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Resident of Musharraf Colony,Karachi,Sualiha Rafi, completed her school education before getting married to a driver. Together, they have three young children; two sons and a daughter.A few years back, she started to work from home by sticking stones on fabric and ready made suits. To make extra money, she also started taking tuition at home for young children.
Her husband remarried and is supporting two families.Still,her mother-in-law lives with her. Since she realized her husband has two homes to take care of,she started working to cater to the trivial needs of her kids. As far as the major expenses are concerned like bills, groceries, and education of kids,she still asks her husband to take care of these.
Sualiha started working because she wanted to be independent and be able to fulfil her children’s daily needs. She used to do stone and beadwork for one of the women in her colony who motivated her to attend HomeNet Pakistan’s (HNP) meeting to learn about their work. She attended the HNP meeting where they presented the idea of Financial Inclusion of Home-based Workers’ Enterprises through Business Booster Loan and Trainings (FBLT). She learnt that the program focuses on providing access to financial resources, such as loans and financial services, to help home-based workers grow their businesses, as well as offering training and education to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. The ultimate goal is to empower home-based workers economically and improve their livelihoods.
Inspired by the project’s offering, Sualiha enrolled in FBLT and started its Foundation Level Training.
In Musharraf Colony, one of the main issues faced by women was purchasing undergarments. With mostly male shopkeepers, women felt uncomfortable buying lingerie. Sualiha explained, “Besides the shopkeeper, the market is surrounded by males, and as soon as a woman steps into an undergarments shop, all gazes are on her. Most women bought whatever was available. They felt shy asking questions and had no space to try them on.To address this, I decided to open an undergarments shop where women can freely visit, try different sizes and shapes,and request specific products.”
This solution gave rise to ‘TasbiahCollection’.
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
Sualiha initiated her business after completing the Foundation Level Training with FBLT. Right from the beginning, she recognized the importance of maintaining a limited stock and restocking as inventory diminishes. Her inventory includes reasonably priced lingerie, with high-end items available on request. Additionally, she expanded her product range to include sanitary pads, hair removal creams,and women’s razors,aiming to offer a wider variety to her customers.
“Tasbiah Collection offers a comprehensive range of products essential for women’s basic hygiene,” Sualiha explained. “Being located within the colony, women no longer need to travel long distances to purchase these items. Moreover,with a female proprietor, young girls feel at ease approaching me and requesting what they need. They can even try out various types to find their perfect fit. Purchasing undergarments has become convenient for the women in our area.”
PATH TO FINANCIAL STABILITY
As she concentrated on offering solutions to women, her business quickly flourished. Previously employed as a tuition teacher, she had no savings as all her earnings were spent on household expenses. However, she now manages to save PKR 8,000-10,000 every month. While she acknowledges that this amount may not seem substantial, she is currently splitting her time between her business and stonework on ready-made suits. She is confident that dedicating more time to her business will allow her to increase her savings significantly.
Her future plans revolve around renting a shop in the main market in Musharraf Colony so that passersby can know about the facility available within their area.Along with this, she also plans to hire more women for her stonework business as there are a lot of women in the community who need employment and are comfortable with this work. She is a staunch believer of the phrase, ‘Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’.
She aspires to impart the same knowledge to other women in her community so they all can earn an honest living and embark on the path to success.
The training provided by HNP and FBLT gave Sualiha the knowledge and support that her family never provided. They taught her independence and how to contribute to her family’s betterment. She now aims to share the same with her community so that they, too, can pursue success.
TASBIAH COLLECTION, KARACHI, PAKISTAN – CONTACT: 0310 8063969
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