Case 1 - Mohammad Sharif

A large part of poverty is due to ourselves, our habits and ways.
We can get rid of poverty, if we want to.

"Trust is difficult to earn"

Mohammad Sharif was born in 1959 in Mohallah Takia, Village Kakliot, Union Council Charak Pura, Mazafarabad. Like most of the children born in deprived rural areas of Pakistan, Mohammad Sharif was born in a family facing miserable domestic economic situation. He began his education in local government school but due to extreme poverty couldn’t continue with his studies. Sharif became a laborer after leaving school at an early age. He worked as a laborer till the day he started his own enterprise.

Sharif is an honest and fair person. He is hard working and conscientious. He owned a small shop before availing Microcredit facility from Sungi Development Foundation. However, with the hard work and due to the habit of always making his promises good, he earned a good reputation in the market. All wholesalers were ready to sell large number of goods to him even when he was buying things on credit.

According to Sharif, he could not have achieved success, without the support of his family. He says, “My wife always pushed me not to hoard or sell things at exorbitant prices”. My wife was always supportive and even when I earned less income she used to encourage me to work hard and with honesty.  

Sharif was following business ethics very well. He treats his customers happily and respects them. With this type of attitude, he claims, he has made huge customer base within a few years.

Sharif after managing the successful operations of his business intends to further expand his business and increase the variety of shelf items. He plans to increase the line and breadth of items and plans to bring stationary and toys for children in his shop. In addition, he intends to start another venture a poultry farm and retail outlet for poultry in the days ahead. For this purpose, he is in the process of acquiring relevant experience.

He believes that both production of poultry and selling the same through his own retail outlet chains will add to his profitability and he can cater poultry to local people at much cheaper price than his competitors.

One of the greatest challenges that he faced was in the beginning of the business and before his interaction with the Sungi Staff, he used to sell things on credit. This led to shrinkage in business cash flow as the number of defaulting clients increased.

To cope with this situation he focused on building the social and peer pressure on defaulted clients. He with the help of some relatives and friends arranged jirgas and successfully recovered more than 70% of amount due from these defaulting clients. Secondly, the growing business concern of Sharif developed into a worry for his competitors. This gave rise to a hard competition between Sharif and his business competitors. On some occasions, his competitors blocked the road to his shop and therefore, he was refrained to do trade in the area. However, he handled things amicably and peacefully to his own advantage.

According to Sharif, the success of his enterprises has resulted in incremental income. He is quite happy that he is now capable of providing all basic necessities for his family. Before, the success of his enterprises, lack of financial resources did not cover the expenses of his family. Now due primarily to his shop, he has got incremental income and he meets not only his business expenses but also the expenses of his family.

Wife of Sharif is literate; she also helps him in his business. When Sharif, goes to the urban center markets, his wife performs the duty of sales women as well. She also administers and maintains the accounts of shop. With the help of his wife, now he knows accurately the value of his inventory and about his cash flow etc.

He has put almost all grocery and related items on his shelf ranging from stationary to cosmetics and hardware accessories to Chokhar and Kh’al. Day by day, he is further diversifying products base in his shop. Therefore, community members do not need to go to the city to purchase these things.

A mentionable positive impact of Sharif venture on his communities is that he offers fair trade to his people. He sells things at reasonable prices and thinks that selling things at exorbitant prices is unfair. He maintains that since, he sells things at fair prices therefore, he sells more.

Case 2 - Kali Jan

Now after starting my vocational center, I am able to earn bread and butter for my family; my two kids are also going to school. I believe that my work has restored my dignity and respect
"Luck is a mirror of hard work"

Ms. Kali Jan lives in village Gali Bania, Uc Kathwal with her seven dependents. She has grown older and also the death of her husband had made her live quite a miserable life. Kali Jan lived a miserable life after the death of her husband. Socially neglected and marginalized Kali Jan used to depend on charity from neighbors. She told that after the death of her husband, gradually all relatives deserted her and she was all alone with her seven orphan children. Situation of the family got further worsened when all the savings with the family dried up. She told that many times, she and her children had to sleep even without food.

Ultimately, having gone through such a miserable situation, Kali Jan turned quite anxious about the future of her children. She had tested all her relatives but she could secure no support from any corner. She had realized that she cannot go ahead and make any progress until she herself doesn’t do any thing. Lessons that she had learnt after the death of her husband generated in her a commitment and made her ambitious to do some thing.

Kali Jan carried with her sufficient skills relating to tailoring, particularly in making children garments. She decided to start her vocational institute on micro scale. Kali Jan and her daughter have got Diploma from government recognized vocational institution. Therefore, adequate skills, commitment and anxiety regarding her children future made her achieve success.

Kali Jan has successfully established her vocational institution. She has at present 30 students enrolled in the center. Students were found quite satisfied with the quality of training that Kali Jan and her staff is imparting to them.

Due primarily to the provision of quality service provided by Kali Jan, the number of students getting enrolled is gradually rising. Therefore, after completion of her current loan cycle, Kali Jan has planned to avail more credit from Sungi Development Foundation to purchase more equipment and training material. She has planned to purchase two more sewing machines, embroidery machine and raw material for the center. She has also planned to hire another trainer to assist her in imparting training in the future.

Society in Sungi working areas in highly patriarchal and full of cultural constraints’, particularly for women. Initially at the start of the vocational center enrollment of students in the center was the major challenge, people of the area didn’t permit their daughters to attend vocational or conventional educational institutions. Parents with the stereotype attitude behave negatively and were of the view that there is no advantage of sending daughters to any such institution, because one day they will get married and will have to do house chores.

This was one big challenge for Kali Jan, she started personal meetings and started door to door campaign. During the course of this well designed marketing campaign she motivated parents to allow their daughters to get vocational skills as one can be in financial problem at any stage of life and this skill will help her in supporting her family even after their marriage. She gave them her own example. She proved quite convincing and cogent and now the number of students getting enrolled with her is multiplying.

As narrated above, after the death of her husband the family was in worst condition both financially and socially because they had very low income. Kali Jan and her family became totally dependent on charity. They used to look towards the neighbors and relatives for help. She tells that many times she had to make her children sleep without eating any thing. She also tells a situation, when her eldest son had a severe headache, and she couldn’t take her even to the doctor because there was not a single penny at home.

Now after starting this vocational center she is able to earn bread and butter for the family and her two kids are also going to school. She believes that her work has restored her dignity and respect. Today after meeting all business and homely expenses she saves Rs 4000/- a month

In union council Kathwal, District Abbottabad there was no vocational institution available. Kali Jan started this institution for the first time. Though there was lot of opposition from some corners, but several needy families, particularly, widows and orphans wanted to acquire skills and start home based enterprises.

Due to unavailability of such vocational centre, mostly the interested women had to move to the city or send their daughters to vocational centres located in urban centres. This added transport cost in addition to fees and miscellaneous expenses incurred on girls education. With the introduction of vocational centre by Kali Jan, now people have easy approach and mobility of girls is no more a problem.

Kali Jan is expert in stitching and in making ready made cloths for the children. She believes that the skill that she carries is much needed in the market and she is disseminating her knowledge and skill that will promote the garments sector in Hazara.

Case 3 - Khadija Bibi

During hard times, the faces of my children had turned pale but now they look healthy,
I feel very happy to see them 
"Self trust is the first secret of success"

Khadija Bibi is resident of Union Council Kathwal, village Gali Bania Abbottabad. She is married and has five dependents. Poverty stricken Khadija Bibi was unable to cater to the needs of her family. Khadija Bibi is very honest and hardworking women, her husband being underemployed was not able to fully meet the day to day expenses of his family. Therefore, Khadija Bibi planed to start her own business concern. After consultation with her husband and with Sungi field team, she decided to start a grocery shop.

Khadija is managing the operations and financials of her store very efficiently. Since, she has started her shop at the ground floor of her residence, therefore, she is very easily managing its operations; at times if the shop is closed, local community members can contact her for purchase of grocery items and other things. Furthermore, since, there is no grocery store of the same scale competing her in locality, therefore, she has successfully achieved the sales volume. She is hard working and honest in dealing community. To further increase her shop’s sale and to increase her good-will she provides grocery related items to community even in off working hours.

After successful launch of her grocery store, Khadija now plans to diversify the on-shelf variety of items. She has good experience of dealing in grocery items. Her revenue per month has increased to Rs 12000/-

Khadija plans to avail more credit from Sungi and extend her current venture. The items that she plans to bring into her shop include, stationary items, mobile cards, easy load facility, cosmetics etc. Furthermore, owing to her ability to make business networks, Khadija has also secured orders of stationary from schools operating in that area. She believes that stationary business will give a reasonable boost to her business.

Khadija lives in the village Bania which is at the distance of more than 15 Kilometers from the Bazar. Since, she owned no vehicle; she had the problem of mobility. Similarly, it was also quite hectic brining the grocery items in case of shortage form the urban centre. In initial days, she used to bring grocery items on daily/weekly basis from urban centre; however, soon she realized that this has sharply increased her cost.

To overcome these problems, Khadija contacted the major whole sellers in the area and convinced them that there is lot of business potential in her area, and they must make regular visit of her area as this will give boost to their sale.

Finally, two major whole sellers from urban centre started to send their sales person to her shop. Now Khadija was able to purchase the grocery and related items at lower prices compared to when she directly purchase the same from the whole sellers.

Gradual increase in income and success of her grocery shop had positive impact on the family life of Khadija. She successfully meets the daily expenses of her family. She is also saving sufficient amount for the marriage of her daughter.

With the increase in her income, Khadija sons have resumed their schooling. Khadija family is now getting good quality food which has improved health of the family. She tells that "during hard times, the faces of my children had turned pale but now they look healthy, I feel very happy to see them". Family can now afford medical facility and they feel that this has restored their dignity.

In terms of his social contribution, Khadija maintains that she has contributed towards her people, as for some grocery and other things, people had to travel to urban centers but now latest varieties are available at his shop.

She summons up the days, when women were entirely dependent on male members of the family for fetching the daily use items. They had to wait for days that when their male members would go to the urban centre, than they would fetch the things for them. Many times, when the male members had brought the required good, it was not liked by the women and had caused squabble in the family. But now all these women can come easily to her shop and purchase the thing of their choice.

Case 4 - Suraya Bibi

Suraya encouraged and supported more than 200 women to kick start and develop household based enterprises making quality handicrafts being sold in the national market 
"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle"

Suraya Bibi is resident of village Behali Union Council Mansehra. She has six dependents. The family had faced sever economic embarrassments, until she had started her own enterprises. Suraya Bibi proved quite successful entrepreneur and her Success as an entrepreneur was the cumulative outcome of several factors combined together. First of all, she was quite good in comprehending the community’ s needs and therefore, knew the demand and supply mechanism of the market.

Suraya was socially neglected. Extreme poverty had made her disadvantaged and marginalized. Her husband was unemployed and continuous unemployment had made him lethargic too. Suraya says " I used to feel that I have lost my dignity and respect after my marriage" . This feeling, as a matter of fact, has worked as a driving force and helped her turn into a successful entrepreneur.

She successfully established a retail outlet containing, under garments (hosiery), artificial jewelry and raw material for handicrafts and embroidery items etc. Before her establishing a shop, women from the areas used to purchase these items from the urban centre located at a distance of 50 Km or wait for the hawker to come so that they will purchase these things from him. If hawker won’ t come for longer period of time women had to beg their men to fetch these items for them. Timely realizing the needs of communities, Suraya established the retail outlet and achieved success.

Suraya also realized the untapped human resources available in the area, in the form of unemployed household women. Therefore, she encouraged and supported more than 200 women to kick start and develop household based enterprises making quality handicrafts being sold in the national market and she herself earned the profit as a middle women.

After successful launch of her first business of supply- shop of raw material for hosiery/embroidery items, Suraya availed her second loan of Rs 20,000/- . To fund her new business she also plugged her savings from first business and started a Grocery store with much needed items on shelf like, mobile cards, mobile balance loading facility, cosmetics and slippers etc as well.

With her new business on wheels, she started to get per day revenue of Rs 2000-3000. To meet the ever rising demand of goods, she has started to revisit her inventory on daily basis and makes purchase from whole sellers on daily basis. To efficiently manage the operations she has given employment to two other people in the village.

In addition to it, since she buys handicrafts from women and sells in the market; she knows the market dynamics and changing fashion, therefore, she also acts as a quality controller of handicrafts produced by local women. Suraya first of all, with the help of Sungi groomed more than 200 women in her area in producing quality handicrafts. Now through her retail outlet she supplies raw material for handicrafts production, which she helps women sell at Sungi trade facilitation shops and in local market and earn considerable income. This way she is also working as a first middle woman of the area, who has benefited aforestated households.

In future she plans to get advance level marketing training from Sungi. In addition to it, she wants to open the vocational center for women skill enhancement and plans to introduce the locally produced handicrafts in the international market.

Suraya has really emerged as a business leader in her area and precedence for other women. At the inception, she faced lot of problems both at the household and at community level. At domestic level, her lethargic husband was quite suspicious and incredulous about her business and kept on creating hurdles in her way to progress.

Since, the society in remote areas of Hazara is highly conservative and patriarchal in nature, therefore, most of the men folks from locality kept on taunting and reproaching her. She says " they used to back bite on me saying that I am a woman, why should I run a retail outlet, this is solely a men’ s profession" .

Women in conservative society are not permitted to interact with middle men due to cultural constraints. Similarly, Suraya heard from few women engaged in embroidery work that they cannot easily bargain with middle men as their men don’ t permit them to interact the outsider men. Middlemen on several occasions withheld the payment due to women and since most of them are hawkers, therefore, women couldn’ t get their remuneration in case of emergency. Realizing this situation Suraya introduced herself as a middle woman –  one from amongst them. Initially she faced severe challenge from hawkers and middlemen but gradually through her attitude she won the market.

Suraya kept her work in focus and continued her efforts to build her enterprises and also helped the women in the area to establish their home based enterprises. With her untiring efforts and consistency she proved that she can earn and deserves to be a successful entrepreneur. Looking at her success and improvement that she brought in economic condition of her home, her husband started to recognize her efforts. Attitude of men folks of the area also turned into her favor, when the women of the area, started to earn.

She has now employed her husband in her business concern and he is now quite satisfied with his life.

Gradual increase in income and success of her enterprises had positive impact on the family life of Suraya. The biggest challenge in her way to success and sole cause of mental and physical depression was negative attitude of her husband, who was at times, highly uncooperative and incredulous. She had firm conviction that with success in business and improvement in household economy, her husband’ s attitude would change in her favor.

Finally, her success brought a big change in her husband. He is today, employed in Suraya’ s business as a helper. This has helped in releasing the environment full of tension at their home.

Increase in income has helped Suraya get her children admitted in good private schools. From inside her savings she has managed to reconstruct her home with all basic amenities available in home, which she used to eagerly desire for. Today, her family is quite satisfied and say thanks to Suraya.

Suraya ’ s entrepreneurial initiative has marvelous effects on her community. Without any exaggeration one can state, that she has really changed the lives of several households.

With in a short period of around two years, she provided employment to two people, each earning Rs 5000/- a month. Like Suraya, these workers were also unemployed, detested and marginalized. Today, they earn bread and butter for their families.

Keeping all things aside, the most mentionable achievement of Surya is that she has encouraged and supported more than 200 women to kick start and develop household based enterprises making quality handicrafts being sold in the national market. Suraya has virtually formed a value chain and has set an example for the household working women. Today each of the women, engaged in this value chain is earning on average income of 2000/- a month.

In the Union Council Behali where Surya resides, there is a population of more than 3000 in cluster of villages where Suraya resides. These people had to go to urban centre located at a distance of more than 50 Kms. Now whole of this population purchases the required goods at nearest place and this has given women increased accessibility and has solved the problems related to their mobility as well. Due to easy availability of raw material women can easily prepare the Handi crafts and she intermediates between the producers and buyers in the market.

Case 5 - Kousar Bibi

Consistency and diligence made me achieve all what I have today
Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort makes all the difference!

Kousar Bibi is a hard working and honest lady. She started her business by establishing a retail outlet of cloths. She used to purchase the cloths in bulk from whole sellers to cater to her own retail outlet and also to supply to other dealers in the area. She earned handsome profits from this business and saved sufficient amount of money. Her business grew to such an extent that she hired two employees to assist her in operations management of her business.

However, Kousar was not contented after becoming the cloth merchant and wanted to do more. Therefore, after consultation with some experienced people dealing in dairy business, she started her own livestock concern. Kousar took start from zero, first she bought one buffalo for milking purpose. She purchased this buffalo for Rs 50,000/- and started to sell milk. With in few months, she generated sufficient revenue and not only replaced her existing buffalo with another one of very high breed but also purchased another one. Today, revenue that Kousar is generating from this business alone is Rs 15000/- per month.

After studying the Kousar case, one find high level of motivation in this entrepreneur; that we can call the motivation to bring change. Field teams also highlighted that Kousar possesses very good business planning skills and operations management capacity. These characteristics shall take her forward to have more achievements in future. Kousar is very good in making and maintaining good business relationships. She formed very good relationship with top bakers in District Mansehra and now she is selling her milk on these bakeries.

She expects quick addition in her livestock through breeding and also through purchase of new animals. She also plans to kick start a milk retail outlet in Mansehra main Bazar. She thinks, this will further increase her business revenue.

In addition to it, she has planned to bring in worm cloths variety in her cloths shop in the next season, particularly shawls, cushion and bed covers etc. She plans to buy this variety from Lahore this season. She thinks this way she will attract more customers and will generate more revenue.

Kousar was basically a housewife. She had no experience of dealing in cloths. After her marriage she came to know that her husband was not of good habits. He was lazy and petulant. She noticed that he had some psychological problem. Her husband was very good worker and the concrete blocks that he manufactured were highly demanded. But suddenly, he left working owing to psychological problems, and turned petulant. But this situation proved blessing in disguise for Kousar.

Kousar took initiative and started her own business of cloths. Once she was into the process of establishing business, she encountered several problems. Behavior of her husband was more refraining than facilitating. Similarly, her in-laws posed several hurdles and even threats to her. But she remained consistent and diligent.

Kousar states that I have never in to the business. I knew nothing about cloths trading and livestock business. The greatest challenge, in addition to getting consent of my husband was quickly acquiring knowledge and skills about aforestated sectors. She kept on working hard and therefore, situation took an advantaged turn.

Commitment, courage and dedication of Kousar proved beneficial to her family in several ways. She made herself a self-employed person with in a short period of time.

Kousar’s brother-in-law is a disable person. He is married and has children. Kousar not only fulfilled her own family’s needs but also provided continuous support to the family of her disabled brother in law. She has also given employment to the wife of her brother in law with in her enterprises. Now this family is also self sufficient.

In her bad times, Kousar used to see towards her neighbors, if they will give some financial support in the form of charity or food material etc. for her children but today she is able to give support to several poor people in the locality where she resides. Her husband showed no respect to her, particularly; when he was unemployed he was extremely violent to her and their children. But today he even cooks food and helps her in other homely affairs – a person who was petulant and violent one day has turned respectful and cooperative now.

Since, Kousar has no children of her own, therefore, she is committed to educate children of her disabled brother in law. These children were studying in Govt. schools, but Kousar moved them to private schools to ensure that they get quality education.

Kousar has successfully set precedence for other poor women like her. Her initiative first of all gave, instant employment to two unemployed people in the locality. Secondly, she has set an example by procuring to her brother-in-law family in quite hard times. Once dejected and humiliated Kousar is now shown respect and esteem when she visits any home in neighborhood.

Generally, cloth merchants in urban areas, visit the big markets in metropolitan cities, but here Kousar took this initiative. She moved from Ogra to markets in Rawalpindi and Abbottabad to bring new varieties of cloths, which were highly appreciated by women in locality. Knowing that Kousar has introduced the latest bridal and casual dresses several people from adjacent towns and village also visited her. Through her honesty and fair trade practice, Kousar built her reputation.

Case 6 - Bedar Bakht

I have worked hard and I will continue to work hard, I want to see happiness on the faces of my children.
"Tomorrow is another day"

Bedar Bakht is resident of village Behali, District Mansehra Pakistan. She was born in 1945. After her marriage, Bedar Bakht, faced very tough and miserable circumstances. She remained victim of violence for several years, until she was dejected by her husband who divorced her and threw her away with her innocent children. It was quite difficult for Bedar Bakht to live a normal life with out any means of subsistence and with out any support from any corner. Bedar tells that she did multifarious jobs, until she established her home based enterprises.

Bedar Bibi commenced her business by establishing a shop, after taking financial assistance from Sungi. She introduced several different types of products at her shop. These included raw material for Handi crafts and embroidery items, specially jisti embroidery threads and khaddar raw cloths etc. In addition to it, she brought in seasonal cloths and several other grocery and dairy items. A corner was also reserved for vegetables seeds for the farmers.

With the contribution of her second loan from Sungi and also from her own savings she started her another business concern. This time, Bedar, brought a Deep freezer and started producing ice cream herself and buying soft drinks etc. from vendors. Her daily sale from these items alone stood at Rs 1500 – 2000.

Bedar belongs to Union council Behali. Unfortunately, she was divorced and started living with her children. Extremely poor economic condition of household had forced her to depend on charity from different relatives and neighbors. This dependence and extreme poverty had made her pray at times for her own death. In such a miserable situation Bedar survived and established her own business to become self sufficient.

In future Bedar has planned to go for three important ventures. Firstly, she intends to get mushrooms cultivation training from Sungi. She plans to disseminate the information about right cultivation of mushroom in her area. Basically, she will act as a resource person for raising awareness amongst people about mushroom cultivation. Side by side, since seeds and allied agricultural inputs for mushroom growth are needed in the area, therefore, she will also reserve one shelf for these items at her store.

Furthermore, she wants to build a commercial food and seed storage place. She expects that this type of investment shall bear very high returns. She believes that this facility will enable us protect tones of produce from wastage and high quality fruits, vegetables and mushrooms can be sold in national and international market. She plans to introduce this facility on commercial basis while charging the depositors on monthly/daily basis.

Bedar was a housewife and she was never into the business. When she started the business of her own, she faced several problems mostly exogenous in nature. For instance, she had less awareness and know how of doing business. In addition to it, she had no funds to invest in, and she was fearful that if she borrows and ends up with loss, where from she will repay the funds, because she was already dependent on charity from neighbors.

However, she started her business after taking loan from Sungi. Initially, she was bluffed by some whole sellers who charged her excessively. Telling the field team about one such instance, she said "I purchased a Khaddar suit for Rs 350/- from whole seller, when I tried to sell it to a woman, that women rejected the suit and said, this suit is available in local market at Rs 250/- why are you selling it for such a higher price. But gradually I learned the art of buying". She added that "it’s not through selling that an entrepreneur gets profits, but it’s buying in cash that helps you make profits".

In short, Bedar had problems in marketing of her good, especially cloths like jisti and Khaddar in the beginning, but gradually she became conversant in making good transactions. Bedar says "I earn more than 5 times my initial earning, I am going through the third loan cycles and I have repaid my entire loan on time". Bedar tells that in winter she and her children used to go in open for toileting, but today she has built a wash room for her children and for herself.

She is very satisfied that today her children can afford to go to good schools and can afford good diet. Some years back, she used to look to the others for help but today she is self sufficient. She used to avoid marriages or other social gatherings, perhaps she could not afford to go to social gatherings like marriages because she was too poor to give any thing to brides or grooms on such events. But today, she feels quite confident and thinks that her dignity has been restored and she enjoys all social gatherings.

Bedar’s initiative had very positive impacts on community members, particularly, women. Women easily purchase required raw material for jisti embroidery from her shop. All the women involved in Jisti work give their demand to her. After collecting demand from these home based working women, she purchases it from whole sellers. As a matter of fact, women like Bedar have given impetus to art of jisti and are also helping to preserve our cultural heritage.

Once jisti threads and other raw material is procured to them, these women prepare the jisti crafts items and sell them at Sungi shops and other local market and they can generate their income. Several products like mobile covers, jisti embroidery dress, hand bags, key chains, wall hanging and many other items are produced by these women, which are in demand in all over the Pakistan. Hundreds of people inside and outside the country purchase these high quality items. Bedar and women like her actually work day and night behind the curtain to procure our jisti needs.

In addition to it, when Bedar started manufacturing of ice cream, she purchased milk for this purpose from Dilshad Bibi. This way Bedar gave business of around Rs 6000/- to Dilshad Bibi, another marginalized women living in vicinity. Furthermore, keeping in view voluminous sales, she hired one employee who is paid monthly by Bedar and therefore, she has made another home earn their livelihood with respect and dignity.

Case 7 - Mr. Nazakat Shah

Motivation is necessary for any achievement. My failure proved a way to my success.
"Every cloud has a silver lining"

Mr. Nazakat Shah resides in Union Council Phulra District Mansehra, with ten household dependents. He was one of the down trodden people of his community. Mostly socially neglected Nazakat Shah remained isolated. Long before, taking financial assistance form Sungi, Nazakat decided to start his own business. After analyzing the situation around him and after consulting with some experienced people, Nazakat decided to start his Grocery store. Since, Nazakat was inexperienced in this business; therefore, he couldn’t get sufficient success in his new business venture. His business cash flow started to shrink and enterprise grew thin.

At this point of time, Nazakat took loan from Sungi of Rs 30,000/- in August 2007 and re-ploughed in his business enterprises. With sufficient experience and with his new shop located in phulra town at main road linking with various villages, he this time successfully established his grocery shop. Since, Nazakat maintained good relationship with his customers and practiced fair business; never compromising on the quality of on-shelf items, therefore, his sales started to reach volumes.

Soon Nazakat business grew from one grocery shops to a retail chain of three shops containing, grocery items, poultry, eggs and vegetables. Today from meager sale of Rs 10,000/- to Rs 15000, Nazakat business has reached the monthly sales of 200,000/-.

In future Nazakat plans to convert his shops into a departmental store and than dreams of a chain of departmental stores. Nazakat want to diversify the on-shelf items, procuring almost all the things that a typical client needs. Since, Nazakat has gained sufficient experience and has grown his business to a larger scale, therefore, now for his financial needs he maintains good business relationships with commercial bank.

During, his pre-banking phase, when Nazakat was hand to mouth and had no assets, he was found highly hard working and conscientious by Sungi team. During the recent visit to his stores, Sungi team found him unchanged, working still hard and with consistency. Initially, Nazakat faced two major problems one related to the limited human resource and second related to his buying from whole sellers.

From t he very inception, since Nazakat was working alone and had no one to assist him, because due to limited revenue he was not in a position to hire some one, therefore, while he used to go to the major markets for buying form whole sellers he had to shutter down and lock his shop for the whole day. It takes almost one day to purchase stocks from main market, Nazakat told.

This had a negative repercussion on his clientele and on his business revenues. However, after taking financial assistance from Sungi, Nazakat first diversified his on-shelf items and side by side, hired hard working sales man to assist him. This way his revenue started to increase and he turned profitable.

Another problem that Nazakat faced was that he was inexperienced about the retail business. Initially, Nazakat purchased those items that were less demanded by clients. Heavy inventory of such items became a major problem for Nazakat and constricted his cash flow. However, later Nazakat listed down the hot items as per clients requirement and to get rid of less selling items, sold them discount prices to other retailers.

Nazakat has very strange family story. After analyzing the Nazakat biography one feels very touched and gets convinced of one generally unacceptable proverb that "money can buy every thing".

Nazakat had an arranged marriage. Parents of Nazakat really loved his wife and therefore, made Nazakat marry with her. He lived peacefully with his wife. However, once Nazakat faced financial embarrassment and was not fully capable to support his family, her wife instead of supporting him, decided to desert him.

In the mean time, mentally depressed and deserted Nazakat applied for Sungi’s Financial assistance. With the debt capital in hand, Nazakat planned his business with stronger internal controls and with much more vigilance than before. This time, he came out with the flying colors. During this time Nazakat married another woman. However, as the situation improved, Nazakat first wife also expressed his desire to live with him. Generous and forgiver Nazakat reconciled with his first wife and welcome her cordially. Today Nazakat fulfils the needs of all family members and also supports several marginalized family in his vicinity.

Successful business venture of Nazakat not only have positive impacts on his family but also on many other poor households associated with him.

Nazakat gave employment to four people, who work with him in the capacity of sales men. Similarly, he also purchases locally produced items from farmers and sells them on very fair prices. In this way, Nazakat has developed forward linkage of producers with consumers, facilitating buying-selling at much cheaper rates.

Case 8 - Rukhsana Bibi

Skill and capital that I have built with hard work, I would let other benefit from it as well.
"If all else fails, try the obvious"

Rukhsana Bibi is resident of Village Mera Nai Abbadi, Kota Pirkot, UC Rehana, and District Haripur. Rukhsana Bibi is 30 year married women living with her family having 3 kids and father & mother in-laws. Her husband is basically a mason but unemployed. She is the only source of income in her family. She is educated and hard working female.

She is the active member of Female Village Committee (FVC) in her village, Kota Pirkot since 1999. In the beginning, she was working with Sungi as a supervisor of entrepreneur’s group and working actively and was earning up to Rs 12000 per month. Her husband got an employment opportunity to work abroad, therefore, and she stopped working. However, owing to global recession, her husband lost his job and returned home. They started having very tough time to meet the daily necessities of life.

Here she realized that she had made a big mistake to quit her work. This remorse formed the basis of this entrepreneur’s success. She immediately approached Sungi and applied for credit of an amount of Rs 10,000/- to buys sewing machines and started vocational center (Mashal Vocation Training Center) in her own village. At the moment she has 20 students and 8 already completed the course from her and started their own business. Other than that her sister is working with her as an employee. Her monthly income is Rs 4000/-.

Rukhsana Bibi is today very enthusiastic about her work. She plans to expand her vocational/production centre and also intends to get it register with social welfare Department. After completion of first loan cycle she also intends to purchase advance sewing and embroidery machines to increase her production volumes.

In addition to it, Rukhsana also have social causes to fight for. She thinks that the skill and capital that she has build with her hard work she would let other benefit from it as well. As she wants to give cheaper training to marginalized and orphans so that they will be able to live a respectable life in the society. 

She is planning to established similar centers at different locations and thinks to locally produce chicken suits which are imported from other cities into the local market. 　

The biggest challenge that Rukhsana Bibi faced was that of inappropriate marketing strategy. She was conversant with the training and production component of her business but had no awareness of marketing of products.

Similarly, due to conservative nature of society, she also had problem of mobility. Due to poor bargaining capacity, women cannot sell their goods on fair prices. The cumulative effect of these problems combined together had resulted into poor sales by Rukshana Bibi’s vocational centre.  

Rukhsana resolved this problem, with the assistance of Sungi Development Foundation. Sungi team connected her with local market through its craft retail outlets available in various cities. She was also assisted in exhibition of her goods in local market. There from, Rukhsana Bibi got profited through successful business relationship management

Rukhsana Bibi is one of real example of women empowerment. After acquiring assets in the form of sewing machine and good marketing relationships from Sungi, she started generating income and today she is self sufficient.

Today her children are back to the school and are getting good education. She thinks that her return on all her investments is her children’s good future and she will continue to work hard on it. Furthermore, her work has restored her dignity and respect.

Rukhsana Bibi’s initiative has given ever needed support and encouragement to the marginalized women in the vicinity. Female from her and neighboring villages are now able to get training and acquire skills. She has made several women produce and sell through her marketing network.

In addition to it, well off women in the area have welcome her initiative as there was no service provider of this type in that area and they are therefore, able to get sewing and stitching facility in the same village.

Case 9 - Mr. Mohammad Sharif

A larger part of the poverty is due to ourselves, our habits and ways. We can get rid of poverty, if we want to.
"Trust is difficult to earn"

Mr. Mohammad Sharif was born in 1959 in Mohallah Takia, Village kakliot, Union council Charak Pura, Mazafarabad. Like most of the children born in deprived rural areas of Pakistan, Mr. Mohammad Sharif was born in a family facing miserable domestic economic situation. He in his early age started his education in local government school but due to extreme poverty he couldn’t continue with his education and had to say good bye to the school. Mr. Sharif started to earn from his early age. He kept on working as a laborer till the day that he started his own enterprises.

Mr. Mohammad Sharif is quite honest and fair person. He has been working hardly and conscientiously to grow his business. He owned a small shop before availing Microcredit facility from Sungi Development Foundation. However, with the hard work and due to the habit of always making his promises good, he earned a good reputation in the market. All whole sellers were found ready to sell huge stocks to him even when he was buying things on credit.

According to Mr. Mohammad Sharif, we could have not been able to achieve the success, with out the support of his family. He says, "my wife always pushed me not to hoard or sell things at exorbitant prices". My wife was always supportive to me and even when I earned less income, she used to encourage me to work hard and with honesty.

Mr. Mohammad Sharif was found following the business ethics. He treats his customers happily and respects them. With this type of attitude, he claims, he has made huge customer base with in years.

Mr. Sharif after managing the successful operations of his business intends to further expand his business and increase the variety of on-shelf items. He plans to increase the line and breadth of items and plans to bring in the items like stationary and toys for children in his shop. In addition to it, he intends to start another venture and that is poultry form and retail outlet for poultry in the days ahead. For this purpose, he is in the process of acquiring relevant experience.

He believes that both production of poultry and selling the same through his own retail outlet chains will add to his profitability and he can cater the poultry to local people at much cheaper price than his competitors.

One of the greatest challenges that Mr. Mohammad Sharif faced was that, in the beginning of the business and before his interaction with the Sungi Staff, he used to sell things on credit. This led to shrinkage in business cash flow as the number of defaulting clients increased.

To cope up with the situation like this, Mr. Sharif build the social and peer pressure on defaulted clients. He with the help of some relatives and friends arranged jirgas and successfully recovered more than 70% of amount due to these defaulting clients. Secondly, the growing business concern of Mr. Sharif was a thing to worry about for his competitors. This gave rise to a sort of enmity between Mr. Sharif and his business competitors. On some occasions, his competitors blocked the road to his shop and therefore, he was refrained to do trade in the area. However, Mr. Sharif, handled the things amicably and ended up with the win-win situation.

According to Mr. Sharif, the success of his enterprises has resulted into incremental income. He earns this income honestly and is quite happy that he is capable to look after his family. Before, the success of his enterprises, financial embarrassment faced him and he was not able to cover the expenses of his family. Now due primarily to his shop, he has got incremental income and he meets not only his business expenses but also the expenses of his family get covered.

Wife of Mr. Sharif is literate; she also helps him in his business. When Mr. Sharif, goes to the urban centers, his wife performs the duty of sales women as well. She also administers and maintains the accounts of shop. With the help of his wife, now Mr. Sharif knows accurately about the monetary value of his inventory and about his cash flow etc.

Mr. Sharif has put almost all grocery and related items on his shelf ranging from stationary to cosmetics and hardware accessories to chokhar and Kh’al. Day by day, he is further diversifying products base in his shop. Therefore, community members don’t go to the city to purchase these things.

A mentionable positive impact of Mr. Sharif venture on his communities is that he offers the fair trade to his people. He sells things at reasonable prices and thinks that selling things at exorbitant prices is unfair. He maintains that since, he sells things at fair prices therefore, he sells more. 

Case 10 - Anwar Jan

Though I was helpless but I was never hopeless
"Life is what you make of it"

Anwar Jan is resident of village Desra, Post Office Ali, Tehsil & District Haripur. She has five household dependents. Anwar Jan is a very hardworking and conscientious woman. Unfortunately, her husband is addicted. He is unemployed and sluggish. Anwar Jan has four children. It is the responsibility of Anwar Jan to take care of the needs of her family.

Prior to getting membership of Sungi Development Foundation, Anwar Jan used to work in the house of her neighbors to earn bread and butter for her family. After taking membership with Sungi’s Microfinance Program, Anwar Jan took a loan of Rs 30,000/- and purchased a buffalo. Aware of livestock maintenance, Anwar Jan started making profit of Rs 300/- per day.

From her second loan, Anwar Jan purchased a sewing machine and she and her daughter in law have made a tailor shop for female dresses. Now the household is making profit of Rs 200/- per day.

Key to Anwar Jan’s success and increase in business is her honesty and handwork. Anwar Jan was down trodden and one of the most marginalized women of her village. Though she was helpless but she was never hopeless. To Anwar Jan, the only thing that had helped him was her continuous struggle and support from her daughter. He said that, of the major elements that constituted his success, one was his hopefulness and patience.

During her first cycles of the loan Anwar Jan was into the business of milking the animals. Since, the fodder for animals is locally available and they can be feeded in natural pastures, her first venture proved quite profitable. Now Anwar Jan plans to start up with fattening of animals and than selling them into the markets. For this purpose, she has planned to start goat farming from her third loan cycle. Idea behind starting the goat farm is the same. Goats can be feeded from natural pastures and from leaves on trees available in villages, free of the cost. She will raise these animals and plans to sell in the market. In addition to it, the younger daughters of Anwar Jan are being trained by her elder daughter in the business of tailoring. She plans to further diversify this business, increase its line and breadth and also start preparation of male dresses. She thinks that her son would be quite helpful in marketing of this business.

Of the two major challenges, faced by Anwar Jan the foremost was from inside her home. Her addicted husband was highly unpredictable and dishonest. Several times, he stole the money that Anwar Jan had earned or had misused the funds without telling Anwar Jan.

If she won’t give him the money to buy drugs, he used to get violent and start beating her. For the fear of disgrace and infamy, Anwar never told anyone about the adverse situation; full of violence. Anwar claims that the only challenge in improving her household economy was her husband. She survived through all this mess, with patience and forgiveness, until her children grew to support her.

Today, Anwar Jan with the support of her children has grown financially stable. Owing to the support of her children, her husband has become less violent to her. She tells that now, he takes interest in her work and is growing supportive to her.

Before her entering into the business and availing financial assistance form Sungi Development Foundation. Anwar Jan and her family were indebted to relatives and neighbors, though that loan was interest free but that was still a burden on already poor economy of this down trodden household.

With the start of business venture, Anwar started to get reasonable income. This incremental income helped her gradually pay back all her loan due to her relatives and neighbors, in small installments. Anwar Jan tells that she felt relieved the day, when through her own income she repaid the loan due to her relatives.

Anwar Jan provided employment to her own family members first. All of them are today engaged in business with her and she pays them with pocket money to manage the business operations. She says, I wont let my children move idle, I think if they will live like this they will start following the foot steps of their father and I cannot afford that.

Anwar Jan has successfully moved out of poverty trap and she believes that in the days ahead she will bring more changes in the living standard of her family.

Community has availed benefits of various types due to the successful launch of businesses by Anwar Jan.

First of all, milk at very cheaper rates is available to community members. In addition to this, Anwar Jan provides supply of milk at door step. Similarly, after running successful business of livestock and tailoring, Anwar Jan has become precedence for other women. Another woman named Mahfouz Jan following the foot steps of Anwar Jan has started livestock business. Several other women have also applied to Sungi for financial assistance.

Women have got awareness in the village that they can start business of their own. Similarly, women with lesser mobility can now afford to come to her tailoring shop and can order the stitching of dresses of their own choice.

  Case 11 - Sughra Bibi

When I started to work, my husband and father in law , were afraid that people (baradari and neighbors) would say that since, these two men cannot earn their selves, therefore, they have made their daughter-in-law to earn for them. 
"In the middle of difficulties lie opportunities"

Sughra Bibi is 23 years old married women living with her family consisting of three kids and her mother and father in law. By occupation her husband is a painter, but usually his day ends up with meager earnings; quite insufficient to meet the daily needs of the family.

This couple used to quarrel with each other day and night over the domestic trifling. However, since, Sughra was literate and was quite active socially and was member of the village committee formed by Sungi, therefore, she was fully aware that the only way to rescue her family out of this type of situation is increase in domestic income.

This feeling and passion for the positive change became the driving force and Sughra made a business feasibility with the assistance of loan officer of the area. Her and near villages consisted of the population of more than one thousand people. However, there was no tailoring facility available in the area and people used to go to Haripur city to buy and for stitching of their cloths. Today, Sughra earns Rs 6000 to 8000 per month.

To Sughra, the major motivation to establish an entrepreneurial concern is to get out of poverty trap and be a beneficial member of the society.

After successfully establishing her tailoring business, now Sughra plans to further diversify her business. In the area, where Sughra resides, there is no cloth shop. In a highly conservative society, where women are not allowed to move alone to the urban centres, there is a high demand for this type of business concern.

She believes that this diversification in the business would not only help her increase her disposable income, but also be help community benefit form availability of this type of service. It will not only increase her earning but also the community will be benefited.

There were several challenges that Sughra faced; and off course these challenges were related to Gender discrimination as seen in most parts of the Sungi working areas.

Neither her husband nor her father-in-law was willing to see her acquire the role of professional tailor and start this business. They like other men of the area, were afraid that people (baradari and neighbors) would say that since, these two men cannot earn their selves, therefore, they have made their daughter-in-law to earn for them. 

However, when Sughra started this business, she engaged her father-in-law with her. She assigned him with the duty to procure the raw material for him. She also pays him with remuneration. Therefore, both of these two are now generating sufficient revenue and are in the process of expanding their business.

Sughra says that after establishment of her enterprises her family members are quite happy and satisfied. What they earn, they pool it together at the start of each month to make spending out of this. In other words, now she has made them first make the budget and than spend. Each day their pool of funds and their revenue is rising. This is just because of establishment of successful enterprises by Sughra.

One noticeable thing in Sughra case is that with the incremental income in hand, through her enterprises, she spends on male and female children equally. She believes that both male and female children are equal and important. She based this argument on her own case, where her husband due to the recession in his sector couldn’t earn much and since, she possessed skills and worked hard, therefore, she proved supportive to her family.

Sughra charges Rs 150/- per suit, while per suit stitching charges in Haripur city are Rs 275/-. Sughra charging less than other tailors is not because that she compromises on quality but she believes that she is charging lesser price to increase her customer base. She thinks that since her target market is low income clients, therefore, charging higher prices would make her get less business volume.

With the introduction of tailoring service in the vicinity, several people, particularly women are benefiting and getting the tailoring service at nominal prices and therefore, can save something to meet other homely expense.