Hyderabad GES 2017: Pak start-up wants to help Indian moms

Hyderabad: Sihah Waris, a female entrepreneur from Pakistan, says that she wants to collaborate with Indian start-ups as the culture of India is similar to that of Pakistan. 

Ms Waris is among the six entrepreneurs from Pakistan who are participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) being held in Hyderabad. The six-member contingent has three women, each of whom runs her own start-up. One of them is part of a start-up ecosystem as well. 

In the recent past, individuals have been encouraging the development of start-ups in Pakistan. Entrepreneurs who have had experience in working with start-ups have started a programme called IGNITE, under which they collect funds to help entrepreneurs in their country. 

Ms Waris, who was one of the first entrepreneurs from her college, runs a start-up called Rise Mom which helps working women connect with their children via live video feeds. “Many organisations are working for the empowerment of women. But as soon as women have children, they leave their jobs. Working mothers in India face the same problems as those in Pakistan when it comes to children,” she says.  

This is Ms Waris’ first trip to India and she is looking forward to meeting, and possibly collaborating with, some inspiring women, especially in the tech industry. She says that like India, Pakistan is also focussing on innovation and ideas driven by social impact.