The LADIESFUND hosted an insightful virtual MomBoss workshop featuring dynamic women leaders who are also mothers featuring MPA Sharmila Faruqui, Actor/Humanitarian Sarwat Gilani and CEO of Fulcrum Rukhsana Asghar. Moderated by LADIESFUND President Tara Uzra Dawood at The Buraq Center and broadcast globally live, these three women deliberated the realities and shared insight on how they have built these solid, inspiring lives, and the struggles they face and overcome to make this their reality.
The workshop began with a speech by Alifiyah Anjarwala, a home-baker who specializes in lotus cakes. She rued the challenges of work-life balance and wanted to learn how to better manage her time, and keep her children, husband, in-laws and clients all happy. She requested LADIESFUND hold a workshop on this matter, particularly addressing how complicated things had become during COVID-19 lockdowns and challenges. Next, Marium Hussain, founder Leader Creators (a children’s book selling business), spoke about her struggles in work-life balance and presented LADIESFUND with an online raffle contest for a jumbo gift basket made by her brand.
These two women – among millions in our nation – are struggling with how to cope with all areas of their life in general, and particularly during lockdown. A special bird’s eye view discussion then took place between Sharmila, Rukhsana and Sarwat on being a Mom while Boss of one’s life and career and in Rukhsana’s case, 15,000 employees, all aired live. Moderated by Tara, the dialogue shared insight on time management, mental health tips, engaging children, managing expectations and self-care.
The discussion was very candid and insightful. Rukhsana spoke at one point about how little kids can also try to blackmail you because of “Mom guilt,” and how children evolve as they age.
Sharmila spoke about how she very deliberately manages her time so she doesn’t leave her toddler son for more than 2 hours at a time, and how she has to trick him so that she can sneak out of the house to attend Parliament. Sarwat mentioned the importance of corporate facilities for children with special needs. She is the Ambassador of Special Olympics Pakistan and newly appointed Ambassador of Educate a Girl by LADIESFUND.
