Dilshada Bibi, who was 35 lived a modest life with her husband and three children in the Pakistani tribal region of North Waziristan. She worked as a domestic helper making PKR 4, 000 per month until her life turned around. All through her best efforts, the costs of household expenses remained a challenge to meet and her family’s financial situation had her feeling disheartened most of the time.
A Ray of Opportunity
It was when she heard about a 3-day Kitchen Gardening training program being held at her community by the Women Empowerment Organisation (WEO). The training was meant to teach the women how to grow vegetables in small places so as to empower them, a move that will make them self-reliant and financially independent. Dilshada was excited to learn something new and beneficial, so she enthusiastically enrolled in the program.
Learning and Applying Skills
Dilshada gained valuable, hands-on skills during the training that empowered her to:
• Preparing nutrient-rich soil for planting.
• Using household waste as organic compost.
• Planting and nurturing seasonal vegetables.
• Efficiently utilizing small spaces for maximum yield.
Through this hands-on session and expert guidance, she gained the confidence to begin her kitchen garden in her backyard. She relied on affordable, readily available resources to keep her investment minimal.
Reaping the Benefits
Within few months, Dilshada’s strong dedication had transformed her kitchen garden into a productive place. She devoted herself to cultivating an abundance of seasonal vegetables, reaping the rewards of her efforts and achieving significant savings:
• Household Savings: Growing vegetables at home helped Dilshada to cut down her family’s monthly grocery expenses by PKR 5,000.
• Additional Income: Over the time, her hard work paid off as she also started selling surplus vegetables to neighbors and in the local market and was making an additional PKR 8,000 per month.
Dilshada’s earnings greatly supported her family by significantly contributing to the family’s income, easing the financial burden, and improving the quality of life. Her husband, a daily wage earner, was truly proud and grateful for her achievements.
Future Aspirations
Dilshada was encouraged by the success of her cultivated land and started saving money to invest in off season vegetable production. She intends to keep cultivating the crops round the year by purchasing straw, polythene sheets, organic fertilizers and seeds. Her dream is to get commercial vegetable farming as a profession in which her passion could still be transformed into a source of livelihood.
Inspiring Others
Many women in her community have been inspired by Dilshada’s story. Her neighbors visit her garden to learn kitchen gardening techniques. She motivates other women to utilize any available space and take part in similar training programs as small steps can be the precursor for big change.
A Message of Empowerment
The story of Dilshada Bibi demonstrates that how skill development and determination can transform a domestic helper, into a self-reliant entrepreneur goes a long way to prove the point. The WEO's Kitchen Gardening training is an example of how opportunities like this empower women, build families and strengthen a community.
Today, ‘Dilshada’ is a ray of hope to her community, proving that anyone with the right equipment, time and will power can sow a seed the future.
