From passion to profit: Family festival in Karachi showcases women-led online businesses

Event features wide range of products, including food items, clothing, perfumes, handmade jewellery, other handcrafts

KARACHI:

A one-day family festival held in Karachi carried a strong message of women’s empowerment, with women-led stalls and homegrown online businesses taking centre stage.

Organised at Habitt City, the festival brought together families, young entrepreneurs and creative women, many of whom are using digital platforms to turn their skills into sustainable sources of income.

The event featured 29 stalls offering a wide range of products, including food items, clothing, perfumes, handmade jewellery and craft-based goods.

At several stalls, sisters were seen managing businesses together, while at others, married couples shared responsibilities, reflecting a collaborative family approach to entrepreneurship.

Photo: Reporter

Seventeen-year-old A-level student Isra Faisal, who runs a handmade jewellery business, said her journey began as a hobby.

“I’ve been interested in art and craft since childhood and used to make jewellery for myself. Later, I decided to turn this passion into a business,” she told The Express Tribune.

Speaking about the importance of digital platforms, she said: “As a woman, I believe online business is very important in today’s time. It gives you a chance to understand yourself and highlight your abilities. My aim is not just to earn, but to recognise my own talent.”

She explained that she started the venture using her pocket money. “I earned two to three times more profit than what I invested. Now I make all kinds of jewellery, whatever the customer orders,” she said.

Isra also highlighted the mental health benefits of staying creatively engaged.

“It’s very important to keep your mind busy so that your health remains good. Every woman should do work that gives her mental peace,” she added.

Photo: Reporter

Another entrepreneur, Fiza Hussain, who creates resin art and acrylic art handbags, said she and her sister launched their business just a few months ago.

“Two to three months ago, we started this business with the purpose of empowering ourselves — that was our motivation,” she said.

“My sister and I run this online business together. We introduced handmade beaded art bags, and along with that, we are also making resin-art-based jewellery.”

Fiza pointed out that handmade work requires patience and planning.

“No work is easy. It takes two to three days to make a single bag, and we also have to survey different markets,” she said.

Maheen, who runs a handmade fizzy flower business, credited her family — especially her mother-in-law — for supporting her entrepreneurial journey.

“For my online business, the biggest support came from my mother-in-law, and then from the entire family,” she said.

She explained that she learned the art through social media in her free time at home.

“I learned this art online and turned it into a business in October last year. Within a few months, I started receiving orders, and the positive feedback from people further boosted my confidence,” she added.

Photo: Reporter

Festival organiser Afzal Javed said the event aimed to provide a platform for skilled women to showcase their talent.

“A total of 29 stalls were set up where talented women presented their art for exhibition,” he said.

A notable feature of the festival was that women were seen independently managing each stall, while male family members stood alongside them in a supportive role.

Owais Suriya, who was present at an artificial jewellery and cosmetics stall, said he started his online business after the Covid-19 lockdown.

“After the lockdown, I started my online business, and my wife fully supported me. Just like a vehicle has two wheels,” he said. He added that the success of online selling removed the need for a physical shop.

“Online business proved to be so beneficial that I never felt the need to rent a shop,” he said. Offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, he said: “Don’t overthink - just start. Taking the first step is important; the paths create themselves.”