Fighting Against All Odds

Women mostly bear the brunt of disasters and afflictions; Shabnam Albert, 42, carries the weight to keep the lights on in the house along with raising three juveniles. Her battle with breast cancer for several years meant she was frequently absent from work to undergo chemotherapy whenever possible. Prior to the floods, she had been a general assistant at the Mardan Model School (MMS) canteen, earning a pitiful 5000 PKR per month. Her husband, a domestic worker, is occasionally tasked with cleaning gutters and sewage lines for sporadic earnings. For a woman making minimum wage, life is already difficult, but it gets even worse when you have to fight a deadly disease and raise children. Against all odds, Shabnam took the opportunity in front of her and turned her life around. Shabnam’s livelihood was permanently lost as a result of the 2022 floods’ temporary closure of the schools. Her previous tailoring experience led her to start her own clothing line, which she runs out of her home. The financial grant made it possible. A single sweater now sells for 1,000-1,200 PKR, which has significantly improved the financial situation of her household.