Three sisters in Lahore have stepped out to be independent and are breaking countless stereotypes along the way. Meet Nasreen Bibi, Saima Khatun and Shahnaz Bibi. After the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic hit, they decided to take matters into their own hands and make a living.
Speaking to a local news outlet, Nasreen said:
“I am the sole breadwinner of my family. My children are young, and I have no one to support me financially.”
She also added that one sister’s husband had died, and the other sister’s husband was severely ill. Instead of working as domestic workers in people’s homes, these sisters decided to make their own living by driving rickshaws.
“I first learned to drive a rickshaw and then bought a rickshaw in monthly installments of Rs 5,000,” Nasreen was quoted as saying. According to a news report, the sisters sold their jewelry to pay for the installments.
It’s clear that these women are dedicated and looking towards the future of their families.
“We had no income. I started driving a rickshaw so I would be able to earn money and educate my children,” Saima was quoted as saying.
Speaking about how the pandemic impacted their household, Nasreen said: “We were affected by the [COVID-19] lockdown, we had nothing to eat or drink.”
But the decision could not have been an easy one. Women in Pakistan are not easily accepted in public spaces and rickshaw driving is very much still seen as a man’s job.
However, it’s becoming clear that such steps will change that, and these trailblazers have shared how despite fears, their work has gotten appreciation.
Expressing her contentment with the job they have pursued, Nasreen was quoted as saying:
“In the beginning, I thought that it would be challenging for me to go out and face people, but it wasn’t that difficult.”
“Now people stop us and praise us for our hard work,” Nasreen was quoted as saying.
Nasreen and her sisters could pave ways for women to be independent earners. In a world where women’s safety can be compromised in public spaces, having female drivers can also provide a sense of security for women in Pakistan to travel on their own.
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