiya Zaid and Emilea Zaid.

Nik Nadia is also a moderator for Autisme Malaysia, the largest Facebook support group for autism in Malaysia, with nearly 130,000 members.

So far, KitaFamilyPodcast has posted 26 episodes. In the last six months, they have garnered nearly 9,000 followers on their Instagram.

The topics are based on what the mothers feel are relevant and that people would find interesting.

“Our topics focus on raising neurodivergent children, drawing from our collective experiences and knowledge. It includes what happens to our kids when we’re no longer here, the journey of accepting our children’s diagnosis, and our personal struggles. We also actively appreciate what we have and see all our children as blessings.

“There’s a common assumption that our content is heavily skewed towards families raising neurodivergent children. However, it is quite the opposite – our content is relevant to all families. We also want our audience to remember that three of us have neurotypical children as well. Being honest is what keeps our content authentic and true to who we are,” says Desiree, the founder of a learning centre in Shah Alam.

Nori (right) and her husband, Khairy Jamaluddin, with their three boys (from left) Jibreil Ali, Raif Averroes and Timor Abdullah. Photo: Nori Abdullah

Embracing diversity

Recording takes place at least once a week in PJ, each typically lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, with Nik Nadia joining remotely from KK.

She enjoys the recording sessions because they feel like five friends catching up with each other to share experiences in raising kids that are wired differently.

“We indeed are friends and what you see and hear on the podcast is really what we would probably talk about over lunch or coffee. We are constantly learning from one another and indeed blessed that we collectively bring different things to the table, because we genuinely reflect a lot of diversity,” says Nik Nadia.

Dr Choy believes that discussing inclusion on a podcast is crucial as it amplifies diverse voices and fosters understanding.Desiree chips in: “It’s not about any one person knowing more than the other but rather we can lean on different experiences while being assured that we are coming from a place of common values and intention. Each of us brings something very valuable to our friendship and this podcast; it is precious and truly Malaysian.”

Desiree admits that her first few podcasts were quite awkward and intimidating because of the cameras, being prepared for the topic of the day, and having to look good in front of the camera.

“Now that we are into more than 20 episodes, it has gotten easier. This is also because we have now developed a well-oiled working process with our crew and we know each other a little better, so that definitely helps towards feeling less intimidated on camera.

“So far the feedback received has been positive. We also get listeners sharing their view on the topics in the comments. Additionally, we sometimes get questions both in the comments and via direct messages. We do take the feedback into consideration,” Desiree shares.

“My hope is that this podcast becomes an inspiration to create a world that is safe and loving to my son and others like him,” she continues.

For the podcasters, it is their dream that Malaysians gain awareness on neurodiversity issues and start showing acceptance.

With such acceptance, the stigma and discrimination of neurodivergent individuals in Malaysia will reduce and inclusion will be widespread. This podcast is for everyone who wants to be part of an inclusive community.