BORN into a privileged environment, Pakistani Aysha Saifuddin, 35, grew up not knowing how the poor in her country lived.

The third child of a school principal mother and lawyer father studied at an American school in Lahore before going to Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, in the United States.

There, she took up a development course that opened her eyes to the struggles of poor women in her homeland.

She was fired up to help them.

She returned to Pakistan and worked with several non-governmental organisations before setting up the non-profit Kaarvan Crafts Foundation in 2003 to help low-income women become their own bosses.

Yesterday, Ms Aysha beat winners from four other countries around the region for an Asia-Pacific award honouring social entrepreneurs - people who run their businesses to address specific social needs. She received US$10,000 (S$15,000).

FIRED UP TO HELP OTHERS: Award winner Aysha Saifuddin from Pakistan set up shops that sell handicraft made by 2,500 low-income women. Photo/ LIM SIN THAI Listen to AsiaOne's vodcast interview with Ms Saifuddin here.

The inaugural DHL Young Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (YES) Awards specified that entrants' businesses must address at least one of the United Nations' development goals, which include eradication of poverty, making primary education universal, promoting gender equality and empowering women.

Ms Erna Witoelar, the UN's Special Ambassador for Millennium Development Goals in the region, said Ms Aysha's business stood out as it covered its costs through sales, not subsidies.

So far, 2,500 Pakistani women surviving on US$100 or less a month have made candles, bags and clothes to be sold at Kaarvan's four shops.

Ms Aysha, who is married with two children, explained how it all began: 'A woman came up to me one day with an exquisite embroidery and said she could not sell her work because the city market would not accept it.

'Just because of how she was dressed, could not speak English and was poor, she could not expand her enterprise. That's unfair!'

Each of the four national winners received US$5,000. They are:

• Ms Pinky Sikder, 38, from Bangladesh, who teaches HIV-Aids education and craft skills to the transgender community;
• Mr Illac Angelo Diaz, 35, from the Philippines, who provides low-cost shelter and job-finding assistance to migrant maritime workers in Manila;
• Ms Kritaya Sreesunpagit, 28, from Thailand, who develops young leaders to address social issues; and
• Ms Areena Ng, 29, from Singapore, who runs Bridge Learning, a centre tackling learning difficulties and disabilities.

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» Social enterprises 'need more publicity, incentives to grow'

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