My name is Shazia Saleem. I live in Raiwind with my two daughters, but for a long time, it felt like we were just surviving, not living.
In 2017, my life changed in an instant. It was the rainy season, the kind of heavy downpour that usually brings relief, but that year, it brought a nightmare. My husband was at work when the factory roof, heavy with standing rainwater and weakened by the storm, gave way. The T-iron and girders collapsed right on top of him.
Losing him felt like the end of the world. For me and my girls, it wasn’t just grief; it was an apocalypse. Suddenly, the person who protected us was gone, and we were standing in the middle of a whirlwind of poverty. There were so many days when we simply didn’t eat. I would look at my daughters’ faces and wonder how I was going to keep them safe.
How a Widow’s Small Shop Saved Her Daughters’ Future
One of our friends recommended my name to JECUP. Their team came to my house, met me, heard my story and fill out some forms, I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in years. They didn’t just give me a handout; they gave me a way to stand on my own feet through their widow support program for small businesses.
I started small, just a tiny tuck shop. I poured every bit of energy I had into it. In our area, we struggle a lot with gas shortages, so as the shop grew, I realized I could do more. I started selling household use gas too.
Now, my daily routine is all about discipline. Every evening, I set aside a portion of what I’ve earned from the shop and the gas sales to reinvest. That is how the shelves stay full. To add to our income, my daughters and I also started giving tuitions to the primary school kids in our neighborhood.
Everything I do is for my daughters. I refused to let their father’s death be the end of their education. I told myself that school is the only way they will ever have a better life than I had.
Today, the results are right in front of me:
- My eldest daughter has been admitted into a BSN (Bachelors in Nursing) program.
- My youngest is in 10th grade, and JECUP is helping us cover her tuition fees.
- Our monthly income is now around PKR 30,000.
When I look at where we started skipping meals and mourning under a collapsed roof, and where we are now, I am overwhelmed. I am content. I see how God has provided for us through the kindness of others and the work of my own hands.