Life knocked her off her feet. She came back fighting for other women
THERE are a few things about Faeznur Farok that surprise me. First, she greets me with a wide smile and an instruction: “Call me Benny!”
Faeznur Farok, a 35-year-old woman, was once a science student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in remote sensing at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. However, her life took an unexpected turn when martial arts became a defining part of her identity. Raised in Johor, she was the second of four children and followed strict academic expectations.
Her love for writing led her to sign her stories as "Benjamin" or "Benny" to gain more recognition. After completing her education, she worked in a multinational company before her life changed dramatically. She married at 26 and had a tough breakup, leading to depression. During this time, two friends involved in martial arts encouraged her to join them at a judo club in Kuala Lumpur.
Martial arts not only helped her physically but also taught her to accept that some things are out of our control. In 2017, Faeznur and her friends launched the first public SheFights programme, teaching women self-defense techniques from various martial arts. Today, Faeznur is a president, a treasurer, and a co-founder of various organizations promoting women's involvement in combat sports.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
