Zain Ashraf

With the assertion that women’s economic independence is key to achieving gender equality, Zain Ashraf, Founder and President of the crowdsourcing micro-financing organization Seed Out, has engaged his platform and wide network of private and public sector partners to promote gender equality as an imperative. Awarded the Commonwealth Youth Award in 2018, and cited as Forbes 30 under 30 in 2019, Zain has initiated several initiatives to promote women’s entrepreneurship. Breaking through stereotypes of women’s roles in business and overall society, Zain initiated programmes such as Zeenat Gari – an initiative to empower women as rickshaw drivers, and Tabeer Stores – an initiative to empower women as general store owners. Through collaborative skills development initiatives, reflecting private-public sector partnerships, Zain further provides embroidery and handcrafts training to women entrepreneurs.