She rode her tricycle on the long and winding roads that seemed to melt under the burning sun.
Her weather-beaten clothes wet with sweat, her face burnt due to the intense heat of the Sun, she paddled through streets with an air of dignity, grace and strength around her.
CHAPTER 1
She's Shazia - the courageous woman who refused to give in to what apparently seemed to be her destiny and decided to fight single-handedly against all odds.
She lives in a society that secludes women after they are widowed or divorced. Those who are lucky enough not to be abandoned by people have to live a compromised life with their relatives, who consider them lower in status. Living alone in a patriarchal society is not easy. Some women end up compromising on their honour ; others bear unimaginable hardships to bring up their children.
Shazia is a widow, mother of two - left alone to survive on her own.
No home, no work and no chances of finding a decent job, as she is not educated enough.
Instead of compromising on her dignity, she opted for the rough and tough path, i.e., earning her living for herself and her kids by selling ice cream.
In her part of the world, selling ice cream means riding a tricycle cart from morning till night in all sorts of weather, in a society where women are supposed to stay at home or do decent jobs; where most men consider working women, public properties; where lustful eyes thoroughly scan a woman's body as soon as she gets out of her home - even if she's covered from head to toe.
Shazia enrolled her kids in a Madrasa (religious school) where students are allowed to reside for free, got herself a tricycle cart and started selling ice cream in the streets of the city of Lahore.
She was homeless, so she set her charpoy (a bed consisting of a wooden or iron frame strung with tapes or light rope.) in a vacant plot of land, in a closed-end street. Her roof was the blue sky above. Every night she'd fall asleep with an aching body, tears in her eyes, and prayers on her lips.
Day in and day out, she'd ride her tricycle cart in the densely populated city, selling ice cream. Her courage and determination had no limits.
Without her kids, each and every day seemed to be a huge a mountain that she had to climb without any gear to protect herself. Piercing heat and freezing cold were more tolerable than the dirty eyes that pierced through her body. She had lost her smile after the death of her husband. Now her patience was at stake. Still, she kept going, one day at a time.
She worked hard 7 days a week and would visit her cubs in the madrasa every 8th day to see them and cover their needs. That was the day when she'd smile - unconsciously.
She was the only women in the country who earned her living by selling ice cream on her tricycle cart.
CHAPTER 2
Two years of endless suffering passed.
One day she woke up early in the morning, as usual; burned a small pile of wood and prepared her tea. There was no oven or stove to make breakfast. She'd usually buy and eat a bun or flatbread on her way to work. She rode her tricycle through busy roads as usual, totally unaware that her silent prayers had been answered.
She was noticed by a famous investigative journalist, who was looking for someone exceptional to cover their story for a program segment which involved collecting donations to help people facing extreme diversities without complaining or asking for help.
She was so absorbed in her routine of life that when the journalist approached her, introduced himself, and requested her to share her story with him, she didn't realise that a miracle was about to happen.
Israr, the journalist filmed her, riding her tricycle on the streets, selling ice cream. He went to see the open-air plot with her, where she spent the night. At the end of the day, a speechless Israr left for his home. He felt numb with grief and shock but he had made a decision.
Then came the day when Shazia reaped the crop of her sweat, blood and tears. She received an invitation from Israr to appear in his program, so he could present her in front of his audience, as a symbol of courage and perseverance.
She went to the in her usual weather-beaten clothes and found herself facing a hall jampacked with audience.
She was given the respect she deserved. Israr narrated her story and people listened in awe. He played the package he had filmed focusing her, and people watched it in shock. After watching the documentary, she was given a standing ovation. She stood facing them, fighting to control her tears.
After the show ended, Israr informed her that people were deeply moved by her courage and determination, and were sending donations anonymously, in his bank account to help her buy her own residence and start her own ice cream business.
She was reunited with her children. Her ordeal was finally over; her prayers heard. She was ready for the next chapter of her life - a chapter in which life looked kind and bright.