‘Umeed’ helps Pampore woman to expand her ‘Dry Fruit’ business
Umeed a ray of hope for unemployed women in rural areas: Says Saleema
Pulwama: A 50-year-old woman from Pampore hamlet of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district has become an inspiration for hundreds of unemployed women as she is expanding her dry fruit business using Umeed.
Saleema Bano(50), a resident of Ladhoo Pampore despite being uneducated has been earning livelihood for herself besides engaging women of her neighborhood in packing dry fruits.
Saleema while talking to ‘Kashmir Vision’ said that their dry fruit business was going on for past 20 years but due to financial constraints, they were unable to expand their business.
“It was 2018, when I came to know about Umeed and joined the Self Help Group and after some time started getting loans which I invested in our business to expand it and to achieve a greater reach,” she said
“Since 2018, I have taken help of Umeed several times to expand dry fruit business and I have successfully managed to do it and currently the venture is going on very well,” Saleema said.
“During initial period I had to face taunts and other negative comments from people but I continued despite that and didn’t lost hope,” she said.
“We have been packing different dry fruits at our home and have been supplying them to several retailers across several districts,” she added.
“My family members have been helping me in packing items and sometimes when demand remains high, we are engaging unemployed women of our neighborhood to pack the dry fruits,” she said.
“The whole credit of my success goes to Umeed, with the help of which I was able to expand my business to earn a livelihood for myself and provid opportunities to others as well,” a beaming Saleema adds.
Saleema said that Umeed is a ray of hope for rural women.
“I being an uneducated woman got benefit from the scheme. Why can’t the educated women get help from such scheme and earn a name for themselves,” she said.
“Women who want to become financially independent must take help from Umeed and establish their unit,” she said.
“Educated women shouldn’t sit idle at home rather they must take benefit of different government schemes and make a start,” she advises.
Jahangeer Ganaie
