Daily Times

Social entrepreneur and Circle Founder Sadaffe Abid, wrote a heartfelt note on her Facebook, expressing her excitement and delight on #SheLovesTech journey which will be taken by Pakistani women start-ups and innovators, with the bigger goal of encouraging women and girls to believe in themselves and explore entrepreneurship and technology.

Their journey will begin from tomorrow (Monday) by Karakoram Express from Karachi and the Lahore Regional Round will be held on July 3, 2019 at Colabs with a total of 120 attendees.

Sadaffe Abid wrote, “When I graduated from Mount Holyoke and started work at Systems Pvt Ltd near China Chowk in Lahore, my mother would pick and drop me. Often she would wait in the car in the summer heat for me to finish work. As a young analyst, I finished at 5:30 pm often later. I felt really bad having my mother wait & thought let me explore other options. So I started taking a rickshaw back from work to home. Within the first month I noticed in shock that the rickshaw ride cost me 40% of my salary. That was too much to spend on transport! So I decided to explore options again. The only option I found was to take the mini wagon with only 2 seats reserved for women in the front row. The back was jam packed with men. My travel time increased as the wagon would often be full & the route long. I was dropped off near the Phatak (railway crossing) in Cavalry Ground & the last stretch I walked home, crossing the phatak on foot. I walked through a nice neighbourhood with big homes. And that’s when I experienced street harassment! It was not easy but a great lesson as a young twenty one year old as it showed me what millions of women in Pakistan experience on a daily basis just making their way to work.

Their journey will begin from tomorrow (Monday) by Karakoram Express from Karachi and the Lahore Regional Round will be held on July 3, 2019 at Colabs with a total of 120 attendees

Fast forward – Since last year & a half I have been using Careem for my daily commute in the city of Karachi. My experience has been positive. Interestingly, twice I have ordered a bike by mistake…. First time I had a to go to a dentist appointment (this was Lahore) & opened my gate to find a man standing outside who asked me if I had ordered a Careem? I said yes, thinking in my head….. this is rather unusual for the driver to be outside on the road rather than in the Careem…… Then he told me You have ordered a bike! So in my head i thought what are my options? My dentist is particular I didn’t want to be late. Let me hold my bag tight get on the bike. So I said lets go at which he looked horrified…. The nice thing is that my house help Afzal who is like a family member said to the Careem bike rider why can’t you take her? i thought great attitude! Given the bike rider’s reaction, I asked Afzal to bring a taxi or a rickshaw He found a rickshaw & I made it to my dentist.

My recent bike experience with Junaid Sb was refreshing I finished a meeting for #SheLovesTech in Karachi ordered Careem as routine called to check his route & then found myself giving directions to a man on a motorbike I was puzzled till I looked at my Careem app & saw I had by accident ordered a bike! When I told him i made a mistake he calmly and politely asked me where I needed to go & that he can take me there. I said yes and came home safely.

Now I start a train journey this Monday July 1 Its six women from CIRCLE team who travel Karachi to Lahore via Karaokoram Express then by bus from Lahore to Islamabad to Abbottabad, Nathia Gali (for a retreat with start ups) with a final stop in Peshawar. Why are 6 women taking public transport and travelling through the country to 5 cities in Pakistan? The idea is to encourage women & girls to believe in themselves to explore entrepreneurship the power of technology to invest in personal growth Say yes to opportunities Take public spaces Use public transport Join the economy.

When women grow nations move forward!

I can’t wait to meet all the amazing women on the #SheLovesTech Pakistan journey & be inspired #StrongWomen #StrongPakistan.”