{"id":41819,"date":"2022-02-09T04:23:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T09:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging21.finca.org\/uncategorized-en-ca\/dreams-of-building-a-better-life"},"modified":"2024-05-14T10:59:44","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T14:59:44","slug":"dreams-of-building-a-better-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finca.org\/en-ca\/dreams-of-building-a-better-life","title":{"rendered":"Dreams of Building a Better Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Irshad Bibi has long had dreams of building a better life for herself, her children, and the rest of her family. \u201cI come from a humble family,\u201d Bibi explains, \u201cwhere [money] was always an issue. My father used to run a small livestock business that barely helped us to run our household expenses. It was difficult for my father to support our family due to his meager income.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dreams of Building a Better Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Bibi was a child, it was not clear what her future would hold. She knew that she wanted to get married and have children. She also wanted to follow in her father\u2019s footsteps raising animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bibi wanted the feeling of accomplishment that comes from being an entrepreneur. Based on her own childhood, Bibi also knew that her children would be better off if both of their parents were earning money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It would not be easy. <a href=\"https:\/\/finca.org\/en-ca\/locations\/mesa\/pakistan\">Pakistan<\/a> is a conservative country. Women entrepreneurs are rare. Bibi\u2019s rural community in particular did not encourage women to strike out into business on their own. Though Bibi\u2019s husband did not obstruct her efforts, it was still very tough going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is unfortunate that Pakistan has a male-dominant society,\u201d Bibi recounts. \u201cHere it is very difficult for women to start their businesses or to pursue self-employment and to stand on their feet. I faced many hurdles when I started my livestock business. The financial capital available was limited, and at times, I thought of giving up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How FINCA helped<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bibi recounts that bank after bank turned her down. \u201cThen a representative from FINCA approached me one day,\u201d Bibi remembers. What Bibi didn&#8217;t know but soon learned was that <a href=\"https:\/\/finca.org\/blogs\/customizing-financial-services-to-empower-women\">FINCA Pakistan had products specifically tailored for women<\/a> like her. \u201cI initially got a loan of 50,000 rupees [a few hundred dollars]. I recently received my eighth loan from FINCA, and it is worth Rs 3 lakhs [nearly $2,000]. I now own five buffaloes and many goats.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was just fortunate enough to know about FINCA Microfinance Bank,\u201d said a beaming Bibi. When asked about her family\u2019s reaction and support over the years, Bibi noted that \u201ctheir support swelled with the passage of time. They were skeptical in the beginning. However, when they saw the impact and results of my struggle, I earned their support and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dramatic Changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The change in Bibi\u2019s life and the lives of her children have indeed been dramatic. As Bibi notes, \u201cmy journey, my struggle has resulted in a better lifestyle for my children.\u201d Bibi and her family used to share a small house with the livestock that they raised. Now they live in a more spacious house, in a better neighborhood, with separate quarters for the animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More importantly, Bibi\u2019s growing income allowed her son to continue his education beyond secondary school. Bibi proudly explains that \u201che is currently in the fourth year of his undergraduate studies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To other aspiring Pakistani women entrepreneurs, Bibi says, \u201cIf you want to pursue something of your own, do not hesitate. Just have faith in yourself, just take a step forward. If you work hard, Allah supports you as well.\u201d That and a little financial support from FINCA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Adapted from an article by Sadiq Suleman that appeared in Parhlo, a digital newspaper in Pakistan.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Irshad Bibi has long had dreams of building a better life for herself, her children, and the rest of her family. Read more about them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":360,"featured_media":41081,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"category-stories.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories-en-ca"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dreams of Building a Better Life | FINCA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Irshad Bibi has long had dreams of building a better life for herself, her children, and the rest of her family. 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