Women’s economic independence: Ambreen's story
Sewing Her Own Path: Ambreen’s Story
For Ambreen, independence has never been a given. Growing up in a low-income household in Pakistan, she navigated financial hardship alongside the additional challenges of living with cerebral palsy - a physical disability that affects movement. Limited mobility made conventional employment outside the home an unlikely prospect. Yet Ambreen refused to allow her circumstances to define the boundaries of her life.
From a young age, she had taught herself to sew; stitching clothes for neighbours, making simple alterations, and crafting children's garments from home. The skill was there, and the determination was there, but the knowledge to transform those talents into a sustainable livelihood was not. Her work remained occasional, informal, and poorly compensated.
That changed when Ambreen joined the Thriving Futures programme, funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation in partnership with the British Asian Trust. Through enterprise development training and financial literacy sessions, she learned how to set proper stitching charges, calculate profit margins, and manage savings. Mentoring visits helped her refine her approach to customer relations, and she established her own digital payment account - steps that, for many women in her community, would once have seemed far beyond reach.
Today, Ambreen runs a home-based stitching business offering; women's dress stitching, alterations, and children's clothing, work that is culturally accepted, practically suited to her situation, and entirely on her own terms. The moment that gave her the greatest sense of pride was simple: the day she used her own earnings to buy groceries for the family.
Her ambitions extend well beyond where she stands today. She plans to expand into embroidery, grow her customer base, and train other young women in stitching, paying forward the opportunity she herself received. Her story is a reminder that economic independence and dignity are not reserved for those without obstacles. They belong to everyone willing to reach for them. Her message to others, particularly to persons with disabilities who may feel constrained by their circumstances, is one of quiet resolve: "Do not lose hope. Learn skills that allow you to work from home and become financially independent." Her story is a testament to what becomes possible when the right support meets unwavering determination, a reminder that economic independence, dignity, and ambition are not reserved for those without obstacles. They belong to everyone willing to reach for them.
Ambreen’s story is part of the Thriving Futures programme, delivered by the British Asian and funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation. The programme supports women and marginalised communities, including persons with disabilities, to build sustainable livelihoods through skills training, enterprise development, and financial literacy.