When this program started, we didn't have any idea about it. We were thinking it would be just another training similar to what we had done in the past.

As we progressed through the training, we realized that it was not the usual kind of training we had experienced before. We observed a lot of changes within us. Unlike other trainings linked to our regular syllabus, this training covered all aspects of our life experiences.

While many of us already knew about saving and practiced it, this training taught us how to save money for life goals and emergency situations.

During the training, we attended IG (Income Generation) sessions and Digital Marketing sessions, conducted Market Surveys in Khairpur and Karachi. All these activities changed my life and way of thinking.

I also encountered an emergency situation when my husband got infected with kidney disease and had to be on complete bed rest. His income stopped, and my income alone was not enough to cover our household expenses. I was using all my income for my husband's health. Despite facing the most difficult experience of my life, the training sessions provided me with the motivation to stand up, face the situation, and adopt a new approach to planning for the future and finding ways to cope.

Initially, when this program started, students didn't take the training seriously. However, as they attended all the sessions, their confidence levels improved, and they became motivated to do something on their own. Initially, they didn't have anything to save, but then they realized the importance of saving money from their pocket money. They also learned that they, too, can contribute to their family's income and achieve life goals through saving and following income and expenditure sessions. Aisha's story served as a big motivation for them, and they started comparing their lives with hers.

During the market surveys in Khairpur and Karachi, students gained practical experience and learned how rural home-based workers can start their own businesses with limited resources and sell their products in both local and international markets. This experience significantly increased their confidence and motivation. They also acquired valuable business skills and techniques like SWOT analysis, SCAMMPER, and the 5Ps from the LIGHT-F Project training. As a result, many of the girls have started their own small businesses and are even designing logos.

In the beginning, students were shy and hesitant to share their income in front of everyone because not all of them were financially strong. However, as time passed, they gradually realized the value of these training sessions and started to help their family members with recording income and expenditures, and doing savings. The staff faced difficulty when students had to fill out their "Boond Boond Darya" format because some students claimed they had no income to record, as all financial matters were handled by male members of their families. After attending sessions and gaining awareness, they began saving from their pocket money and recording these savings in their "BoonD Boond Darya".

Initially, students were unaware of the project's sessions and objectives. When the teachers asked them to write down their saving goals, they mentioned big goals that seemed unrealistic given their current financial situation, such as purchasing a house worth 40 to 50 million or sending their parents for Hajj. However, after participating in these sessions, they learned to set more achievable goals based on their earnings and started saving to reach those goals.

Upon completing these sessions, students gained a deeper understanding of the LIGHT-F Project's components and cycle. They realized the importance of saving and recording income and expenditures, learned how to create a business plan for their own initiatives, and understood the concept of monetizing their businesses while ensuring digital security.