Life – they say – is not a bed of roses. Some are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Others don’t have immediate access to the spoon, but can afford what they need. For others still, life is so very difficult though we can overcome hardships as when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This inspiring lady had less than a lemon to start out with. Every morning, there are always optimistic faces despite the hardships of life, they work hard with honesty and passion in in the midst of pain & sorrow.
Ateyat, 44 years old, married for more than 20 years to a driver with no children. She started working from home to help in the household in the expenses as any diligent woman. While running a grocery store she learnt baking from her neighbor. Unfortunately, her shop was closed because of loss in trade, but the doors opened again when she rented another shop in another place to start her new project in baking. It contained only an oven and a refrigerator. Ateyat’s daily routine is standard; she wakes up every day at dawn to prepare dough and starts her work.
When her reputation spread because of her delicious pies she decided to expand and produce more then she resorted to Al Tadamun Microfinance Foundation and got her first individual loan in 2018 for EGP 8,000 then in 2019 she renewed the loan for a higher amount EGP 15,000. She used both loans to buy more raw material, flour and ghee in large quantities.
When asked about the secret of her endurance and sitting next to heat for 8 consecutive hours especially in summer days, she said: “I don’t feel tired because I believe hard work is what keeps the ship moving. Good luck means, work hard”.
Ateyat tried to employ young girls and teach them how to bake. But all the attempts failed; “they are worried about their skin from the heat” She jokes. Ateyat dreams of packing and distributing her pies to supermarkets and dreams of going to do Umrah with her mother.
Atiyat advises each woman to work and not to depend on others, “who will help you today, will not offer tomorrow”. She reassures the importance of mastering work “I make sure that every bite of the pies I make is appealing to my clients; I am very grateful and blessed by their compliments”.