Dr. Fatima Al‑Zahra Ditti had promised her mother she would send her to Hajj within a year but quickly realised the pilgrimage would cost around 350,000 pesos, far beyond what she could save from her salary as a family medicine specialist. Unsure how to make it happen, she shared her worries during a TikTok livestream, where she broke down in tears while talking about her dream for her mother.
A follower then suggested she try TikTok live‑selling, a feature that has helped many small sellers earn steady income. Ditti decided to give it a try.
Over the next several months, she worked full‑time at the clinic during the day and spent four hours every night livestreaming from 8 p.m. to midnight. She sold more than 6,000 bars of soap, earning 57 pesos in commission per sale enough to fully fund her mother’s Hajj trip.
Her earliest supporters came from her online community, known as the Kulotism community, which grew from her TikTok account Doc Kulot. She began posting in 2021 to document her residency training, later sharing her life as a first‑generation doctor, a breadwinner, and the eldest of five siblings from Simunul, Tawi‑Tawi.
Many followers connected with her story of perseverance. Ditti had been a scholar from elementary school through medical school, and after her father died in 2017, she became the family’s main provider. She openly shared how she once juggled debts, a single income stream and constant financial stress.
But by November last year just six months after she began selling she had raised the full amount. She continued livestreaming to earn pocket money for her mother’s trip.
Her mother, 61‑year‑old Mimbung, departed for Saudi Arabia on May 4 to join hundreds of thousands of Muslims performing Hajj. Ditti said her mother was overwhelmed with gratitude, never imagining that “selling soap” would make her dream possible.
“I promised myself I will take care of her,” Ditti said. “Deep in my heart, all I wanted was to give my mother a comfortable life.”
She credits her success to sincerity, hard work and the unwavering support of her online community. “When your intentions are sincere and good, people will genuinely support you throughout your journey,” she said.
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