Pakistan: Investing in Women's Capacity

Ever wondered why we insist on building capacities of women to earn their own livelihood? Rani Kohli and Kharian’s stories highlights just that.

After receiving trainings on kitchen gardening and food preservation from Shirkat Gah under the WELDD program, Rani Kohli decided to use her newly acquired skills to earn a decent living. Rani started running a small pickle business and now sells more than 10 kilograms of pickle every week in a local market. Rani, who is a widow and the only breadwinner in her family, says “my living standard has improved drastically.”

Many other women in her community are following in Rani’s footsteps by using knowledge from WELDD trainings to grow organic vegetables and then selling them in nearby markets. One such example is that of Kharian from the Thatta district of Sindh. Kharian used homemade compost to grow vegetables near her house and sold them in nearby villages to earn a decent income. Kharian says “contributing financially in my home has led me to have greater decision making in the family. I am now consulted in all decisions related to our family which was not the case before.” 

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"839","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"415","style":"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"620"}}]]Rani Kohli, her pepper tree, and the pickles she sells at the market. Credit: Shirkat Gah