Raffia is a 27 year old female with three kids and a husband living a content life in Baldia town. Though life may be good today, the same could not have been said about Raffia a few years ago when circumstances called for her to come to the forefront and become the main bread winner of the family. Before hearing about Khushhali Bank and availing the opportunity of taking a loan Raffia used to stitch clothes day and night in order to help in the household and make both ends meet. Unfortunately, no matter what she did she was unable to generate sufficient income to even afford the basic amenities of life. Raffia knew that she was capable of doing much more and that there was potential for her to significantly increase her earnings. The only obstacle facing her was the fact that she had no earnings/savings to invest in another machine and some laces which would enable her to start her own embroidery shop and a training centre where she could impart art of embroidery to other women for a small fee. This was all made possible after she got the money required for the initial funding from Khushhali Bank, today her vision has translated into reality and she now runs a centre where she teaches around 25 women how to stitch and do embroidery. The progress Raffia has made is commendable; she is a perfect example of an empowered woman, who has made something of herself and has contrary to common belief proved that women can do anything and everything.

She feels pride in what she does and balances her life in a way that serves justice to all, it was an uphill task but Raffia handled it with grace. Today, she takes care of her family emotionally as well as financially and at the same time runs her own centre on a small scale and fulfills orders of embroidered clothes and sells them to shops. Apart from this she also owns a shop, which her husband runs as she keeps busy at the centre and shop that has been set-up at her place.

Raffia has repaid all previous loans given to her by Khushhali Bank and applied for another, with new plans of selling ready made embroidered clothes (like a boutique). She is currently in the 3rd loan cycle and is paying her installments on time and with ease. Her business is also expanding and progressing well. She is grateful to all Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) that lend money to the poor so that they can benefit from hard work and become bread earners for their families.

The above case study is an eye opener for many of us and tells us a story of despair, hard work and the fruit that a little awareness and commitment bears. It is true that a helping hand sometimes goes a long way and in the case of Microfinance institutions it surely makes a  huge difference and touches many lives; the lives of people whose desperate cries and prayers are answered in the form of micro-credit. Despite all odds Raffia overcame her financial problems and defeated poverty and starvation to emerge as a winner.