Ameer Kahtoon, a widow entrepreneur, residing in village Ganhwar Khan Domki, Jacobabad district, looks happy while running a grocery shop in the village neighbourhood, where she earns little income to feed her small family.
She is the mother of four children, two sons and two daughters. She got support from the Fast Rural Development Program (FRDP) for launching her own business to live safely at this difficult time.
The village Ganhwar Khan Domki comprises 80 households, mostly farmers, working in agriculture.
“It is really inspiring for me to deal with fellow women and children, coming to shop for purchasing food items whenever they need,” she said, adding that “many of them ask about this new work I have adapted and I reply to them how it brings blessing for me.”
She said “after death of my husband, I felt the burden of poverty and thought about how I can feed my four minor children to enroll them in school and feed them properly. Because working in agriculture fields and doing work as daily wagers looks uncertain for women”.
“Little wages cannot turn helpful for you when you have to spend seven- eight hours daily in scorching heat, picking cotton, chilli or harvesting rice, away from children,” she narrates.
She is aware and said “minor children need support by their parents like me at their grooming age. They should be enrolled at school and should be provided two meals a day to maintain their health,” she added.
She claims to have inspired other village women to start entrepreneurship on their own at village level to earn better than working in agriculture fields.
