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FBLT Success Stories ABIDA PARVEEN
Abida Parveen is a 50-year-old resident of Chungi Amar Sadhu, Lahore. She has always been an inspiration to women in her area due to her resilience, strength and enterprising approach towards life. For more than a decade, she has been working as a community leader, motivating other women to be financially independent or economic contributors to their families.
She completed her education up to grade 10 but prioritized her sons’ education for their brighter futures. Her youngest is currently pursuing engineering. Through her relentless efforts, she has successfully met the financial demands of raising a family of five sons.
Abida started her entrepreneurial journey by teaching young girls sewing from home. Along with her classes, she started her tailoring unit to earn extra cash. Even after working al day long, she barely saved any money. It was then she got to know about HomeNet Pakistan (HNP) and
invited them to educate her and other women in her area about improving their living conditions. Today, she has 25 women in her group, being facilitated by HNP’s trainings and mentorship programs.
Through HNP, she was introduced to their Financial Inclusion of Home-based Workers’ Enterprises through Business Booster Loan and Trainings (FBLT) project, which aimed to support and empower home-based workers, who often face barriers to accessing formal financial services and lack the necessary skils to grow their businesses. The goal of this approach is to promote their financial inclusion, enabling them to participate more actively in the economy, increase their incomes, and improve their livelihoods.
Abida needed this to grow her income and started its Foundation Level Training
During her Foundation Level Training, Abida gained crucial insights into the fundamentals of business planning and savings. She recognized that despite her hard work, she wasn’t saving money due to a lack of expense and income tracking. After completing the training, she grasped the significance of bookkeeping, accurately recording purchases, including bills, transportation, and time costs in the sale price, and calculating profits accordingly. This new found knowledge laid the groundwork for transforming her home-based stitching classes into Ayat Collection.
Ayat Collection is more than a sewing school; it’s a platform for young girls to learn sewing skills and become self-reliant. Abida’s increased involvement as a community leader has attracted more registrations to her centre, leading to the flourishing of her tailoring business as well.
With her enhanced understanding of business sustainability, Abida now saves money from her work. This financial discipline enabled her to expand her business beyond her home. Four months ago, she rented a space in the market for her operations, a move that has significantly benefited her business. “With the help of Foundation Level Training, I expanded my business to the main market, significantly benefiting my enterprise. Without this training, I would still be working from home, struggling to make ends meet,” shared Abida. “I adopted the practice of bookkeeping, enabling me to track my expenses accurately. This included monitoring the fabric and materials needed for designing and stitching, calculating transportation and electricity costs, and setting appropriate prices for my products. These practices have greatly improved my business operations.”
Starting with stitching clothes for women, Abida has expanded her business to include children’s clothing and has plans to introduce men’s clothing as well. She has also begun stocking fabric in her shop, offering customers a one-stop solution for their clothing needs. Despite her monthly income of around PKR 70,000 and the expenses of her youngest son’s college education, she manages to save PKR 10,000 per month.
Abida’s ambitions are far-reaching. She aims to apply for a loan through FBLT’s program to acquire 10 Juki sewing machines for her shop. With these machines, she plans to hire skilled workers from villages, providing them with training and livelihood opportunities. Abida is particularly passionate about tapping into the talent of villagers in Punjab, who are skilled in sewing men’s clothes and other items. She intends to offer them fair compensation for their work, as she understands the challenges of being undervalued for one’s skills.
Abida is dedicated to not only employing people and expanding her business but also to mentoring others in need. Known for her leadership in her community, Abida is committed to taking everyone around her on a journey of growth and prosperity, embodying the spirit of compassion and inclusivity.
