Asma Nadeem and her husband lived in a small village in Punjab, where she worked in the fields picking cotton while her husband operated a handcart. Their circumstances changed when her brother-in-law in Lahore, who ran a successful breakfast cart, invited
themtolivewithhis familyandlearnhis trade.

While staying with her brother-in-law, Asma worked tirelessly at night to learn how to make chickpeas, naan, and other breakfast items, while her husband sold them in the morning. Despite their hard work, Asma found herself doing all the household chores while her brother-in-law and his wife did not contribute to either the business or house chores.After months of learning, they decided it was time to venture out on their own.

Setting up their own cart, they began selling breakfast items on the road. Although the initial days were slow, within three months, their business flourished. They saved enough to rent a shop in the market and even renovated their home. However, their dreams were soon shattered when Asma’s husband was diagnosed with TB, requiring costly medical treatment that depleted their savings.

To make ends meet, Asma took up work as a maid in houses and hospitals, ensuring that her children had food on the table.