Graduation model -urban version-
Utilizing Digital Tools for Market Expansion
Ms. Khadija Khatoon of Maripur had run a Food Cart with her son before the training but closed it due to the spread of corona virus, and now has started a catering business. Khadija has no school education and cannot read or write. However, with the support of others around her, she is using her smartphone to increase her catering customers. She had a smartphone before the training but did not know how to use it very well. However, through the digital marketing training of Light-F, she is now able to use applications such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp business, and even uses Jazz Cash to make and receive payments.
<Getting new customers by SNS>
The trainer of digital marketing training helped her create a logo (brand name "Ghar Ka Zaiqa") on Canva (an illustration application) and posted it on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp business. To date, she has received five orders from customers who saw the ads on SNS, among which four orders are from new customers. The most recent new customer came from another region (Korangi) and placed an order for 10KG of biryani with side dishes and dessert for a total of PKR 42,000. Since she cannot read or write, she has her messages read by family members and others around her, and replies are communicated with customers via voice messages and phone calls. The "Jazz Cash" account she uses for payments was created during the training. At first it was difficult to operate, but she learned the icons and the flow of operation, and now she can use it by herself.
<Support and encouragement by her husband>
Although many participants can read and write, they rarely tried to use mobile wallets due to a concern on security. How did Khadija become able to use it? What makes her different from other women? When asked those questions, Khadija cited her husband's encouragement to "try something new. It's okay to make a few mistakes." Khadija's husband works at a nearby truck stop. Her husband has been supportive of her participation in the training. He encouraged her to learn to read and write because she had to ask someone to read the messages on her phone every time. Khadija happily told us that she decided to take a local tuition for learning basic literacy. She said, "Even though I can't read or write, the training has made me feel smarter about myself.” Her face was full of confidence.