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“I got the primary education, but the fear of hunger was preventing me to move forward, to accomplish my dreams”. Esa S/o Suleiman, sitting on his shop’s bench, scratches his past moments. He started his struggle by a rental Tonga. He was paying half income to the owner. This job was giving him single time bread. It was not enough to feed his family. He started to save some amount daily. It was hard to manage but his vision was to spend a successful life. Awfully, his family was bearing for the very basic needs. His vision and continuous struggle made him able to purchase a Tonga. That gave him some better income.
One day on road the Tonga got a serious accident; He was lying on the road, his leg was broken. There was no saving to bear medical expenses, one Hakim cared him, joint his breakage and advised for six month rest. Tell me how I could rest? My children were hungry? “I have to take medicines and I was lying on the bed. This situation compelled me to go on work. After one month I started to run Tonga again. By such act, my leg got wrong joint. Now I am with lam leg, I had to survive; there was no option except struggle” he said.
At the same time he was facing health and education problems with no electricity in the house. He was using candles for light; it was too much humiliating for him in the society. His children were facing an inferiority complex and he was feeling all this very critically. He hardly managed to take connection of electricity. To overcome this expense he also took the connection of gas. It saved the extra expense for the firewood. It also saved the time of his daughter who was responsible for picking wood. Meanwhile the Chinghai was introduced in the market, which also affected his income. He was going back instead of getting forward. His 17 years son died because of fever, he was not able to give better treatment to his son, and he lost him only because of low income.
“This was a turning point in my life. In the same time I got to know about SAFWCO, its loan program and policy. That provided me a vision, it was not about to take loans but was also to manage life. This was a life changing opportunity for me. I started to join meetings and heard their talks and got motivation. It influenced me a lot; I quit smoking, first time I thought about business and savings. I sold out my Tonga, got Rs. 5000/- from it, applied for loan from SAFWCO and they provided me Rs. 8000/- he stated.
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He said, the success was somewhere around me, I started my shop, got trainings on business management. Business was on the trot, I expanded it time to time then I delivered education to my children. My son has completed the Hafiz course as well as matriculation and my daughter has done matriculation as well. We were living in our own house.
I applied again for more loans. This time, it was Rs. 10,000/-, I invested it in my business; it gave me a good profit. I was able to manage a big business. By this loan, I practiced to take wheat on local market price from the field and sold with the inflation in the market which step gave me good profit. Although it was a seasonal activity but it gave me a satisfactory income.
Next season was of cotton, this time I took Rs. 15,000/- as loan and invested it into cotton dealing. This initiative also gave me a reasonable profit. Hence, I was capable to predict market goods, demand and its ups and downs. I also took the loan of Rs. 25000/- and Rs. 30000/-. In the time of low rates, I used to purchase the products, and then sold them after the inflations in rates. The SAFWCO gave me Rs. 5000/- loan and I produced 500,000/- from it, if SAFWCO gives me Rs. 500,000/- I would turn it into Rs. 50, 00,000/- .
I am quite satisfied now and happy on what I have done. I can proudly speak about my struggle. I do not have to hear the harsh words from Saths. I am educating my son and daughter. Health and education is at my home. I have learnt the importance of time and proper decision making. I have a comprehensive and sustainable future plan for the business promotion and for family survival in the society. |