Hand-crafting a future for Pakistani businesswomen:
DFID and the
Kashf Foundation
Related pages: Pakistan
country profile | Case study: Empowering
Pakistani women through sustainable livelihoods | MDG 8: Aid, trade,
growth and global partnership
Image courtesy of Kashf Foundation
Sughra Mushtaq, a cheerful, gregarious middle-aged woman presently lives with
her husband and 7 of their 8 children, 2 girls and 6 boys, in Bedian,
Lahore.
She started her business 10 years ago with only 2 employees. She laments that
before she sought the  Kashf
Foundation's help in her venture, her monthly income was a mere Rs. 2,000
(approx. US$ 33).
With six General Loans (GLs) from Kashf over the past 6 years to build upon
and enhance her business of hand-crafting beaded artificial jewelry, including
bangles, necklaces and earrings.
Sughra has been able to progressively expand her business and establish a
stable clientele in the market. Though conscious of the stigma associated with
working independently and developing business relations with male members of the
community, she was adamant about carrying on her business on her own.
She now feels that the shopkeepers have developed great respect for her.
Presently, she has two main retailers in the market and has employed a number of
women in her area, who hand-craft the artificial jewelry according to her
designs and instructions.
Sughra is even able to lend small amounts of money periodically to trusted
shopkeepers in her community. While Sughra regrets not having been able to
educate her older children, she is pleased that her 3 youngest sons are now
regularly attending school.
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Micro-finance working miracles for women
Image courtesy of Kashf Foundation
The word 'Kashf' means 'miracle' in Urdu, and the Kashf Foundation addresses
the need to improve the economic and social status of women in the rural/peri-urban
areas around Lahore in Punjab Province.
Although the Government of Pakistan (GoP), has emphasised the importance of
micro-finance and empowerment in the fight against poverty on many occasions,
0pportunities for women to access income-generating activities are usually
limited in Pakistan.
So, the Kashf Foundation's goal is to alleviate poverty and increase women's
empowerment through investments in sustainable livelihoods, by delivering
micro-finance services to poor women.
Key facts
- After a successful 2-year initial pilot phase, DFID has provided support
of £3.2 million over five years to the project.
- The Kashf Foundation supports the economic empowerment of women through
micro-finance.
- Set up in 1996, the Foundation has helped over 70,000 women in Pakistan
support their families and increase their incomes, and has 50,000 clients, 250 employees
and 30 branches across Pakistan
- The Foundation models itself on the highly successful Grameen
Bank's
lending approach
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