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start small businesses in the future.
Shariffa was able to begin a small business with the help of her S2S group. She buys vegetables from the markets and then sells them in the street. Her husband has a donkey
and cart, meaning he is able to take the vegetables and sell them in other nearby locations. Together, they are making enough to support themselves and provide some help for their wider family. The S2S group has helped Shariffa to grow the business as well as encouraging her in her faith.
A S2S facilitator, who has been in the role for seven years, told us she is delighted to be ‘a channel of change for the good of individuals, families and the wider community’. She is working with another facilitator to support and develop more groups
in their area. The latter told us she is blessed to have this opportunity ‘to serve God and bring real transformation and social impact’. She said: ‘Many of the women [in the S2S groups] do not know their value, and we are able to help them see that they have many skills and enable them to make changes in their lives for the better, which can also make a difference in the whole community.’
Khalida has been able to open a small shop with support from S2S members
There are currently 31 groups in this area, many of which can now function without the input of the facilitators.
Maqsooda
Shariffa
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Support groups not just for women
The Strength to Stand approach seeks to increase resilience and to protect the most persecuted, deprived and vulnerable Christian women in Pakistan. The groups have contributed significantly to empowering women and alleviating poverty in Pakistan as well as helping to improve women’s spiritual, social, economic and leadership skills in the community.
This year there are more than 350 S2S groups in total in Pakistan, the vast majority of which are for women but there are also a few men’s groups.
Christian men face a number of challenges, including extreme poverty and an inability to get stable work. Often they are mistreated and marginalised for being Christians. Many of those who do work are treated like slaves in the brick kiln factories so the thought of being able to pool some funds in order to support small business development is a great step forward.