“I wanted to work but I did not have any resources. Sometimes one cannot take assistance from one’s family. Then I found out about microfinance, and took a loan of PKR. 35,000 to start my own business. I made a good profit and that is when my life changed. I kept my profit aside and paid back my debt every month. The monthly arrangement was easier for me, rather than having to return all of it at once.

Around 800 employees work for me now. Women who were earning PKR. 1,000-1,500 a month, are now earning ten times more.

These women do not only earn from the work they do for me. They have made several links of their own and deliver orders directly. I pay them through my bank account. We take the products to exhibitions in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore. Initially I used to earn PKR. 5,000-10,000, then my income increased to PKR 20,000-35,000 and it was a big achievement for me. Now I save PKR. 60,000-70,000 a month. I educated my younger siblings, financed their marriages, and then I made my house.

Now I want to expand my business and turn it into a brand. For that I need more resources and a larger investment as I’ll have to hire designers and buy larger machines.”

• Took multiple micro loans to start an embroidery business
• Returned multiple loans and now earns PKR. 60,000-70,000 a month
• Employs skilled women who report a significant increase in their earning
• Plans to make a brand of her own, by hiring designers and acquiring industrial class machines

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