Success Stories: A girl from Poonch gives wings to her dreams

Jammu, March 12(HS): Tasleem Akhter, daughter of Manzoor Hussain belongs to a family of subsistence farmers with poor financial background. Right from school, Tasleem wanted to excel and work towards financial stability. She always had an Endeavour to do something for upliftment of herself as well as of her family.

Due to inadequate opportunities in her area being a far-flung border village, she lacked the opportunities to find herself a good job, which would provide her with a stepping stone for the financial upliftment of her family. The lady had an immense interest in baking and cooking and wanted to utilise her baking talent as an opportunity to enrol herself on a bakery job.

She used to bake cakes and biscuits and distribute them amongst the village. Everyone appreciated her talent for baking. Her talent was identified by the Indian Army through a selection process held in March 2019. Tasleem Akhter under her avid interest in baking made through the selection process.

She got an opportunity to work in the Waadiyan Bakery. Caramelised walnuts and Choco-Oat cookies baked by her are sent to Pune with the assistance of the Indian Army and are then sold in Pan India and also in various AWWA shops as part of the women empowerment process.

In her words, the interest and passion were always prevalent in her but it was the Indian Army that provided a medium for her dreams to take flight. Tasleem Akther as pier to have multiple bakeries in Poonch valley one day. She also has a plan to introduce many other products through the bakery to widen the reach of her products and generate more revenue.