Empowering Women in Pakistan

Sadeeqan, the mother of a family of seven living in Lahore does not own land or livestock, and for years she relied on her husband's income of  1,500 rupees a month, earned through his work as a gardener. The family was deeply indebted, and a loan of 2,000 rupees from a local money lender had to be paid back in one lump sum.  Sadeeqan and her husband had been paying a monthly interest of 200 rupees for almost a year, making the loan's repayment seemingly an impossible task.

For help, they turned to the Kashf Foundation, one of a number of intermediary organizations supported by the World Bank-financed Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, which provides microcredit services and community infrastructure development.  Kashf provides microfinance services to poor women, enabling them to buy things as varied as gas stoves, school books for their children, roof tiling or flooring for their homes, cattle and draught animals, and fruits and vegetables to sell in small shops.

Kashf advised Sadeeqan to initiate a quick turnover business so that she could pay back her loan from her earnings.  With a small loan from Kashf, Sadeeqan bought 13 mounds of rice paddy at a price of 4,000 rupees.  Once she had husked the paddy, she sold the rice for 6,000 rupees.  She made sure that the rice was sold in cash rather than credit so she could reap the profit immediately.  She used the 2,000 rupees to clear her debt to the money lender, and she invested the rest in setting up a carpet weaving loom in her house.  While Sadeeqan runs the paddy husking business with her husband, she also manages the carpet weaving business on her own.

Like any entrepreneur, Sadeeqan has plans to expand her business. With another loan from Kashf, she aims to buy a bigger carpet weaving loom.

Related Links:

 Pakistan
 Gender

Updated: September 2002