By: Mir Aatif
Gurez, August 24 (KINS): Women in Gurez are increasingly turning locally available resources and traditional products into livelihood opportunities, with Shaheena Dilbar of Tulail emerging as an example of women-led entrepreneurship in the region.
Shaheena started her venture, Tasha Enterprises, in 2020 with the aim of promoting locally available seeds and traditional products.
With support from the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKNRLM), she expanded her seed business and began selling different varieties of locally sourced seeds.
Besides seeds, Tasha Enterprises deals in honey, cumin, hazelnuts, rajma, gulkand, shilajit and other local products. The products are currently sold across different parts of Gurez, while efforts are underway to expand their reach to markets outside the valley.
Shaheena said running a business from a remote and geographically challenging area has not been easy, but her determination to establish an independent source of income helped her overcome the challenges.
“The journey has been difficult, but the motivation to do something keeps me moving forward every day,” she said.
According to Shaheena, Tasha Enterprises currently generates an annual turnover of around ₹8 lakh. She plans to expand the business further, take Gurez products to national markets and create more employment opportunities for local people.
Her enterprise is helping connect Gurez’s locally available resources, seeds and traditional products with wider markets while demonstrating the potential of women-led entrepreneurship in the region.(KINS)
