Every day we hear awe-inspiring stories of women who irrespective of their social status and family backgrounds have achieved something in their lives only through sheer determination and hard work. The hardships these women go through everyday are unimaginable and enough to send a chill down our spines. The way they conduct their lives is admirable and nothing less than commendable. One such story is that of Ghulam Zaitoon, a 61 year old woman who emerged as a true hero for her family.


Having to support four children with a husband suffering from cancer with the constant rise in inflation is enough to demoralize anyone and make them give up on life. This however does not hold true for Zaitoon as she decided to take the bull by the horns and find a way around these problems without having to depend on anybody but herself. Zaitoon knew she had a skill which she could use to her advantage and in turn generate a respectable income which would enable her to support her family.

Ghulam Zaitoon was in need of capital as she had already decided that she would put her furniture making skills to use. Upon asking around, Ghulam Zaitoon came to know of Khushhalibank's loan facility and then applied for the same. Within no time her loan was sanctioned and Zaitoon straight away got to work and began to weave her business plans. Driven to support her family but being unable to stay away from her ailing husband for too long, she converted a room at her house into a work shop from where she started churning out fine pieces of art.

Ghulam Zaitoon began by purchasing the supplies needed to manufacture quality furniture that would give her a competitive edge. With everything setup, she headed out to develop contacts with furniture dealers from within and out of the city. It took her time to earn their confidence but at the end of the day she returned home victorious with a few contracts in her hand. Her hard work and the response she got from her clientele allowed her to purchase supplies from Chiniot and Faisalabad at lower prices as compared to what she used to buy from Rawalpindi. As time progressed, the amount of work she received grew steadily, reaching the point where she could no longer manage on her own. Zaitoon then decided that she was in a position to expand her business and increase her orders as she was now earning enough money to employ 4 workers to assist her and earn higher revenues and greater profits.

Life seemed to have taken a drastic turn for Zaitoon and her family as today Ghulam Zaitoon, the once highly dependant stay-at-home mom is now earning a very good livelihood and is even providing quality education to her 4 children which was once unaffordable. Two of Ghulam Zaitoon's children are even happily married.

Ghulam Zaitoon is an inspiration to all of us. She is a self made woman who had no means to earn and sustain her own family but against all odds emerged as a strong contender against adversity. Ghulam Zaitoon has worked hard towards securing a future for herself and her children. In addition to earning a decent living she has bought her own residential plot as well as a bike for one of her sons. She now aspires to further expand her business by opening a shop for her son in Rawalpindi which would increase the inflow of orders.

Her circumstances rather than breaking her down have made Zaitoon a confident and self reliable person who knows she too can contribute to the world. A woman from her background would need a lot of motivation to get out and fend for herself. A little determination, empowerment and support can go a long way as is evident from Ghulam Zaitoon's life altering journey.