Overcoming adversity: Balanasta’s rise to an independent life
“Turn your weakness into strength and never shy away from work”, Balanasta.
Balanasta was born into an Afghan refugee family. When she was young, she did not go out of her home due to the fear of being ridiculed because of her physical disability. However, in order to make ends meet, she had to do something to contribute towards earning a living for her family. Therefore, she started to collect garbage, but the money she made was not enough to support her family. This is when she made a bold decision to step up and lead a life of self-dependency for a better future.
Nurturing the dreams
Balanasta was selected as one of the beneficiaries of the Community Initiative Fund (CIF). She received crucial support from the CIF and established her own farm business, marking a transformative step toward self-sufficiency. Through comprehensive training, she learned how to care for and maximise the benefits of laying hens, enabling her to create a sustainable source of income. With dedication and hard work, she turned her small venture into a thriving poultry business, providing her family with a dignified and prosperous livelihood.
Her story has become an inspiration, not only within her own community but also in the wider host community.
“Now, the same people who used to make fun of me, give my example, they seek loan from me…I am making a living for my entire family with my own hands”, says Balanasta.
What is the Community Initiative Fund?
CIF is an initiative supported by the Kingdom of Netherlands and implemented by GIZ Pakistan. This initiative aims at helping women from disadvantaged background to become self-sufficient in earning a decent livelihood for their families and themselves. These funds are utilised to generate business ideas for women in need, enabling them to earn a sustainable income.
About the project
Building Bridges for Social Cohesion (BBSC) is a project supported by Kingdom of Netherlands and implemented by GIZ Pakistan. It aims to promote stability, peaceful coexistence, and social cohesion between forced displaced Afghans and Pakistani host communities. It implements different initiatives like psychosocial support and peer groups, strengthening Urban Cohesion Hubs, capacity-building, and skill development for the refugees, and providing essential services such as healthcare, legal aid.