Surbir

“My name is Surbir, I am 33. I live with my wife Ashodha and two daughters, who are 10 and 13 years old. They are both in school.

Through the Futuremakers project, I participated in business training, financial literacy training and record keeping, and I was supported to start this snack shop.

Before starting this business, I just stayed at home. I have a visual impairment, with partial vision in one eye only. 15 years back, I was involved in the public revolution, and during that I was injured and I lost my sight.

Since then, we survived on the social security allowance I got because of my visual impairment. Our income was that and my wife’s earnings from daily labour work. It was enough for subsistence only.

Once I resided in this area, I heard a project working with people with disabilities was forming a self-help group. I got involved, I am vice chair of the group. Through meetings of the group, I heard about the Futuremakers project.

Now, I spend my whole day working here. First my wife and I arrange all these things, then we both work here for the whole day. We provide small lunches or snacks, people can sit and eat their snacks here, or they can take away. This is the only shop in this location, so we get lots of customers.

For now, I have been supported to start this business, but I plan to invest and scale up and depend wholly on this business for income in the future. I also hope to get further support for this.

I would like to thank all the people who provided support through this project. My main aim for the future is to use the income from this business to educate my daughters. I want to see them get good jobs.”

This project is funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation and delivered by CBM and DECN in partnership with the Standard Chartered Foundation. It is part of Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, a global initiative to tackle inequality by promoting economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, including those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.