Human Development Foundation

An Entrepreneur to Exporter

By Arif A. Shaikh, Social Organiser- HDF KKA Region

Before writing the story of Master Yousuf I always thought that “Sky is the limit and it’s the final destination for every man success” but my thought proved wrong after meeting Yousuf Chandio.

Yousuf is a Primary School Teacher in Government School of Adam Hingoro Goth, Malir and living there for 15 years. He is one of those individuals who helped to introduce HDF in the area. He is a very good Zari (fabric embroidery) worker and had his own small workshop. To enhance his teaching capacity, he requested and got HDF’s teachers training on “Child friendly joyful learning” and “Adults Literacy”. About trainings he said, “Although I am in teaching field for the last 20 years and have good experience, but these two trainings have shown me new methods of teaching which was not known to me. Now I am using joyful teaching methodology in my classes and also guiding my other colleagues.”

Being DO (Development Organization) member, Yousuf received credit of Rs.10, 000 for the expansion of his workshop. He returned this amount in just three months through profitable successful business. And got 2nd credit of Rs.30, 000 for further expansion and strengthening of his business. During this period he also attended entrepreneurship training from HDF, which developed his marketing capacities. After this training he got different ideas to get rid of the middleman who were major hurdle to get maximum profit of his Zari business. He started marketing of his product directly to wholesalers and started getting more profit. He kept marketing survey and got ideas to export his product to countries in the Gulf. He found a person (middleman) for Saudi Arabia and started sending the products through him. This increased his profit margin but also increased freight expenses. The man in Saudi Arabia was long away to be well communicated, and he (middleman) got this advantage and started tampering. In his sustainable struggle and with experience, Yusuf started thinking to do market survey and find vendors directly in Saudi Arabia. He got more knowledge and experience in marketing, which took more of his time and he had less time to look after his workshop. He consulted other workshop owners of the area and discussed all his experiences of markets mainly to export their products. All the laborers and workshop owners were underpaid in the local market of Karachi and were at the risk of closing down their current Zari business. They sighted better future, if Yusuf takes on international market. They advised him (Yusuf) to shut down his workshop and work for export linkages, for which they promised to help him.

As a first step he started to communicate directly with vendors/wholesellers in Saudi Arabia through letters and phones who had shown their interests in purchasing his (Zari) products. They (vendors in Saudi Arabia) agreed but wanted to meet him (Yusuf) and see the product designs and samples. They invited Yusuf to visit Saudi Arabia with the sample of his works.

It was not an easy task, because it needed the considerable finance with the risk; what will happen if the vendors refuse to order? Yusuf talked with the other workshop owners and discussed the matter. Every one showed his support for Yusuf to send him to Saudi Arabia.

As soon as the idea was finalized, they started to work on it. They planed to make more than 100 dresses with different designs as samples, but first they had to get visa arrangements, which was not easy after the post September 11 situation. Yusuf is trying to get visit visa and has submitted all his documents. He is hopeful to get visa in August and fly to Saudi Arabia with lots of well wishes from his community members and hopes for the prosperous future. When asked, how did you got such ideas, Yusuf said, “HDF’s entrance has really brought changes in our lives and given us vision to develop. I am thankful to HDF’s CMS (Community Management Skills) trainings and specially Entrepreneurship Training that gave me the new vision which has not only enhanced my personal management skills but also my business management skills. I appreciate HDF's capacity building program and also want to request HDF to start more and more new capacity building trainings.”

This is the story of courageous Yousuf who started his career as Zari worker/laborer and now becoming the successful entrepreneur and exporter.

People like Yusuf are reflections of Allama Iqbal’s poem “Sitaron Se Aage Jahaan Aur Bhi Hain” (there are more worlds beyond the stars)

Date/Time Page Created: 12/7/2004

Date/Time Last Modified: 12/7/2004 9:52:22 AM

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