It’s my bridge to the world
In a modest neighborhood alive with everyday sounds, Raziya Bibi walks with determination. Carrying her bag of products and a simple smartphone, she is more than a seller—she is a catalyst for change. As a Suryamukhi with Pollinate Group, Raziya embodies resilience and hope.
Her journey began with a family discussion. “My uncle told me about Pollinate Group,” she recalls. “At first, I was unsure, but something inside me whispered—it’s your turn now.” Life was challenging then. A mother of two, Raziya balanced family duties with the dream of giving her children a good education. “Their studies are everything to me,” she says. “But costs were rising, and I didn’t want to always rely on others.”
Joining as a Suryamukhi gave her not just income, but control over her life. With her starter kit came a smartphone, a tool she had never used before. Patiently guided by Samar Da, a Pollinate field officer, she learned to use apps, take orders, and follow up with customers. “It’s not just a phone,” she smiles. “It’s my bridge to the world.”
Today, Raziya uses digital tools to grow her business and provide clean energy products that replace unsafe and expensive alternatives. Though building trust was hard at first, persistence earned her respect. Now, her community sees her as a leader—a woman who brings change, not just goods.
Her motivation is simple yet powerful: her children’s future, and the belief that other women, too, can rise.
Between India and Nepal, over 288 million people still live in poverty.
Unstable low-wage jobs keep families in a cycle of intergenerational poverty. Gender inequality - as an additional challenge - means women have fewer resources to cope.
Communities lack access to clean energy sources for lighting and cooking, often using instead harmful fuels like kerosene, to which women are most exposed.
Pollinate Group exists to empower women to become micro-entrepreneurs by distributing life-changing products such as solar lights, fans, water filters and female sanitary products across marginalised communities in urban slums and rural villages in India and Nepal.
Pollinate also provides training in digital and financial literacy, marketing, sales and other business skills to improve women's opportunities to succeed.
