PESHAWAR: Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa brought together successful businesswomen to share their stories to inspire as well as connect entrepreneurs for enhancing economic empowerment in the province.

Shamama Arbab, president of WCCI, inaugurated the two-day summit entitled “the WIBSUM 2017” here on Thursday and said that it was all about women in business in the province and linking them with national and international companies, governmental and non-governmental organisations, which were working for economic empowerment of women.

“We want women in business attending the event to get inspired, connect and collaborate with those, whom they think they can follow in their own business or area of interest,” she said.

The event would bring in corporate sector as well as government organisations and even successful businessmen and women to share their success stories and opportunities for women in business.

Event to help connect entrepreneurs for enhancing economic empowerment in KP

Shamim Akhtar, first woman truck driver in Pakistan, shared her inspiring story of how instead of sitting at home in self-pity she preferred to work to earn livelihood for her family. She said that her family was dependent on her so she learnt sewing, driving and finally decided to become a truck driver.

“A woman is like a rose-bud unless it opens up it won’t show its true colour and fragrance. Once you bloom, you relaise your true potential,” said Ms Akhtar. She asked women not to fear social taboos when it came to support their families.

Rezani Aziz, CEO of Adfactors Public Relations and chairperson of Federation of Women Entrepreneur Association Sri Lanka, shared how a bomb blast witnessed by her changed her and moved her to work for peace alliances to encourage women to work or start up businesses so that they could contribute to family income and educate their children as education was the only way to stop people from joining terrorists.

Zeenat Ahmed, who started her entrepreneurial journey from one sewing machine and then established Shr Botique and Taneez Accessories, said how hard it was to start a business but she never gave up and proved her talent and courage as single mother as well as daughter to her parents.

Momina Duraid, a drama writer and feminist, said that she did not think much of media and its impact but as a writer realised how a drama could have an impact on a society. In her dramas usually women are shown as strong characters and she tries to write about subjects revolving around women.

Other guest speakers including Zahra Golaiji, CEO Karafarinan Tossee Hezareh Sevom Institute Tehran, Iran, model and fashion designer Nadia Hussain, Faraz Khan, a UK-based Pakistani social entrepreneur and investor shared their experiences of overcoming hardships and using their passion and talent to achieve goals in life.

Javed Iqbal Khattak, head of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mentioned some of the initiatives taken by the government for providing financial support as well training facilities to enhance skills of talented women so that they could run their own businesses.

Mohsin Syed, CEO Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company, mentioned the incentives like 25 equity offered by the government for women to start their businesses. He said that 25-kanal of land was allocated for women in each estate of the industrial zones so that they could set up industries or service organisations.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2017