“Two years ago, I had a day job. Slowly, I started to realise that I was dedicating all my time and energy to something that wasn’t giving me much in return,” said Aqsa, a 36-year-old housewife from Hyderabad. “I wanted to use my time for myself.”
When that realisation came, Aqsa decided to start her own business. With a keen interest in clothes, she naturally gravitated towards setting up a apparel store on Daraz and curated an assortment mainly by sourcing garments from wholesalers. However, her store, also carries some pieces that she has designed herself.
Her online venture has enabled her to reach customers across the country. “Today, i receive orders from across Pakistan – from everywhere in Punjab, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and even Azad Kashmir. It’s an incredible feeling.”
“If there are any women who have children at home and have to dedicate their time to their families but still want to do something for themselves, setting up an online store is a great idea.”
When asked where she derives such a strong entrepreneurial spirit from, Aqsa said that she wanted to create a strong sense of self-identity.
“Building your own identity is important. By being a business owner and by earning an income through something that you enjoy, you can form a powerful sense of self.”
Aqsa is one of hundreds of female sellers from across Pakistan who have set up their online stores on Daraz, an online marketplace that helps them connect with millions of customers across the country. Through Daraz University, the platform provides these sellers free–of-cost education and training to help them enhance customer service, strengthen their visibility on the platform and scale their ventures.
