‘It’s not a woman’s job to run a store, yet I do’

From housewife to entrepreneur, 27-year-old Sumaira runs both shop and home

MULTAN: With a home, husband and four kids to take care of, 27-year-old Sumaira has her hands full. Earlier this year, however, she realised the dream of opening her very own grocery store. The determination to find the necessary time and resources is the key to her endeavours, not to mention the necessary training.

“It is very difficult for a woman to earn a respectable livelihood without an adequate qualification, appropriate technical and vocational education and capital,” she says.

The young woman, who lives in a small settlement with her family near the Bahawalpur Railway Station, says she always wanted to open a small grocery store. However, she was discouraged by the overall impression that running a store is not a woman's cup of tea.

"My husband, Riaz, works as a ‘Kuli' (porter). With four kids, his salary has never been sufficient for us to make ends meet. I always wanted to earn money to add to my husband's income and share the burden," Sumaira says.

She thanks USAID-Punjab Youth Workforce Development (PYWD) Project and Akhuwat for an interest-free microfinance scheme. She applied for a loan and started a small grocery store at her house around six months ago.

Sumaira, through this scheme, received a basic training in business planning and financial literacy. "The training is specifically designed for individuals with no previous business experience. People with no education can also attend this training and start their businesses," she says. Sumaira adds that the training is more about building confidence in women and teaching them how to run a successful business.

Riaz helps Sumaira her with inventory and stocking. "Every morning, before leaving for work, he buys fresh vegetables and fruits for my shop from a local farmers' market," she says. The entrepreneur is now committed to expanding her small business and building a secure future for her children.

"There's a cruel cycle of poverty,” her husband says. “Families can't provide for their children and end up begging on the streets. Sumaira has broken this cycle and has the ability to manage a home and the shop at the same time. She is an inspiration for my children and I am proud of her journey from a homemaker to a businesswoman."

With an aim to send her children for higher education, Sumaira says today, the family can easily raise the funds. "I would not have been able to achieve much without business training and the interest-free loan. It's very hard to get a loan from banks because you must show a consistent flow of income. Either that or putting  piece of land, your house or cattle into mortgage as a personal guarantee. However, we had nothing."

Abida, Sumaira's neighbor, says the entrepreneur is a role model for many young women in the locality. "She has inspired us in a way that we never imagined earlier. She has managed to create a bigger customer base because her shop is the first one owned by a woman in the area. The local women and girls also feel comfortable coming to her store."

USAID-PYWD Project Chief of Party Qaisar Nadeem says the USAID- PYWD teamed up with Akhuwat to provide access to finance through interest-free microfinance loans to help individuals make a livelihood and stabilise their income.